Thai Word of the Day?

[Super Joe]

"mee maijimfun mai"? - Got any toothpicks ? Rolls off the tongue nicely.

EDITED and inserted "jim" where I'd put "gin" previously, after Roel pointed out the 'gin' is wrong.

Asked the wife and nanny to both say it to me loads of times and "mai-jim-fun" is how they pronounce it.

SJ

[Roel]

Allow me to correct you Super Joe before the taget group of this thread get confused whilst learning their very first Thai phrases.

Toothpick = ไม้ จิม ฟัน

Using the transliteration used by the Thai government (Royal Thai General System of Description)

MAI CHIM FAN

Certainly not GIN. That would mean "do not eat your tooth/teeth"
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We are all living in 'the good old days' of the future.

[T.I.G.R.]

It may be only a word or two a day but it's useful and fun.

VS - please give the English meaning of your phrases, so then we have what you never can get in the dictionary; a pronunciation guide and the meaning to go with it. I know Mai Bai literally should mean I don't want to go, right? Or does that phrase have a slightly different meaning to you?

I've been looking at the electronic language translators and it seems that the Cyber Dict 10 might be the best one.....any comments or advice?

I plan to use it instead of constantly asking my wife how to say something.

[BaaBaa.]

[Super Joe]

[Roel]

T.I.G.R. are you familiair with this one:

http://www.thai2english.com/

Very good site. Can be used both ways TH-EN, EN-TH.
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We are all living in 'the good old days' of the future.

[T.I.G.R.]

Thanks Roel, yes I'm familiar with several written and computer aided learning tools. However, most of my questions arise during conversations or listening to people speak Thai, so I'm looking for something I can have with me wherever I am.....

This subject generated about three pages in the time it took my post to get online.....seems like a lot of fun for all of us. I wonder how long it will go on, but I'm hoping for a permanent thread.

Someone made an interesting comment earlier, sorry, too many pages back, but "know too mutt" is very applicable to me and I'm sure others here. Why? Not sure, but my wife of twenty years has been less than helpful generally and has openly admitted she is a lot happier with me knowing as little Thai as possible. Interesting, isn't it? We have had a wonderful marriage, still do, and yet she will revert to speaking Thai with friends or acquaintances whenever and wherever possible. Anyone else have this Thai proprietary thing going on?

I don't bring this up to change the course of the thread.....way too interesting, but it does have a bearing on at least my personal ventures into learning the language.

[Super Joe]

[BaaBaa.]

[Roel]

Interesting observations, please have a look at this old thread (7 January 2008):

T.I.G.R. wrote:

[T.I.G.R.]

Roel -

Oh yeah, I remember that one now. I'm at the wonderful age where the hard drive is full and I can barely remember my name.

A very interesting "national" characteristic though.

Well, at least we know it isn't personal!

[buksida]

I stick to my previous comment, I would always be suspicious of anyone not wanting me to speak and comprehend the language of the country I live in. Maybe another thread here!


SJ, for "I live permanently in Thailand" you could use "pom yuu muang Thai dtalort welah" which is "I stay in Thailand all of the time" or "baan yuu muang Thai", "my home is in Thailand".
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Luctor et Emergo

[T.I.G.R.]

S.J. -

I struggle with that one too.....when people ask where I'm from I just say Cha Am an live with the funny looks.

You could also try Pom Ben Khun Thai if you're in the mood to get bonked...

[Super Joe]

Thanks Buksi & TIGR will try them out

SJ

[crazy88]

When being pestered by over zealous bar girls in Hua Hin that are running a little over their fighting weight try "mai ow chang naam n'krup"

Then duck and/or run

Good one to stitch your mates up with for a windup .

Crazy 88