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Roel
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Joined: 26 Jun 2007
Posts: 201
Location: Krabi
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 Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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STEVE G said:
| Quote: | | I can’t really see how it can do any harm Roel |
Where did I say that Steve? Of course it won't do any harm. But I seriously doubt that it will benefit first learners.
It will harm nor hurt but it might confuse.
I only tried to point out that the issue of the transliteration is a serious obstacle. So far linguists have not been able to deal with this adequately. This is due to the nature of both languages. For instance in Thai a consonant can have a different pronounciation depending on its position in a syllable. And English is highly inconsistent regarding sound-letter correspondence. And that is only two problems amongst a dozen others that make it impossible to catch everything systematically in an unambiguous transliteration system.
BaaBaa said:
| Quote: | | everybodys got to start somewhere |
How true. And that is were the countless learning books and online resources come in.
In my opinion to learn Thai you really need a structural systematical approach. Especially for Thai. Especially for beginners from zero.
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crazy88
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Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 550
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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Having lived for many years in southern Thailand and never having had a Thai national as a wife or girlfriend I picked up Thai that is not considered polite here or in Bangkok .
I always used" mai ow krup" .My partner tells me that "mai rub n'krup" is far more polite to mean you don't want something .
I also get told of quite strongly for using "arai wa" for what is or what do you want ,as it translates almost as WTF . I now use "arai n'krup"
As both phrases are very useful could sombody clarify ?
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BaaBaa.
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Joined: 23 Aug 2006
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Location: England.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:57 pm Post subject: |
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A Na on the end softens the word, so Arai? (What?) would become Arai Na? (Pardon?)
I dont know Wa. |
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Super Joe
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Joined: 22 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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I think this is well useful for someone like me who knows a few words and phrases but should know a lot more. I've been reading it with interest and learning some stuff.
Well done Pete.
SJ |
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buksida
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, "arai wa" is equivalent to WTF? and not to be used unless with close friends.
More polite would be "arai krup" or "arai na krup".
"bpen arai" is another handy one that means "whats up?"
To answer you could use "mai bpen arai" for "nothing's up" or if you want to be sarcastic "bpen kon"!
Or you could try "arai eek" which is "what else?" or "anything else" depending on context.
Using "arai loei" emphasises it like "whaaaaat?" but it depends on your tone too.
"mee arai" would equate to "what have you got?" but "mee arai mai?" means "have you got?" again depends on the sentence around it then "mai mee arai" means "nothing" or "I don't have anything".
You can also do combinations such as "mee arai eek mai?" for "have you got any more?" or anything else.
"ngong yang?" .......... "confused yet?" 
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Last edited by buksida on Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Super Joe
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Joined: 22 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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Some new stuff for me in Buksi's last post.
Some useful food and drink phrases, someone correct me please if not right. I've left off the "krup/Ka" bits.
"mow yang?" - Are you drunk?
"mow leoh" - Yeah Im drunk
"yang mai mow" - Not yet drunk
"Gin cow yang" - Have you eaten yet?
"Gin cow mai" - Would you like to eat now?
"Hue mai?" - Are you hungry?
"Gin mai?" - Would you like to eat this? (say someone was holding up something)
"Mai gin khup khun" - I don't want to eat it thank you.
"Yang mai hue?" - I'm not hungry yet
"Yang mai gin" - I don't want to eat yet"
"Imm leoh" - I'm full (so don't want to eat)
"Gin leoh" - I've eaten already.
"Hew cow" - I'm hungry
"Hew nam" - I'm thirsty
SJ |
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prcscct
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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| BaaBaa. wrote: | A Na on the end softens the word, so Arai? (What?) would become Arai Na? (Pardon?)
I dont know Wa. |
I believe 'wa' is closer to 'hell' than F*&%. One thing, you won't find slang in any of the dictionaries that I've seen. Learned on the street only. Pete 
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BaaBaa.
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Joined: 23 Aug 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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| buksida wrote: | Yes, "arai wa" is equivalent to WTF? and not to be used unless with close friends.
More polite would be "arai krup" or "arai na krup".
"bpen arai" is another handy one that means "whats up?"
To answer you could use "mai bpen arai" for "nothing's up" or if you want to be sarcastic "bpen kon"!
Or you could try "arai eek" which is "what else?" or "anything else" depending on context.
Using "arai loei" emphasises it like "whaaaaat?" but it depends on your tone too.
"mee arai" would equate to "what have you got?" but "mee arai mai?" means "have you got?" again depends on the sentence around it then "mai mee arai" means "nothing" or "I don't have anything".
You can also do combinations such as "mee arai eek mai?" for "have you got any more?" or anything else.
"ngong yang?" .......... "confused yet?" |
Whats up is arai pen rai? and its Mai pen rai not Mai pen Arai.
Surely Mai Mee means Not Have and Mai Mee Arai means Not Have What.
Also, Have anymore?
Mee arai eek mai would directly translate as Have what more no?
so you wouldnt need arai. |
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buksida
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| BaaBaa. wrote: |
Whats up is arai pen rai? and its Mai pen rai not Mai pen Arai.
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You're confusing "mai bpen rai" with "bpen arai" .. they're two completely different phrases.
"mai mee arai" when used as an answer simply means "nothing".
Don't translate each word literally, these are for use in sentences or as phrases - not individual words. Another problem is the 5 different versions of "mai" which makes this difficult unless I write it in Thai.
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Super Joe
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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'Bpen arai" - I've always understood this to be "whats the matter/problem?" ie: if someone seems upset or something is bothering them.
Does it also mean a casual "what's up/what's happening/how's things?" ??
SJ |
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buksida
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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Thats about right.
If you want to do it in Lao (Issan) you'd use "bpen yang"
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BaaBaa.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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| buksida wrote: |
Another problem is the 5 different versions of "mai" which makes this difficult unless I write it in Thai. |
New Wood Burns Doesnt It?  |
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BaaBaa.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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Ive heard the Girlfriend ask friends Arai Bpen Rai? when asking whats the problem? when seeing an Accident on the News.
It makes more sense as a direct translation to me.
But Hey, Im happy to learn. |
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prcscct
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Location: Looking for a moonlit buffet.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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Well, people seem to be having fun and getting something out of this, no matter how loose as a goose it is. 
Talking about new wood burning, try 'the tiger wearing the shirt is fighting on the mat'..LOL. Pete
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BaaBaa.
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| Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:53 pm Post subject: |
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| prcscct wrote: | Well, people seem to be having fun and getting something out of this, no matter how loose as a goose it is.
Talking about new wood burning, try 'the tiger wearing the shirt is fighting on the mat'..LOL. Pete |
Just be glad its not fighting a snake. |
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