Monday 9th February 2004
Thai Language Lesson 4

Tones and Phonetics

Five different tones are used in Thai. For the purpose of these pages words are broken up into syllables and each syllable has it's own tone. To indicate the appropriate tone one of the following letters is used in front of each syllable. The mid tone is indicated by the absence of a letter and is pronounced without any inflection in the middle of the vocal range.

(h) high
(l) low
(r) rising
(f) falling
(!) an exclamation mark used after a syllable indicates the syllable is pronounced quickly

Some consonants in Thai do not have an exact English equivalent but are somewhere in between two English letters. Where this occurs I have used both of the English letters to indicate this. Examples are:

bp where the sound is neither b or p but somewhere in between and pronounced quite explosively, such as bpii for year/s.

dt where the sound is neither d or t but somewhere in between, such as (h)dto! for table.

Excuses and Apologies

Excuse me = (r)kor (f)thodt

I'm sorry = (r)phom (r)sia (l)jai!

I'm very sorry = (r)phom (r)sia (l)jai! (f)maak

I'm sorry (to hear) about that = (r)phom (r)sia (l)jai! (r)duay

I'm sorry I'm late = (r)phom (r)sia (l)jai! (h)ti ma (r)sai or (r)phom (r)kor (f)thodt (h)ti ma (r)sai

I'm sorry I kept you waiting = (r)phom (r)sia (l)jai! (h)ti tam (h)hai! khun koy

koy = to wait

I'm sorry I can't help you = (r)phom (r)sia (l)jai! (h)ti (f)chu-ay khun (f)mai! (f)dai!

(f)chu-ay = to help

It was my carelessness = muhn! bpen! kwarm (l)pra!-maat

muhn! = it
bpen! = verb to be
muhn! bpen! = it was
(l)pra!-maat = carelessness

The use of kwarm indicates a noun

I love him = (r)phom (h)rahk! (r)khao! [love in this sentence is a verb]

Love is a good thing = kwarm (h)rahk! bpen! (l)sing! (h)ti! dii [love in this sentence is a noun, hence the use of kwarm]

(l)sing! = thing

It was my fault = muhn! bpen! kwarm (l)pit! (r)kawng (r)phom! (l)en!

(r)phom! = my
kwarm (l)pit! = fault

our house = (f)bahn (r)kawng (f)phuak rao

their = (r)kawng (f)phuak (r)kow!

they = (f)phuak (r)kow!

It was Suda's fault = muhn! bpen! kwarm (l)pit! (r)kawng Suda

It was the reception's fault = muhn! bpen! kwarm (l)pit! (r)kawng pa-nuk!-ngaan

pa-nuk!-ngaan = reception

Congratulations

Congratulations = (r)khor (l)sa!-dang kwarm yin!-dee (r)du-ay or just yin!-dee (r)du-ay

Congratulations on winning the contest
(r)pohm (r)khor (l)sa!-dang kwarm yin!-dee (h)ti khun cha-(h)na! gaan (l)kang!-(r)kan

cha-(h)na! = win
(l)kang!-(r)kan = contest
gaan prefixes (l)kang!-(r)kan to make it a noun

My congratulations on winning the election
(r)pohm (r)khor (l)sa!-dang kwarm yin!-dee (h)ti khun cha-(h)na! gaan leu-(r)uk-(h)tung

leu-(r)uk-(h)tung = election

Congratulations on your success
(r)pohm (r)khor (l)sa!-dang kwarm yin!-dee (h)ti (l)kun! (l)pra!-(l)sob! kwarm (r)sahm!-(l)ret!

(r)sahm!-(l)ret! = success

Merry Christmas = (l)sook!-(r)san wan! (r)chris-mas!

Happy New Year = (l)sook!-(r)san wan! bpii (l)mai! or mii kwarm (l)sook! wan bpii (l)mai!

bpii = year
(l)mai! = new

The same to you! = (h)chen! duay (l)gun!

Happy Birthday = (l)sook!-(r)san wan! (l)gert

Condolences

How unfortunate = (h)chang! (r)chok-(r)rai jing! jing!

(r)chok-(r)rai = unfortunate
(h)chang! = indicates an exclamation (no English equivalent)

That's too bad = (r)yeah (l)jing (h)na!

That's a pity = (r)na (r)sohng!-(r)sahn

(r)sohng!-(r)sahn = pity

I'm sorry to hear it = (r)phom (r)sia (l)jai! (h)ti!-dai! (r)saab

If there's anything I can do, please let me know
(r)dta mii ah!-rai! (r)hai (r)phom (f)chu-ay (l)bproht (l)bok (r)hai (r)phom (r)saab

(l)bproht = please
(l)bok = tell

please tell me = (l)bproht (l)bok (r)phom

I'm awfully sorry to hear of the death of your father
(r)phom (r)sia (l)jai! maak (h)ti! (f)por (r)kawng khun! (r)sia

(r)kawng khun! = your
(r)sia = death
(f)por = father

I'm awfully sorry to hear of the death of your younger sister-in-law
(r)phom (r)sia (l)jai! maak (h)ti! (h)nawng sa-(h)pai! (r)kawng khun! (r)sia