ศาลาชุมนุม

[thaigirlmiki]

Hello! I am going to be living in Thailand for a year as an exchange student. I am studying up on Thai before I go, but most of the words and phrases I have found would not apply to be as a student. In most books I read, they talk about instances someone might encounter if they were vacationing in Thailand. For example, "What are some of the historic sites in Thailand?" Since I will be living there, I do not think I really should concentrate on learning phrases like those. So I was wondering if anybody out there there could help me by translating a few phrases I think I will need to know before I go to Thailand. And if you would like to add in a few mores phrases or words you think would be helpful, then please feel free to tell me! I will then take your translations and study them so I will be prepared.

Thank you in advance! And here is what I would like to know in Thai:

---

I am an exchange student -

I will be staying in Thailand for one year -

I go to school at ... -

What is this?

Math (as a school subject) -

Science (as a school subject) -

History (as a school subject) -

Mom (like how Thai girl children call their moms) -

Dad (like how Thai girl children call their dads) -

Brother (like how Thail girl children call their brothers) -

Sister (like how Thai girl children call their sisters) -

Baby

Am I doing this correctly? -

Is this correct? -

Did I do something wrong? -

Did I say anything wrong? -

Sorry -

I am very sorry -

Forgive me -

I did not know this is bad -

I do not speak Thai well -

My Thai is horrible -

How do you write ... in Thai?

---

Okay, I think that is enough for now. I will probably have more later, but I can study these for now. Thanks in advance to anyone who helps me! <3

[qwert]

I am an exchange student -
ฉันเป็นนักเรียนแลกเปลี่ยน

I will be staying in Thailand for one year -
ฉันจะอยู่ที่ไทยเป็นเวลาหนึ่งปี

I go to school at ... -
ฉันจะไปเรียนที่...

What is this?
นี่คืออะไร

Math (as a school subject) -
คณิตศาสตร์

Science (as a school subject) -
วิทยาศาสตร์

History (as a school subject) -
ประวัติศาสตร์

Mom (like how Thai girl children call their moms) -
แม่

Dad (like how Thai girl children call their dads) -
พ่อ

Brother (like how Thail girl children call their brothers) -
พี่ชาย (older brother) / น้องชาย (elder brother)

Sister (like how Thai girl children call their sisters) -
พี่สาว (older sister) / น้องสาว (elder sister)

Baby
ลูก

Am I doing this correctly? -
ฉันทำถูกไหม

Is this correct? -
นี่ถูกไหม

Did I do something wrong? -
ฉันทำอะไรผิดหรือ

Did I say anything wrong? -
ฉันพูดอะไรผิดหรือ

Sorry -
ขอโทษ
* Sorry means เสียใจ but it's not make sense in this situation.

I am very sorry -
ฉันเสียใจมาก

Forgive me -
ยกโทษให้ฉันด้วย

I did not know this is bad -
ฉันไม่รู้มาก่อนว่ามันไม่ดี

I do not speak Thai well -
ฉันพูดไทยไม่ค่อยเก่ง

My Thai is horrible -
ภาษาไทยฉันแย่มาก

How do you write ... in Thai?
คุณเขียนคำว่า...เป็นภาษาไทยอย่างไร
เธอเขียนคำว่า...เป็นภาษาไทยยังไง (use with friend)

---
Don't worry about local languages in Thailand. Most of Thai can speak Thai, except some older person in some local.

[Nan]

็HI Miki,

Welcome to Thailand.

Do you know which city you will stay and which school you will attend?

I am an exchange student - ฉัน(or หนู if you talk to a teacher or older people) เป็นนักเรียนแลกเปลี่ยนค่ะ

I will be staying in Thailand for one year - ฉันจะอยู่เมืองไทยหนึ่งปี/ฉันจะอยู่เืมืองไทยปีนึง

I go to school at ... - ฉันไปเรียนที่โรงเรียน...

What is this? - นี่อะไร

Math (as a school subject) - คณิตศาสตร์ (formal), เลข/เลขคณิต (informal)

Science (as a school subject) - วิทยาศาสตร์

History (as a school subject) - ประวัติศาสตร์

Mom (like how Thai girl children call their moms) - แม่/คุณแม่

Dad (like how Thai girl children call their dads) - พ่อ/คุณพ่อ

Brother (like how Thail girl children call their brothers) - พี่ชาย(older brother), น้องชาย(younger brother)

Sister (like how Thai girl children call their sisters) - พี่สาว(older sister), น้องสาว(younger sister)

Baby - เด็กทารก/เด็กเล็ก

Am I doing this correctly? - ฉันทำถูกต้องไหม

Is this correct? - นี่ถูกต้องไหม

Did I do something wrong? - ฉันทำอะไรผิดหรือเปล่า

Did I say anything wrong? - ฉันพูดอะไรผิดหรือเปล่า

Sorry - ขอโืืืทษ

I am very sorry - ขอโืทษจริง ๆ

Forgive me - ยกโทษให้ฉันด้วยนะ

I did not know this is bad - ฉันไม่รู้ว่านี่มันไม่ดี

I do not speak Thai well - ฉันพูดไทยได้ไม่ดีเท่าไหร่

My Thai is horrible - ภาษาไทยฉันแย่มาก

How do you write ... in Thai? คุณเขียนคำว่า ... เป็นภาษาไทยว่ายังไง

---

P.S. I see that Qwert has already answer your questions, but I will post this anyway, so that you can see various versions of Thai translation.

