The Thai script – lesson 7
For those who regularly stay in Thailand or have Thai family, it is useful to have the Thai language to make it your own. With enough motivation, practically anyone of any age can learn the language. I really don't have a language talent myself, but after about a year I can still speak basic Thai. In the following lessons a short introduction with the commonly used characters, words and sounds. Lesson 7 today.
The Thai script – lesson 7
Lesson 7 today
| ค | kh (aspirated) |
| ช | ch/tj (as in chantange but start with a light 't' sound) |
| ซ | s |
| เ-า | ao |
| cover up | am |
1
| Word | Pronunciation | Show | Meaning |
| people | khon | m | person, human |
| think | khiet | h | thinking |
| ครับ / คับ | khráp / kháp | h/h | courtesy word at the end of a sentence (male speakers) |
| Buffalo | khwaaj | m | buffalo |
| Family | khrôp-kruwa | dm | family Family |
2
| elephant | chaang | h | olifant |
| like | chohp | d | like it |
| help | choewaj | d | help out |
| man | chaaj | m | male |
| tea | bye | m | thee |
| slow | chaa | h | slowly |
In the next video, Mod talks a bit more about using 'chôp':
3
| left | saaj | h | left-wing |
| ซวย | suvai | m | bad luck, misfortune, cursed |
| envelope | sohng | m | envelopes |
| ซัก | sak | h | wash (of clothes) |
Do you remember "sǒewaj" (beautiful) from Lesson 6? As you can see, this word with a neutral middle tone is definitely not a compliment!
4
| drunk | mao | m | drunk |
| he | khao | h | he, she, him, her |
| enter | khao | d | go inside |
| foot | remove | h | foot, paw |
| take | ao | m | wish, want |
You may know 'khâo' from เข้าใจ 'khâo tjai'. Literally: going within + heart/center. The message (not) gets to you. In other words: 'I understand (not)'. How do you say "I don't understand" in Thai? Cheer at lesson 3 if you don't remember.
5
| word | Kham | m | word |
| black | women | m | black |
| testicle | hǎm | s | cock, l*l |
| do | greed | m | do, make (f/e act) |
| water | name | h | water, liquid |
'tham' appears in many words, for example in ทำอะไร (tham-à-rai): 'what are you doing?'. You also see the word น้ำ here, you would think that this is an 'ám' sound, but this is an exception and people say 'náam' (so with a long sound).
Recommended materials:
- The book 'the Thai language' and downloadable materials by Ronald Schütte. See: http://slapsystems.nl
- The textbook 'Thai for beginners' by Benjawan Poomsan Becker.
- www.thai-language.com
Hallo,
some comments/improvements:
คิด = khít (short)
ชอบ = chô:hp (long)
ซอง = so:hng (long)
เขา = khǎo (rising)
Regards,
Daniel M.
คิด: agree, is khít in pronunciation.
Then there is a difference in phonetic use. Many schools (including me) consider the “h” after the vowel to be a semi-long tone. But you can also call it long. And yes, เขา is ascending considering the spelling! But in practice it is unruly: (see the following from my book):
“เขา (kháo) (he, she), ฉัน (chán) (me), and ไหม (mái?) ('question word'), all of which are pronounced in a high tone, but take on a rising tone when used in isolation.
In one form of repeated adjective use (see 6.4), the first is pronounced – for emphasis – in a high pitch:
สวย (soewǎj) (beautiful)
ส๊วยสวย (soewáj soewǎj) (very beautiful)”
And yes, เขา if it means mountain is indeed only with a rising tone.
Maybe Ronald can also tell us how to actually pronounce ครอบครัว khrôp-kroewa. From Thai I know that it is khrôhp so clearly with an h before the p as pronunciation.
And ชอบ = chô:hp . We are not English speakers, so you still use the Dutch phonetic tj of, for example, tjonge or Tjeukemeer. And not the English phonetic ch of the English chocolate.
Dear Ger,
They pronounce ครอบครัว with both 'ค' aspirated, so a somewhat softer sounding 'k'. phonetically thus: khrôp-khroewa. (both 'ค' phonetically as 'kh')
Like many, I also have the 'ch' and 'tj' phonetic spelling in my book as follows:
จ M จาน tj tjaan
ฉ H ฉิ่ง ch chìng
ช L ช้าง ch cháang
ฌ L เฌอ ch cheu:
(The M and H and L stand for mid and high and low consonant)
When listening, the last 3 really sound like 'ch' which mainly occurs in English ('chance' etc.) while we know that sound mainly in words like: 'chapter' etc. so not typical Dutch words. If you listen to the จ, it really isn't 'ch'. It's a very light 'tj' sound. For example, listen to the statements in http://www.thai-language.com.
Everything remains approximation, only the official phonetic script is correct, but that will take you a year to learn!
คิด spoken indeed sounds more like 'khít': with an i plank (or sometimes a very fast ie). Audio example at:
http://thai-language.com/id/131420
เขา is written rising but in the spoken language usually with a high pitch.
http://thai-language.com/id/131072
The rest is the eternal discussion about the least wrong phonetic translation. 555
'…..about the least wrong phonetic translation…….'
That's funny and quite right…Let's see Bhumibol. best phonetics 'phoe:míphon, literally ; 'The Leader of the Country'.
Dear Rob,
I myself really like that you are selling this daring and challenging Thai language.
Certainly as far as you are concerned that you can do this within a year (hats off).
I will continue to follow these lessons.
Yours faithfully,
Erwin
หำ is 'testicle'
Dan Patten women often talk about scrotums…;)
หำ = penis, cock
ไข่หำ / บักหำ = scrotum, testicle
หี = shit
http://thai-language.com/id/141221
To talk*