Tongue Twister

By Jang

A tongue twister is a phrase, sentence or rhyme that presents difficulties when you speak because it contains similar sounds. To get the full effect of a tongue twister you should try to repeat it several times, as quickly as possible, without stumbling or mispronouncing.

Here are some tongue twister in Thai language, let’s have fun!

ยายกินลำไย น้ำลายยายไหล     /yaai gin lam-yai nám-laai yaai lǎi/
Grandmother eats Longan and she is dribbling. 

ยักษ์ใหญ่ไล่ยักษ์เล็ก       /yák yài lâi yák lék/
A big giant chases a little giant.

หมู หมึก กุ้ง     /mǔu mùk gûng/
Pork, squid, shrimp

Can you do it?

Vocabularies

ยาย    /yaai/   grandmother (mother of mother)

ลำไย     /lam-yai/    Longan

น้ำลาย    /nám-laai/   saliva

ยักษ์    /yák/      giant

หมู    /mǔu/    pig, pork

กุ้ง     /gûng/     shrimp

Hope you have fun!

If you want to learn more about Thai Language, you are very welcome stop by our website: www.thailanguagehut.com or follow us in Twitter and Join us in Facebook.

Jang

Thai Language teacher

Thai Homophone

By Jang

There are many word in Thai which are pronouced the same but different spelling and have different meanings!
The following words are some of them , ready?

Rót
รถ     =     car
รส     =     taste, flavour
รด     =     pour, to water

eg. เขากินไอศกรีมรสช็อกโกแลตอยู่ในรถ ดูพ่อรถน้ำต้นไม้      /káo gin ice-cream rót chocolate yùu nai rót, duu pôr rót nám dtôn-mái/
>>He is eating an chocolate flavoured ice-cream in the car and watching father waters plants

Sôrm
ส้อม      =   fork
ซ่อม      =  to fix, to repair, to mend

eg. เขาใช้ส้อมซ่อมประตู /káo chái sôrm sôrm bprà-dtuu/
>>He uses a fork to mend the door.

Tam
ทำ            =      to do, to make
ธรรม        =      Dharma, fair

eg. แม่ฟังธรรมตอนทำอาหาร /mâe fang tam dtorn tam aa-hǎan/
>>Mom listens to dharma while she is cooking.

Please try to practice and remember

Hope you enjoyed learning–reading and writing  Thai!

Jang
Thai language teacher
Thai language hut

Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?

By pook

A tongue twister is a phrase, sentence or rhyme that presents difficulties when spoken because it contains similar sounds. To get the full effect of a tongue twister you should try to repeat it several times, as quickly as possible, without stumbling or mispronouncing.

For example,

A fly and flea flew into a flue,
said the fly to the flea ‘what shall we do?’
‘let us fly’ said the flea
said the fly ’shall we flee’
so they flew through a flaw in the flue.

The above one is in English, now Let’s try some Thai funny  tongue twisters

You’ll see that they also can tangle up your whole mouth!

สาว แสนสวย ใส่ เสื้อ สีแสด สวม ส้นสูง สีส้ม
Sǎ:w  sǎe:n-sǔay sài  suâ  siˇ:  sàe:t  sǔam  sôn  sǔ:ng  siˇ: sôm
“A gorgeous girl wears an orange T-shirt and orange high heels.”

กล้วยตานี ปลาย หวี เหี่ยว หิ้ว หวี ไป หิ้ว หวี มา
glûay  dta-ni: bpla:y  wiˇ:  hìaw  hîw  wiˇ: bpai  hîw  wiˇ: ma:
“The Tanee bananas with black wilted tips were carried to and fro.”

ชามเขียว คว่ำ เช้า ชามขาว คว่ำ ค่ำ

Cha:m   kǐaw kwâm cháo  cha:m  kǎ:w  kwâm  kâm
“The green bowl is turned upside down in the morning; The white bowl is turned upside down at night.”

How was it ?!?!?!?

Exceptions with “ร”

By Jang

Exceptions with “ร”     

Most of the time, when the consonant ท + ร, the cluster is pronounced as “s” sound, for example : 

ทราย   /saay/       =      sand           

ทรง   /sohng/           =        style 

                                  =        a prefix for verbs and nouns to show royal use or connection to royalty 

ทรัพย์ /sáp/              =        property, wealth 

ทราบ  /sâap/                 =        to know                              

ทรุดโทรม   /sút-sohm/      =        worn out, damaged, ruined 

กระทรวง   /grà-suang/     =        ministry 

Most of the time, when ศ, ส + ร, the cluster “ร” became silent, it is not pronounced at all ; 

สร้อย   /sôy/             =      necklace 

สระ   /sà/                       =        to shampoo, to wash (hair) 

                                        =        pool, pond 

ศรัทธา   /sàt-taa/          =        faith 

ศักดิ์ศรี   /sàk-sǐ/           =        dignity 

สร้าง   /sâang/           =      to create, produce, build 

เสแสร้ง   /sěh-sâeng/    =     to pretend, fake, simulate 

จริง** /jing/                    =       real, true                          

** จริง is the exception. 

Hope you can read, write and understand Thai language more ^_^  

Enjoy Learning Thai ka, see you next time …   

Kruu Jang 

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

What is “์” above the consonant??

