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By Jang
“mâi bpen rai” is an idiomatic expression meaning never mind, don’t worry about it, it doesn’t matter. We can use “mâi bpen rai” to response to “Thank you”, when it means you’re welcome and to response to “Sorry”, when it means it doesn’t matter.
For example,
Thank you : kòrp-kun kâ / kráp response : mâi bpen rai kâ / kráp
Sorry : kǒr-tôht kâ / kráp response : mâi bpen rai kâ / kráp
Moreover, “mâi bpen rai” is able to use if you want to say “no, thank you” indirectly when somebody offers you something and you do not want it. Sometimes, Thais are worried that they could hurt the others feeling if they said “no” directly so they avoid by saying “mâi bpen rai”
For example,
A : kun ao gaa-fae mái? Do you want coffee?
B : mâi bpen rai kâ (kòrp-kun kâ). No, thank you.
Huh? You would like to give me some snacks? Mâi bpen rai kâ! ^_^
Hope you enjoyed learning Thai!
Jang
Thai language teacher
Should you would like to learn more Thai, please come to visit our school, www.thailanguagehut.com
By Jang
Most of farang may learn as the word “ao” if you would like to say “want”, but this word cannot use in every case.
Today we are going to learn more about “want”.
Case 1. Ao
Actually the word “ao” means “to take” or “to bring” but you can use when you choose or order something.
For example
Ao kâaw-pàt kâ. เอาข้าวผัดค่ะ I want fried rice please.
Q : Ao nám mái kráp? เอาน้ำไหมครับ Do you want some water?
A : Ao kâ เอาค่ะ Yes (I want)
Mâi ao kâ ไม่เอาค่ะ No (I don’t want)
Case 2. yàak + verb
This is the most common way to say in Thai, it means “want to____”.
For example
Chán yàak bpai Phuket. ฉันอยากไปภูเก็ต I want to go to Phuket.
Not Chán ao bpai Phuket. ×
Pǒm yàak rain paa-sǎa Thai ผมอยากเรียนภาษาไทย I want to learn Thai language.
Not Pǒm ao rian paa-sǎa Thai. ×
***Note The word “want” which does not use when you order something (case 1), Thai people say
yàak mii + something = want to have _____
For example
How do you say “I want a house”?
@“chán ao bâan”
This sentence is possible if somebody ask you “which one do you want, house or car?” Then you choose the house.
@ “chán yàak bâan”
This sentence is grammatically wrong because “yàak” always follow by “verb”
Therefore, in this case we say,
”chán yàak mii bâan” ฉันอยากมีบ้าน (I want (to have) a house.)
Case 3. Dtâwng-gaan + noun / verb
This is the formal way to say and to write in Thai, it means “would like to____” or “want (to) ______”
For example
Kun John dtâwng-gaan póp kun
คุณจอห์นต้องการพบคุณ
=Mr John would like to meet you.
Pûu-jàt-gaan dtâwng-gaan èk-gà-sǎan dtawn-ní
ผู้จัดการต้องการเอกสารตอนนี้
=The manager wants a document now.
Dtawn-ní chán hĭw mâak, yàak bpai gin kâaw, ao kâaw-pàt 3 jaan kâ!!
(Now I’m very hungry, want to go to eat, I want 3 dishes of fried rice!!)
Hope you enjoyed learning Thai…
Kruu Jang
Thai Teacher
Yàak pûut paa-sǎa Thai …then come to have a look at our Thai Language School
www.thailanguagehut.com
By may
Last time I told you about present simple. Right here it’s time to talk about present continuous. Are you ready to be absorbed?
When we, Thai people, want to ask questions as someone is doing something, we end it with “อยู่” or “อยู่น่ะ” or “อยู่ล่ะ” or “อยู่เหรอ”.
For example:
Q: เธอกำลังทำอะไรอยู่/ther-gam-lang-tham-a-rai-yòo/ what are you doing?
