Monday 16th February 2004
Thai Language Lesson 7

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.

Telephoning

Philip speaking
Philip (f)phoot hkrap!

May I speak to Preecha?
(r)kor (r)sai khun! Preecha

Hello, extension 12 please
hello, (l)bproht (l)dtaw (r)mai (f)lek (l)sip!-(r)sawng hkrap!

(l)bproht = please
(l)dtaw = connect to
(f)lek = number

Room 332 please
(l)bproht (l)dtaw (f)hawng! (r)saam (r)saam (r)sawng

May I leave a message for him?
(r)phom (r)kor (l)faak (h)kor!-kwarm (h)hai! (r)kao! (f)dai! (r)mai

(h)hai! (r)kao! = for him / her

Would you ask him to call Preecha when he comes in?
(l)bproht (l)bohk (h)hai! (r)kao! toh-ra-(l)sahp! (r)ha Preecha (h)duay! (f)meu (r)kao! (l)glahp! ma

[(h)hai! can be dropped from the sentence]

buh-toh = telephone number
(l)bohk = tell or ask
(r)kao! = him
(f)meu = when
(l)glahp! ma = comes back / returns
toh = informal version of toh-ra-(l)sahp! (to telephone)

Would you ask him to call Suda at 074 351484-6 when he comes in
(l)bproht (l)bohk (h)hai! (r)kao! toh (l)glahp! (r)mai-(f)lek (r)soon (l)jet! (l)sii (r)saam (f)haa (l)neung! (l)sii (l)bpaat (l)sii (r)teung (l)hohk!

(l)sii (r)teung (l)hohk! = four to six

I'm sorry to trouble (bother) you, but would you please call Preecha to the phone
(r)kor (f)thodt (r)ti rohp goo-un khun! (l)bproht (l)bohk Preecha (h)rai! (h)rahp! toh-ra-(l)sahp! (l)noi!

rohp goo-un = to trouble / to bother
(h)rahp! = get

(l)noi! - has no direct English meaning in this context but is used for politeness

please tell me = (l)bproht (l)bohk (r)phom or (l)bohk (r)phom (l)noi!

please give me = hai (r)phom (l)noi! or (r)kor (r)phom (l)noi!

I'm sorry, you have the wrong number
(r)kor (f)thodt, khun! (l)dtor! (l)phit! or
(r)kor (f)thodt, khun! too (l)phit!

remember = jahm! (f)dai
cannot remember = jahm! (f)mai! (f)dai
wrong = (l)phit!
right (correct) = (l)took
to dial (a telephone number) = (l)dtor!

This is 074 3514844-6, I think you have the wrong number
(h)ti! nee (r)soon (l)jet! (l)sii (r)saam (f)haa (l)neung! (l)sii (l)bpaat (l)sii (r)teung (l)hohk!, (r)phom (h)khit! (r)wa khun! (l)dtor! (l)phit!

(h)khit! = to think

Please hold on
ga!-roo!-nah (r)teu-(r)sai raw-(l)sahk!-(f)kroo

ga!-roo!-nah = 'please' - very polite version
(l)bproht = 'please' - slightly less polite version

Can I call you back?
(r)phom (l)ja! (l)dtor! (l)glahp! pai (r)ha khun! (f)dai! (r)mai

(l)ja! = will
pai (r)ha = call to

Increasing the length of (f)dai! (r)mai when pronouncing it makes it more polite

I'll call you back in 15 minutes
(r)phom (l)ja! (l)dtor! (l)glahp! pai (r)ha khun! (l)ik! (l)sip!-(f)haa nah-tee

(l)ik! (l)sip!-(f)haa nah-tee = in 15 minutes

(l)ik! (f)kreung! (f)chua-mohng = in half an hour

Can I get in touch with you by phone?
(r)phom (l)ja! (l)dtit-(l)dtaw (l)gahp! khun! tahng toh-ra-(l)sahp! (f)dai! (r)mai

(l)dtit-(l)dtaw = connect
tahng = with

What's your phone number
toh-ra-(l)sahp! (r)kawng khun! (r)mai-(f)lek ah!-rai! The line is busy
(r)sai (f)mai! (f)wahng
(Literally - line not free)

Would you mind speaking a little louder
ga!-roo!-nah (f)phoot (h)hai! dahng! (l)ik! (h)nit!

Would you mind speaking a little quieter
ga!-roo!-nah (f)phoot (h)hai! (l)bao! (l)ik! (h)nit!

Would you mind speaking a little slower
ga!-roo!-nah (f)phoot (h)hai! (h)chah (l)ik! (h)nit!

Would you mind speaking a little more clearly
ga!-roo!-nah (f)phoot (h)hai! (h)chaht! (l)ik! (h)nit!

Health and Illness

I have a stomach ache
(r)phom (l)bpoo-ut (h)dtawng

I have gas in my stomach
(r)phom mii ar-gaan (h)dtawng (h)keun!

(h)keun! (say through clenched teeth)

I have a headache
(r)phom mii ar-gaan (l)bpoo-ut (r)hu-ah!

I have got diarrhoea
(r)phom mii ar-gaan (h)dtawng doen
or
(r)phom mii ar-gaan (h)dtawng (r)sia

I have constipation
(r)phom mii ar-gaan (h)dtawng (f)phuuk

'mii ar-gaan' can be left out of the sentence, e.g., (r)phom (l)bpoo-ut (r)hu-ah! for 'I have a headache' but it is more polite to leave it in. I have been constipated for two days
(r)phom mii ar-gaan (h)dtawng (f)phuuk ma (r)sawng wan (h)laew

I have a sore throat
(r)phom (l)jep! kor

I have pain when I swallow
(r)phom (l)jep! kor (f)meu (r)phom gleun

I have a stuffy (blocked) nose
(r)phom (l)kaht! ja-(l)mook

(l)kaht! = blocked
ja-(l)mook = nose

I have a runny nose
(r)phom mii (h)nahm!-(l)mook (r)lai!

(h)nahm!-(l)mook = nose water!
(r)lai! = to run

Just looking around - as in browsing in a shop
(r)phom (h)kae! doo (Just looking)

doo = to look

(r)phom (r)kor doo (l)gohn! (Looking for something to buy but undecided as to what)