By Jang

Silent Consonants

The symbol “์” (การันต์)

            When the symbol appears above a consonant, that consonant is not pronounced. It occurs in words of foreign origin to keep the charcters of the original words.

จอห์น         /jawn/          (from “John”)          

ปีเตอร์          /bpii-dtêr/     (from “Peter”)                         

ทัวร์          /tua/            (from “tour”)

เบียร์         /bia/            (from “beer”)               

คอมพิวเตอร์ /korm-piw-dtêr/ (from “computer”)        

ศุกร์          /sùk/           (Friday)           

เสาร์         /sǎo/            (Saturday)                                                                 

อาทิตย์            /aa-tít/         (Sunday)                                            

สัตว์          /sàt/           (animal)

หนังสือพิมพ์ /nǎng-sǔu-pim/ (newspaper)

Sometimes it is not only the consonant below the symbol which is not pronounced but also the one immediately preceding it.

เชาวน์    /chao/                            จันทร์   /jan/       

ศาสตร์   /sàat/                                  ภาพยนตร์   /pâap-pá-yon/           

It is possible to have vowel with the consonant below the symbol which is not pronounced as well.

พันธุ์   /pan/                ศักดิ์สิทธิ์   /sàk-sìt/              ยานัตถุ์  /yaa-nát/    

Kruu Jang

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

Learn Thai : Tones and Meanings…

By Jang

Today I think I am talking about tones and meanings. If you are foreigners living in Thailand, making the right tone might be something interesting for you.

When you think you hear “maa”, it might be the real “maa” which means “come” or it might be “máa” or “horse” or it could be “măa” or “dog”. Most of Thai words have meanings and some of them are pronounced in five different tones but might be heard the same by farang. 

For example:

A: wan-nee-jeuh-tàeh-phôo-yĭng-suay-suay/วันนี้เจอแต่ผู้หญิงซวย ซวย (Today I met only damned women.)
B: wan-nee-jeuh-tàeh-phôo-yĭng-sŭay-sŭay/วันนี้เจอแต่ผู้หญิงสวย สวย (Today I met only beautiful women.)
A: wan-nee-suay-jing-jing/วันนี้ซวยจริง จริง (Today I really got bad luck.)
B: wan-nee-thóng-fáa-sŭay/วันนี้ท้องฟ้าสวย (Today the sky is beautiful.)
***suay (ซวย) means bad luck and suay is pronounced with the first tone
***sŭay (สวย ) means beautiful and sŭay is pronounced with the fifth tone
A: chăn-chôb-doo-khàw/ ฉันชอบดูข่าว (I like to watch news.)
B: chăn-yàag-gin-khâw-râad-gaehng/ ฉันอยากกินข้าวราดแกง (I want to eat rice and curry.)
C: chăn-chôb-chúd-sĕe-khăw/ ฉันชอบชุดสีขาว (I like white dresses.)
*** khàw (ข่าว ) , pronounced with the second tone, means news.
*** khâw (ข้าว ) , pronounced with the third tone, means rice.
*** khăw (ขาว ) , pronounced with the fifth tone, means white.
A: chăn-chôb-sa-làd-khài/ ฉันชอบสลัดไข่ (I like egg salad.)
B: chăn-kíd-wâa-chăn-bpen-khâi/ ฉันคิดว่าฉันเป็นไข้ (I think I have a fever.)
C: chăn-jam-dâi-wâa-chăn-khăi-gun-jaeh-pra-dtoo-láew/ ฉันจำได้ว่าฉันไขกุญแจประตูแล้ว (I remembered that I unlocked the door already.)
*** khài (ไข่ ) means eggs, we pronounce it with the second tone
*** khâi (ไข้ ) means fever, we pronounce it with the third tone
*** khăi (ไข ) means unlock, we pronounce it with the fifth tone
A: chăn-súh-dtúg-ga-dta-khŏn-sàt-tua-mài-maa/ ฉันซื้อตุ๊กตาขนสัตว์ตัวใหม่มา (I bought new stuffed animal.)
B: chăn-mâi-chôb-bpai-hăa-mŏh/ ฉันไม่ชอบไปหาหมอ (I don’t like to see the doctor.)
C: chăn-dâi-glìn-a-rai-mâi-ná/ ฉันได้กลิ่นอะไรไหม้นะ (I smelt something burning.)
D: Phâa-măi-thai-dâi-ráb-gaan-yóg-yông-nai-thăa-na-phâa-thoh-thêe-dee-thêe-sùd-nai-lôhg/ผ้าไหมไทยได้รับการยกย่องในฐานะผ้าทอที่ดีที่สุดในโลก (Thai silk is acclaimed as the finest fabric in the world.)
E: khun-chôb-aa-hăan-thai-măi/ คุณชอบอาหารไทยไหม (Do you like Thai food?)
*** mài (ใหม่ ) means new and is pronounced with the second tone.
*** mâi (ไม่ ) means no and is pronounced with the third tone.
*** mâi (ไหม้ ) means burn and is also pronounced with the third tone.  
*** măi (ไหม) means silk and is pronounced with the fifth tone.
*** măi (ไหม) , also pronounced with the fifth tone, put at the end of the Yes/No question.
A: chăn-yàag-jà-bòhg-laa/ ฉันอยากจะบอกลา (I want to say goodbye.)
B: chăn-kíd-wâa-laa-nâa-rág/ ฉันคิดว่าลาน่ารัก (I think donkeys are lovely.)
C: khun-chôb-lâa-sàt-măi/ คุณชอบล่าสัตว์ไหม (Do you like to hunt?)
D: chăn-rúh-sèug-láa/ ฉันรู้สึกล้า (I feel tired.)
E: rao-khăay-phâa-măi-bpen-lăa/เราขายผ้าไหมเป็นหลา (We sell silk by the yard.)
*** laa (ลา) means goodbye, this word is pronounced with the first tone.
*** laa (ลา) this word is pronounced with the first tone also but means donkeys.
*** lâa (ล่า) means hunt, we pronounced it with the third tone.
*** láa (ล้า) , pronounced with the fourth tone, means tired.
*** lăa (หลา) means yard and is pronounced with the fifth tone.