A: อ๋อ ฉันกำลังดูทีวีอยู่/ŏrr-chăn-gam-lang-doo-thee-wee-yòo/Well, I am watching TV.
Q: เขาทำอะไรอยู่ล่ะ/kăo-tham-a-rai-yòo-lâ/ what is he doing?
A: เขาท่องตำราประวัติศาสตร์อยู่/ kăo-thông-tam-raa-yòo/ he is studying history.
Q: พวกเขากินอะไรกันอยู่น่ะ/pûak-kăo-gin-a-rai-gan-yòo-nâ/ what are they eating?
A: พวกเขากำลังกินส้มตำกันอยู่/ pûak-kăo-gam-lang-gin-sôm-tam-gan-yòo/ they are eating papaya salad.
When it is about places, we would say “กำลังจะไป…” or “จะไป…” or “ไป…น่ะ”.
For example:
Q: เธอกำลังจะไปไหนเหรอ/ther-gam-lang-ja-bpai-năi-rĕuh/ where are you going?
A: ฉันกำลังจะไปหาหมอน่ะ/chăn-gam-lang-ja-bpai-hăa-mŏrr-nâ/I am going to see the doctor.
Q: ไปไหนเหรอ/bpai-năi-rĕuh/ where are you going?
A: อ๋อ ไ</str
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 %
By Jang
Common Expressions
Common expressions are widely used among Thai people when they are talking. Here are some common expressions that might be useful when you are speaking with Thais.
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English
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Phonetics
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Thai
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What?
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Àrai-ná?
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อะไรนะ
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Really?
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Jing reŭh?
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จริงเหรอ
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Really. / It’s true.
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Jing-jing
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จริงจริง
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I don’t believe it
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Maî chuêh
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ไม่เชื่อ
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Just kidding/ joking
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Lór-lên / poôd-lên
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ล้อเล่น / พูดเล่น
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It’s nothing/ Never mind
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Maî-bpen-rai
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ไม่เป็นไร
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No problem
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Maî-mee-bpan-haă
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ไม่มีปัญหา
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Anything would be ok
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Àrai-gôr-daî
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อะไรก็ได้
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Anywhere would be ok
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Teê-năi-gôr-daî
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ที่ไหนก็ได้
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Any time would be ok
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Muêh-raì-gôr-daî
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เมื่อไหร่ก็ได้
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Any way would be ok
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Yang-ngai-gôr-daî
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ยังไงก็ได้
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Hope you enjoyed learning Thai.
Kru Mulan 
Thai Language Hut school
By may
Hi there, my dear farangs, I am back. Right now I just want to let you see some phrases which you may hear them a lot. And sometimes Thai people make Thai language more difficult to understand because they use it differently. Let’s see how they speak and how you can pick it.
When they say”เข้าใจมั๊ย/khâo-jai-mái/understand?”, your reply might be “ไม่เข้าใจ/mâi-khâo-jai/don’t understand”, or “ไม่เข้าใจเลย/mâi-khâo-jai-loey/don’t understand at all”, or “ก็เข้าใจบ้าง/khôrr-khâo-jai-bâang/yeah, I understand some.”, or “เข้าใจบ้าง ไม่เข้าใจบ้าง / khâo-jai-bâang-mâi-khâo-jai-bâang /some I do, some I don’t”, or “เข้าใจแล้ว/khâo-jai-láew/yeah, I got it.”, etc. What you need to pick for answering is the main word and this one is”เข้าใจ/khâo-jai-/understand”.
As you hear “รู้มั๊ย/rú-mái/Do you know that(it)?”, your answer could be “ไม่รู้/mâi-rú/No, I don’t or don’t know”, or “ไม่รู้เลย/mâi-rú-loey/don’t know at all”, or “ไม่รู้อะไรมาก/mâi-rú-a-rai-mâag/don’t know much”, or “ไม่รู้อะไรเลย/ mâi-rú-a-rai-loey/don’t know anything at all”, or “ก็รู้บ้าง/ khôrr- rú-bâang/yeah, I know some.”, or “รู้แล้ว/ rú-láew/yeah, I knew or yeah, I heard about it.”, or something else. For Thais, to know is “รู้/rú/know something or about something” and “รู้จัก/ rú-jàg/know persons or places or things”.
