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Mar

9

Grandpa In and Grandpa Na

By admin

ตาอินกะตานา :: Grandpa In and Grandpa Na


This song is based on a well known Thai folktale about the two old fishermen,

In and Na, who are good friends. It so happens that they fight over a fish one day

and the “third party”, Yu, helps them settle the dispute, with a high price indeed.


Culture Notes

Note the use of a Thai kinship term as a general term of address

here, ตา “maternal grandfather” is used as a term of address for

an old man, followed by name.


Verse by Verse Translation

ตาอิน กะ ตานา หา ปลา เอา มา กิน กัน
dta in ka dta na ha bpla ao ma kin kan
Old man In and Old man Na have been fishing for a living.
ได้ ปลา ทุก วัน รัก กัน ก็ ปัน กัน ไป
dai bpla took wan rak kan koh bpan kan bpai
They catch the fish everyday
and because they love each other, they share the fish they catch.
หา ปลา มา นมนาน หา ปลา มา บานตะไท
ha bpla ma nom nan ha bpla ma ban dta tai
They’ve been fishing for a long time
and have been catching plenty of fish.
จนแม้ ใครๆ รู้ น้ำใจ ไมตรี ปรีดา
jon mae krai krai roo nam jai mai dtree bpree da
Until everyone knows about the friendship, kindness and jovialty among them.
แต่แล้ว วันหนึ่ง เคราะห์ มา ถึง ขมึงทึง มา

dtae laew wan nung kroh ma teung ka meung teung ma

But then one day, bad luck menacingly strikes
สอง คน ถึง ครา แย่ง หัว ปลา หาง ปลา กัน เกรียว

song kon teung kra yaeng hua bpla hang bpla kan kreaw

It so happens that the two of them fight over a fish.
ตาอิน กะ ตานา โศกา อาวรณ์ จริงเจียว

dta in ka dta na so ka ar worn jing cheaw

Later, the sad Old Man In and Old man Na bemoan their loss.
ตาอยู่ มา เดี๋ยว เดียว คว้า พุง เพียวๆ ไป กิน

dta yoo ma deaw deaw kwa poong peaw peaw bpai kin

Old Man Yu has paid only a brief visit and takes away the very middle part of the fish.

Vocabulary

ตาอิน กะ ตานา หา ปลา เอา มา กิน กัน
ได้ ปลา ทุก วัน รัก กัน ก็ ปัน กัน ไป
ปัน= แบ่ง (v.) to share, แบ่งปัน
หา ปลา มา นมนาน หา ปลา มา บานตะไท
นมนาน = นาน (for a long time)
บานตะไท = มาก (colloquial)
จนแม้ ใครๆ รู้ น้ำใจ ไมตรี ปรีดา
จนแม้ (conj.)= until
ไมตรี (n) = friendship
น้ำใจ(n) = kindness
ปรีดา (adj.,n) = delight
แต่แล้ว วันหนึ่ง เคราะห์ มา ถึง ขมึงทึง มา เคราะห์ (n) = bad luck
ขมึงทึง (v,adv) = menace, glower
สอง คน ถึง ครา แย่ง หัว ปลา หาง ปลา กัน เกรียว ครา (n.-poetic) = เวลา
แย่ง = to fight over st.
เกรียว v, adv = with commotion, uproar
ตาอิน กะ ตานา โศกา อาวรณ์ จริงเจียว โศกา (v) = sad
อาวรณ์ (v) = bemoan the loss of st.
จริง (adv- colloq) = มาก
เจียว (adv-colloq )= มาก ทีเดียว
ตาอยู่ มา เดี๋ยว เดียว คว้า พุง เพียวๆ ไป กิน เดี๋ยว (n) a moment
เดี๋ยวเดียว = a single moment, an instant
คว้า (v) to snatch, grab
พุง (n) belly
เพียว (adv) pure

If you want to learn more about Thai language, you are very welcome to stop by our website :

http://www.thailanguagehut.com/

Pook

Thai language Teacher

Jul

14

Swine Flu in Thailand…Don’t panic…everything is under control!