As above, I hope you might see how it works.

Khru May Thai Teacher @ Thailanguagehut
Want to learn more Thai….then come to have a look at our Thai Language School 
www.thailanguagehut.com

Thai pronunciation…Different tones…different words and different meanings.

By Jang

At my Thai language school most of my Thai students from America and Europe almost said the same thing the first time they learned how to speak Thai. The students of Thai said they couldn’t tell the difference between gai (ไก่ or gài) means chicken and (ไข่ or khài) kai means egg and they said these two words sounded the same to them. Most problems come from pronunciation.

For example:

You pronounce ใกล้ or glâi(near) and ไกล or glai(far) with the same tone because you are not familiar with mark tones.

Or you pronounce ไม่ or mâi(no) and ไม้ or mái(wood) the same because you do not know that these two words have different meanings.

Or you pronounce ก ไก่(gor gài) ข ไข่(khŏrr khài) and ค ควาย(khorr kwaai) all the same because you think they are the same sound, such as “Who sells eggs? ใครขายไข่ไก่(krai-khăai-khài-gài?)”, “Enjoy talking about funny things. พูดขบขันกันครื้นเครง(phôod-khòhb-khăn-gan-kruén-kreng)”, etc.

Please remember that different tones make differences ….get it right or you will be misunderstood!

Khru May (Thai Language Teacher)

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

Thai phrases …switching the words around makes a very different meaning

By Jang

As I am someone who speaks and is a Thai Language Teacher, I may say that I know something and notice that even some of Thai people use Thai phrases incorrectly. Thai phrases like phrases in other languages have completely different meanings when either used in the wrong order or with incorrect words!!!! Watch out I have to check my students about this many times at my Thai Language School I think you will find this difficult too!

For example:

Once my student wanted to say that he couldn’t go to the movie( bhai-mâi-dâi or ไป-ไม่-ได้ ) , but he said he didn’t go to the movie ( mâi-dâi-bhai or ไม่-ได้-ไป ).

Or

Another student wanted to say that she was calm ( jai-yen or ใจ-เย็น) , but she said she was not anxious( yen-jai or เย็น-ใจ).-

Or

My American friend wanted to say that he wanted to eat fried rice ( khâaw-phàd or ข้าวผัด ) but he said he wanted to fry rice ( phàd-khâaw or ผัดข้าว ).

See the Thai Language can be fun also!

Khru May (Thai Language Teacher)

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