If someone asks you “รู้จักมั๊ย/rú-jàg-mái/Do you know that(person or place or thing)?”, you might respond ”ไม่รู้จัก/mâi-rú-jàg /No, I don’t.”, or “ไม่รู้จักเลย/ mâi-rú-jàg-loey/ don’t know (person or place or thing) at all.”, or “รู้จักแต่ไม่มาก/ rú-jàg-tàeh-mâi-mâag /yeah but not much.”, or “รู้จักแล้ว/ rú-jàg-láew /yeah, I knew him/her/them or yeah, I knew that place/that thing.”, or just say “ไม่แน่ใจครับ(ค่ะ)/ mâi-nâeh-jai-kráb(khâ) /I am not sure.”
Right here I am showing you how to have your conversation on the right track and I believe it is not that hard to remember or understand.
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Filed under:
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Vocabularies
By Jang
No need to be confused anymore when you are asked with these following questions
Ø Châi-mái? ใช่มั้ย
Ø Mái? มั้ย
Ø Roĕr? เหรอ
Ø Reŭh-bplaào? หรือเปล่า
Ø Reŭh-yang? หรือยัง
Here are the hints to help you out with this problem, Let’s take a look together
Ø Châi-mái? ใช่มั้ย is just like a tag-question in English. When you reply, just simply say “châi” for Yes and “mâi-châi” for No
Examples:
Q: Khun-cheuh-Sùpansăa-châi-mái?
Your name is Supansa, isn’t it? คุณชื่อสุพรรษาใช่มั้ย
A: châi-ka Yes ใช่
A: mâi-châi ka, chán-cheûh-Pánídaa
No, my name is Panida ไม่ใช่ค่ะ ฉันชื่อพนิดา
Q: Baân-kun-yoò-teê-sù-kŭm-víd-soi-24-châi-mái? บ้านคุณอยู่ที่สุขุมวิทซอย 24 ใช่มั้ย
A: châi-kráb Yes ใช่ครับ
A: mâi-châi-kráb, baân-pŏm-yoò-teê-sù-kŭm-víd-soi-26
= No, my house is in Sukhumvit Soi 26 ไม่ใช่ครับ บ้านผมอยู่ที่สุขุมวิทซอย 26
But when the question ends in “mái?” you have to answer in different way from “châi-mái?”
Ø Mái? มั้ย The usage of this question word is similar to English grammar e.g. …Do you…? Does he…? Did she…? Will you…? Can you…?
To say Yes
By may
When you ask some questions, often students do not think to much about it but if they are Thai questions you will need to know how to ask.
Thai questions are not so different from English questions. Depending on tenses Thai people express their questions in different ways.
For example:
If you ask “Do you go to see the movie often? = Khun-bpai-doo-năng-bòy-mái (คุณไปดูหนังบ่อยมั๊ย), and if your answer is “Yes, quite often.” = Khôrr-bòy-náh ( ก็บ่อยนะ ) Or “No, just sometimes.” = Mâi- bòy-ròg-khôrr-bpai-bâang ( ไม่บ่อยหรอก ก็ไปบ้าง )
If your question is “Have you finished this project yet? = Khun-tham-krong-gaan-née-sèt-rúe-yang </sp
By Jang
Outside of the Thai Language School, you might often hear some words that you never hear before. These words are usually not taught in Thai lesson that’s why this topic has come to my attention. The following words are Thai slang widely used by Thai teenagers.