By Jang

Yaà-dtòk-jai-bpai means ‘don’t panic’. The situation in Thailand is not so bad. If you go outside you will see a lot of Thai people putting the masks or “naâ-gaàk” on their faces just to protect themselves from the swine flu (kaî-wàt-yaì 2009) that has been hitting Thailand since last month. If you are not sure whether you have it or not you should “bpai-haă-mŏr” which means “go to see the doctor”. The doctor will “dtruàd-luêrd” which means “get your blood checked”. It will cost you about seè-pan-baàt or 4,000 Baht if you get it checked at “rong-pá-yaa-baan-aìk-gà-chon” which means “private hospital”. As for me (săm-ràp-chán), I am thinking about “saì-naâ-gaàk” (putting the mask on) as well but jaô-naai (boss) said that it wouldn’t help anyway. What do you think? You think it will chuây reŭh maî-chuây (help or not help)?

Yang-ngai-gôr-dtaam which means “however”, Gan-waí-dee-gwaà-gaêh… oh this is a Thai proverb (săm-nuan Thai) the phrase “Gan-waí-dee-gwaà-gaêh” means “better to prevent it first than to fix it later”.  Then there is another phrase to rhyme up with this proverb which is “Yaêh-laéw-jà-gaêh-maî-tan”. “Yaêh-laéw-jà-gaêh-maî-tan” means “when it gets worse it will be too late to fix it

Hĕn-duây mai?…Do you agree with me?

 

Vocabulary  Focus

Don’t panic                  =          Yaà-dtòk-jai-bpai        อย่าตกใจไป

Mask                           =          naâ-gaàk                     หน้ากาก

Swine flu                     =          kaî-wàt-yaì 2009 (săwng-pan-gaô)          ไข้หวัดใหญ่ 2009

Go to see the doctor               =          bpai-haă-mŏr              ไปหาหมอ

To get the blood checked       =          dtruàd-luêrd                     ตรวจเลือด

4,000 Baht                   =          seè-pan-baàt               สี่พันบาท

Private Hospital          =          rong-pá-yaa-baan-èk-gà-chon            โรงพยาบาลเอกชน

As for me (female)        =          săm-ràp-chán              สำหรับฉัน

As for me (male)           =          săm-ràp-pŏm %

Mar

25

Thai Proverb: About love, marriage and couples - สำนวนไทย

By Jang

In Thai language there are many proverbs regarding love, relationship, couples and marriage.  Often you will not hear of these proverbs in your Thai Language School so let’s take a look at the following proverbs…this will help you to describe the situations and matters in a short and easy way. I think these will be of interest to you.

ก้นหม้อยังไม่ทันดำ (gôn-môr-yang-mâi-tan-dam)

which literally means “the bottom of the rice pot is not black yet”

= to break up too soon (after the marriage)

กินน้ำพริกถ้วยเก่า (gin-nám-prík-tuây-gaò)

which literally means “eat the chili paste in the same bowl”

= to go back to the old wife/partner

ทำบุญร่วมชาติ…ตักบาตรร่วมขัน (tam-boon-ruâm-chaâd…dtàk-baàd-ruâm-kăn)

which literally means “do good karma together in the previous life….share the same bowl of rice when offering food to monks”

= To be together because of doing good karma together in the previous life

คลุมถุงชน (klum-tŭng-chon)

which literally means “cover with the bags to hit each other”

= to hold a blind marriage

น้ำตาลใกล้มด ใครจะอดได้ (nám-dtaan-glâi-mód….krai-jà-ohd-dâi)

which literally means “sugar near ants…..who can restrain themselves?”

= when man and woman are together, things can happen

มดแดงแฝงพวงมะม่วง (mód-daeng-faĕng-puang-má-muâng)

which literally means “red ant hidden in the bunch of mangoes”

= a man who is a secret admirer of a woman next door/in neighborhood and try to keep her from other men

ผัวหาบเมียคอน (puă-haàb-mia-kawn)

which literally means “husband hawks..wife carries”

= a couple who helps each other to make an income

กิ่งทองใบหยก (gìng-tawng-bai-yòk)

which literally means “gold leaf…jade leaf”

= a couple who are a very good match

หม้ายขันหมาก (maâi-kăn-maàk)

which literally means “the procession of wedding parade was not taken place”

= a woman whom her wedding is called off

เสนห์ปลายจวัก (sà-nèh-bplaai-jà-wàk)

which literally means “the charm of the ladle”

= a woman who makes a man fall in love with her because of her cooking talent

ตกล่องปล่องชิ้น (dtòk-lâwng-bplàwng-chín)

which literally means “fall in a hole..in a flue”

