Wednesday 11th February 2004
Thai Language Lesson 5

Phonetics guide

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.

Getting Information and Directions

Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to the post office?
(r)kaw (f)toht khrap, khun sa-(r)maat bok (r)phom! (h)dai! (r)mai (h)wa! ja pai (f)tee-tahm!-gahn-bpry!-sa-nee (h)dai (l)yaang-rai

sa-(r)maat = can
bok = tell
(l)yaang-rai = how
(f)tee-tahm!-gahn-bpry!-sa-nee = post office

The above example is the politest way to ask. An acceptable but not quite so polite version would be:

(f)tee-tahm!-gahn-bpry!-sa-nee pai taang (r)nai

Where is the garage?
(l)oo-(f)sawm-(h)roht! (h)yoo! (f)tee (r)nai

Where is the police station?
sa-(r)tah-nee dtahm! (l)roo-ut (h)yoo! (f)tee (r)nai

sa-(r)tah-nee = station
dtahm! (l)roo-ut = police

Ma-(r)hah (h)wit!-ta-yah-lai = University

Mor-Or is the Thai abbreviation for the Prince of Songkhla University

(h)hang!-(l)sub!-pa!-(r)sin-(h)ka = Department Store

but just (h)hang! will be enough for a Thai person to understand what you mean

To specify a particular department store use, for example: (h)hang! Central or (h)hang! Diana

Where is the museum?
(h)pih!-pit!-ta-pahn! (h)yoo! (f)tee (r)nai

(h)raan aa-(r)haan = small restaurant

Is there a hotel near here?
mee rohng raam (f)taew (h)ni (r)mai
or
mee rohng raam (f)gly! (f)gly! (r)mai

Here's one to watch out for:

(f)gly! = near
gly! = far

The Thai word for 'now' = (r)dee-oh (h)nee
or
tawn (h)nii

Is there a barber shop near here?
mee (h)raan-(l)dtaht!-(r)pohm! (f)taew (h)ni (r)mai

(h)raan = shop
(l)dtaht! = cut
(r)pohm! = hair

(h)raan-rawng-(h)tao = shoe shop
(h)raan-hah-li-gah = watch shop
rohng pa-yah-bahn = hospital

Which direction is it to the bank, do you know?
ta-nah-kahn pai thaang (r)nai, khun (h)ru! (h)mai!

ta-nah-kahn = bank

Where is the airport? Should I go this way, or that way?
sa-(r)nahm bin! (h)yoo! (f)tee (r)nai. (r)pohm (l)ja! pai tahng (h)nee (r)hrue tahng (h)nahn!

tahng = way
(h)nee = this
(r)hrue = or
(h)nahn! = that

This room = (f)hawng! (h)nee
That room = (f)hawng! (h)nahn!

Can you tell me where the nearest telephone is?
khun sa-(r)maat bok (r)phom! (h)dai! (r)mai toh-ra-(l)sahp! ti (f)gly! (f)gly! (h)yoo! (f)tee (r)nai

toh-ra-(l)sahp! = telephone
toh-ra-(l)sahp! meu = mobile telephone
meu (wide mouth) = hand
meu-(r)teu = short version for mobile phone
(r)teu = hold

It's opposite the restaurant
man (l)yu! dtrohng!-(f)kahm (h)raan aa-(r)haan

dtrohng!-(f)kahm = opposite

It's next to the drugstore
man (l)yu! (l)taht! (l)jaak! (h)raan (r)khaai yaa

Turn left at the next corner
(h)lee-oh (h)sai (f)tii moom! ta-(r)nohn! (l)taht! bpy!

(h)lee-oh = turn
(h)sai = left
(f)tii = at
moom! = corner
ta-(r)nohn! = road
(l)taht! bpy! = next

Go straight ahead

duhn dtrohng! bpai! - to somebody walking
(l)kahp! dtrohng! bpai! - to somebody driving a car or riding a motorbike
bpan! dtrohng! bpai! - to someone riding a bicycle

go to the left = (h)lee-oh pai tahng (h)sai
go to the right = (h)lee-oh pai tahng (r)kwah

Go that way for about 300 metres
Pai tahng (h)nahn! (l)pra-maan (r)sahm (h)roy (h)met!

(l)pra-maan = approximately

Go straight ahead for about 200 metres then turn left at the first corner
duhn dtrohng! bpai! (l)pra-maan (r)sawng (h)roy (h)met! (h)lee-oh (h)sai (f)tii moom! ta-(r)nohn! (f)thii (l)neung!

(f)thii (l)neung! = first
(f)thii (r)sawng = second
(f)thii (r)sahm = third

You are the first one!
khun! kue khon (f)thii (l)neung!

How can I get to the train station?
(r)pohm (l)ja! pai sa-(r)tah-nee (h)roht! fai! dai (l)yahng-rai!

(l)yahng-rai! = how

You can take a motorcycle or you can walk
khun! sa-(r)maat pai (h)roht! moh-tuh sai (r)hrue duhn pai (h)kor (f)dai!