ขั้นเทพ (kân-tâpe) = expert/ turn pro/ very good at something
Example: แฟนผมทำอาหารเก่งขั้นเทพ faen-pŏm-tam-aa-haăn-gèng-kân-tâpe
which means “my girlfriend is an expert in cooking”
วืด (weûd) = to miss something
Example: สุพรรษาวืดแชมป์หมากรุกปีนี้ Supansa-weûd-chámp-maàk-rúk-bpee-neê
which means “ Supansa missed being the Chess Champion this year”
ดึ๋ย (deŭi) = disgusting/ yucky
Example: กินอะไรน่ะ….ดึ๋ยจัง gin-àrai-ná?….deŭi-jang
which means “what are you eating? It’s very disgusting
มิได้นำพา (mí-dâi-nam-paa) = it doesn’t make any changes
Example: บอกไปหลายครั้งแล้ว…แต่ก็มิได้นำพา
bàwk-bpai-laăi-kráng-laéw…dtaè-gôr-mí-dâi-nam-paa
which means “I have told him/her many times…but nothing happens/ it doesn’t change anything”
งานเข้า (ngaan-kaô) = we’ve got some work to do!
Example: งานเข้าแล้ว Ngaan-kaô-laéw
which means “we’ve got something to do now”
แจ่ม (jaèm) = brilliant, cool, awesome
Example: วันนี้แต่งตัวแจ่มมาก wan-nee-dtaeng-dtua-jaèm-maâk
which means “you dress up so cool today”
ซะงั้น (sá-ngán) = just like that???
Example: ไม่มาซะงั้น mâi-maa-sá-ngán
which means “he/she didn’t come…just like that??”
ทำเนียน (tam-nian) = blend well/ good at pretending
Example: ตอนอาจารย์ถาม..ทำเนียนมาก dtawn-aa-jaan-taăm….tam-nian-maâk
which means “when the teacher asked, you pretended well
ปอด (pàwd) = chicken-hearted
Example: ไม่มีอะไรหรอก..อย่าปอดไปหน่อยเลย mâi-mee-àrai-ròk……yaà-pàwd-bpai-nòi-loey
which means “it’s just nothing….don’t be so chicken-hearted
เอาท์ (oút) = out/ not in trend
Example: ไปอยู่ไหนมาเนี่ย…ผมทรงนี้เอาท์ไปนานแล้ว
bpai-yoò-năi-maa-niâ…..pŏm-sohng-neé-oút-bpai-naan-laéw
which means “where have you been?…this hair style is already out”
ขี้เม้ง (keê-méng) = whining, complaining, get moody, yelling
Example: คนอะไร…ขี้เม้งได้ทุกเรื่อง kon-àrai…keê-méng-dâi-túk-ruêrng
which means “what kind of person is this?!…complaining and whining with everything
วันนี้โปร่ง (wan-neé-bpròng) = no boyfriend/girlfriend around today
Example: วันนี้โปร่ง ไปเที่ยวไหนกันดี wan-neé-bpròng…bpai-tiâw-năi-gan-dee ?
which means “my boyfriend/girlfriend is not around today…where shall we go?”
จิงดิ (jing-dì) = really???
Example: Suda said วันนี้เลี้ยงข้าวเย็น “wan-neé-liáng-kaô-yen”
Malee said จริงดิ “jing-dî?”
which means “Suda – I’m buying you dinner today / Malee – Really!?”
จึ๊ก (jeúk) = get annoying when being interrupted
Example: ไฟดับตอนกำลังดูทีวีอยู่..จึ๊กมากเลย
fai-dàb-dtawn-gam-lang-doo-TV-yoò…jeúk-maâk-loey
which means “the electricity went out while I was watching TV…I was so annoyed”
สาวก (saă-wóhk) = groupie/ fan club
Example: ฉันนี่แหละ…สาวกตัวจริง chăn-neê-laèh….saă-wóhk-dtua-jing
which means “It’s me!….the real fan club”
I hope this can help you to understand the meaning of Thai teenager slang for your next conversation with Thai people.
Kru MulanJ (Thai Language Teacher)
Want to learn more Thai….then come to have a look at our Thai Language School www.thailanguagehut.com
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