= decide to be together/ to get married

ถ่านไฟเก่า (taàn-fai-gaò)

which literally means “old flame”

= a person that you loved or had relationship with in the past

ทองแผ่นเดียว (tawng-paèn-diaw)

Which literally means “single gold leaf”

= two families related to each other through the wedding of their children

ร่วมหอลงโรง (ruâm-hŏr-lohng-rong)

which literally means “join the bride house….go inside the building”

= got married/ be husband and wife

 

Hope you enjoy learning about these proverbs and put it in good use when speaking Thai…

Kru Mulan J (Thai Language Teacher)

Want to learn more Thai language….then come to have a look at our Thai Language school www.thailanguagehut.com

Mar

24

Thai proverb: About talking and speaking

By Jang

In this blog I will focus on the Thai proverbs regarding talking and speaking. These do not come up often in my Thai Language School so I am adding them here for your interest..

 

I hope this will help expat Thai Language students who learn Thai to understand better when listening to Thai people using Thai proverbs in their sentences.

พูดเป็นต่อยหอย (poòd-bpen-dtòi-hŏi)

which literally means “talking ceaselessly”

= To talk a mile a minute

ขวานผ่าซาก (kwaăn-paà-saâk)

which literally means “using an axe to chop right on a carcass”

= Call a spade a spade

บัวไม่ให้ช้ำ…น้ำไม่ให้ขุ่น (bua-mâi-hâi-chám…..nám-mâi-hâi-kùn)

which literally means “make no bruise on lotus petals….make the water not turbid”

= Think before you speak and speak diplomatically or tactfully to satisfy both sides or parties

ปลาหมอตายเพราะปาก (bplaa-mŏr-dtaai-praóh-bpaàk)

which literally means “the fish (climbing perch fish) is dead because of its own mouth”

= Get in hard situation because of your own words

พูดดีเป็นศรีแก่ตัว (poôd-dee-bpen-seĕ-gaè-dtua)

which literally means “speaking good is the auspicious omen”

= good speech brings good luck

ปากปราศรัย น้ำใจเชือดคอ (bpaak-bpraa-săi…nám-jai-chuêrd-kor)

which literally means “friendly mouth but the heart wants to cut your throat”

= The honey tongue, a heart of gall

ปากว่า…ตาขยิบ (bpaak-waâ-dtaa-kà-yìb)

which literally means “mouth chatting but the eye blinks”

= Overtly agree but covertly oppose

ว่าแต่เขา อิเหนาเป็นเอง (waâ-dtaè-kaó…ìh-naŏ-bpen-aing)

which literally means “criticize the others…then you are just like what you criticize the others”

The pot calls the kettle black

น้ำท่วมทุ่ง…ผักบุ้งโหรงเหรง (nám-tuâm-tûng….pàk-bûng-rŏng-rĕng)

which literally means “there’s a flood in the field…there are very few of morning glory( vegetable)”

= speak/ talk too much but hard to find details in it.

ปากหวานก้นเปรี้ยว (bpaàk-waăn-gôn-bpriâw)

which literally means “sweet mouth….sour bottom”

= sweet words but not sincere

ปั้นน้ำเป็นตัว (bpán-nám-bpen-tua)

which literally means “to form the water into shape”

= to lie/ to set things up without any truth

Are any of these Thai proverbs above describing someone you know?? J

Kru MulanJ (Thai Language Teacher)

Want to learn more Thai language….then come to have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com

 

Mar

23

Thai idioms…something similar,English-Thai…catch up with us?

By may

One of my hobbies is watching movies and I have got some catchy phrases from them that I use in my Thai language school. Thai people and English native speakers might not know that several English idioms are similar to Thais idioms.

When foreigners said “chicken-hearted”, Thai people said “Jai-bpen-plaa-siw (ใจเป็นปลาซิว).” Or In English “penny wise (and) pound foolish”, and in Thai “Siă-nói-siă-yâag-siă-mâag-siă-ngâai (เสียน้อยเสียยาก เสียมากเสียง่าย).” Or when you say “break one’s word”, Thai say “Siă-kham-phôod (เสียคำพูด).” Or when you use “cannot make (both) ends meet”, Thai use “Cháhg-nâa-mâi-thŭeng-lăhng (ชักหน้าไม่ถึงหลัง).”

For example:

I can’t imagine Sam becoming a police officer; as a boy was always so chicken-hearted. = Chăn-nŭehg-phâap-mâi-òrg-tohn-saem-klaai-bpen-tam-rùaj-sà-măi-bpen-dehg-khăo-jai-sòh-bpen-plaa-siw-loey (ฉันนึกภาพไม่ออกตอนแซมกลายเป็นตำรวจ สมัยเป็นเด็กเขาใจเสาะเป็นปลาซิวเลย) 

Isn’t he penny wise and pound foolish to buy that expensive automobile, and yet claim he can’t afford a good pair of shoes? = Kăo-phen-khohn-prà-pêt-siă-nói-siă-yâag-siă-mâag-siă-ngâai-súeh-ród-paeng-paeng-dâi-láew-âang-wâa-mâi-mee-bpan-ya-súeh-rohng-thâo-dee-dee-ság-kôo (เขาเป็นคนประเภทเสียน้อยเสียยากเสียมากเสียง่าย ซื้อรถแพง แพงได้แล้วอ้างว่าไม่มีปัญญาซื้อรองเท้าดี ดีซักคู่)  

 

 

You can trust her; she is not the kind of person who will break her word easily. = Khun-wái-jai-ther-dâi-ther-mâi-châi-khohn-prà-pêt-yom-siă-kham-phôod-ngâai-ngâai (คุณไว้ใจเธอได้ เธอไม่ใช่คนประเภทยอมเสียคำพูดง่าย ง่าย)

She cannot make (both) ends meet since she lost her job. =  Ther-cháhg-nâa-mâi-thŭeng-lăhng-náhb-thâhng-thàe-ther-mâi-mee-ngaan-tham (เธอชักหน้าไม่ถึงหลังนับตั้งแต่เธอไม่มีงานทำ)

Khru May Thai Language Teacher!!! 

Want to learn more Thai Language …then come have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mar

23

Thai Proverb: About Thai women - สำนวนไทย

By Jang

Thai proverbs are widely used among the Thai people in order to explain situations and matters so that the others can have a clear picture about what they are saying. Many expat students do not have many chances to learn about the Thai proverb when they study Thai language in Thai language schools. I think this would be a benefit for students to learn about proverbs because they can improve their Thai language skills by using this artistic language to communicate with Thai people.

 

In this blog I will teach you some Thai proverbs regarding women in general, let’s check it out.

ดูช้างให้ดูหาง ดูนางให้ดูแม่ (doo-chaáng-hâi-doo-haăng……..doo-naang-hâi-doo-maê)

which literally means “to look at an elephant you have to look at the tail, to look at a woman you have to look at her mother”

= Like mother, Like daughter

สามวันจาก..นารีเป็นอื่น (saăm-wan-jaàk….naa-ree-bpen-uèrn)

which literally means “being away for three days, the woman’s heart turns to someone’s else

= Out of sight, out of mind

สวยแต่รูป ….จูบไม่หอม (suăy-dtaè-roôp…..joòp-mâi-hăwm)

which literally means “beautiful only the appearance…not smell nice when kissing”

= All that glitters is not gold/ Appearances are deceptive

สามีเป็นช้างเท้าหน้า….ภรรยาเป็นช้างเท้าหลัง

(saă-mee-bpen-chaâng-taô-naâ….pan-rá-yaa-bpen-chaáng-taô-lăng)

which literally means “The husband is like a front leg of elephant……the wife is like the back leg of elephant”

= The rooster is louder than the hen (the husband is the leader and the wife is the follower/supporter)

ผู้หญิงไม่ไร้เท่าใบพุทรา (poô-yĭng-mâi-rái-taô-bai-púd-saa)

which literally means “the women is not hard to find like the leaves of the jujube”

= There are many fish in the sea (refer to women)

เสียทองท่วมหัว…ไม่ยอมเสียผัวให้ใคร (siă-tawng-tuâm-huă…mâi-yawm-siă-puă-hâi-krai)

which literally means “Had rather losing a big pile of gold than losing a husband to anyone”

= The husband is more valuable than the gold or other expensive things. Do not undervalue your husband.

เรียบร้อยเหมือนผ้าพับไว้ (riâb-rói-muĕn-paâ-páb-wái)

which literally means “Neat like a folded cloth”

= Acting like a proper lady

 

 

Kru Mulan J (Thai Language Teacher)

Want to learn more Thai language….then come to have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com