[thaigirlmiki]

Thanks you too! *hugs you both*

็HI Miki,

Welcome to Thailand. :D

Do you know which city you will stay and which school you will attend?

Thank you for the welcome. :3 And no, not yet. I will be finding out hopefully this month, or next month. :D

I will study these well and then learn more as I improve. Thanks again!

If anybody has any cultural aspects in Thailand I should know about too, that would be nice. I want to learn as much as I can. :D

[DonSena]

I am an exchange student -
ฉันเป็นนักเรียนแลกเปลี่ยน

I will be staying in Thailand for one year -
ฉันจะอยู่ที่ไทยเป็นเวลาหนึ่งปี

I go to school at ... -
ฉันจะไปเรียนที่...

What is this?
นี่คืออะไร

Math (as a school subject) -
คณิตศาสตร์

Science (as a school subject) -
วิทยาศาสตร์

History (as a school subject) -
ประวัติศาสตร์

Mom (like how Thai girl children call their moms) -
แม่

Dad (like how Thai girl children call their dads) -
พ่อ

Brother (like how Thail girl children call their brothers) -
พี่ชาย (older brother) / น้องชาย (elder brother)

Sister (like how Thai girl children call their sisters) -
พี่สาว (older sister) / น้องสาว (elder sister)

Baby
ลูก

Am I doing this correctly? -
ฉันทำถูกไหม

Is this correct? -
นี่ถูกไหม

Did I do something wrong? -
ฉันทำอะไรผิดหรือ

Did I say anything wrong? -
ฉันพูดอะไรผิดหรือ

Sorry -
ขอโทษ
* Sorry means เสียใจ but it's not make sense in this situation.

I am very sorry -
ฉันเสียใจมาก

Forgive me -
ยกโทษให้ฉันด้วย

I did not know this is bad -
ฉันไม่รู้มาก่อนว่ามันไม่ดี

I do not speak Thai well -
ฉันพูดไทยไม่ค่อยเก่ง

My Thai is horrible -
ภาษาไทยฉันแย่มาก

How do you write ... in Thai?
คุณเขียนคำว่า...เป็นภาษาไทยอย่างไร
เธอเขียนคำว่า...เป็นภาษาไทยยังไง (use with friend)

---
Don't worry about local languages in Thailand. Most of Thai can speak Thai, except some older person in some local.

Should be a great experience for you, Miki ...

There are a few other terms or expressions you may also like to know. By comparing them, you may be able to pick out various individual words by the partial similarity of the larger expression:

เรียนพิเศษในตัวจังหวัด Taking (an) extra tutorial class(es)

ห้องสมุดของโรงเรียน School library

เขียน write; อ่่าน read; ครู teacher (general); อาจารย์ teacher (elegant, high school or higher)

เรียน To learn, to study (a particular subject in which you are enrolled), to be in school (say, between certain hours), to go to school (on a regular basis)

ไปโรงเรียน To go to school (explicit action of going to the place of learning)

ห้องเรียน schoolroom

เพื่อน friend

เพื่อนนักเรียน school-mate, fellow student

นักเรียน Pupil, student (high school)

ศึกษา To study (researching a subject)

นักศึกษา Student (college)

ทำรายงานส่งครู To prepare a paper to hand in to the teacher

ต้องขอโทษนะคะ ถ้าพูดอะไรให้ฟังแล้ว ทำให้เข้าใจผิด Please excuse if I say anything that causes misunderstanding

(ค่ะ [declarative], คะ [interrogative] ends a sentence spoken by a female; anticipate the guys saying ครับ at the end of both statements and questions)

สงสารเขาเป็นที่สุดค่ะ I feel so bad for him/her

ก็ช่วยอะไรไม่ได้ I can’t help the situation (to make it any better)

ออกแรงกำลังกาย To work out (exercise)

วิ่งออกกำลัง To go jogging

นอน lie down, be in bed

ตื่น (or ตื่นนอน) To rise (from sleep), get up (from bed)

เข้านอน To retire (at night), go to bed

นอนหลับ To be sleeping (in bed)

เที่ยว To go out somewhere, travel

ไปเที่ยวเล่น To take a stroll, go for a walk

เที่ยวรถ To take a drive, drive around

ไปเที่ยวเรือ Go on a boat excursion

Common pronouns:
คุณ You (general use)
ท่าน You (deferential, may wish to use with your hosts)
ฉัน I (mainly for females)
ผม I (exclusively for males)
เธอ You (intimate); she (elegant: use when referring to female head of house)
เขา he/she (general)
พวกเขา they
หล่อน she (best for females you know personally)
เจ้าหล่อน she (especially for noticeably young girls)

เจ้าปิศาจน้อย (not a pronoun) rascally youngster (boy), little brat

[thaigirlmiki]

Thanks Don! I will study those too. Hopefully my brain won't explode from all the stuff I'm learning. 555 If it does though, it'd probably be a good things. XDD

[DonSena]

Thanks Don! I will study those too. Hopefully my brain won't explode from all the stuff I'm learning. 555 If it does though, it'd probably be a good things. XDD

Pleasure, Miki ...

On the first item I listed, I inadvertently stopped short of completing the English part:

เรียนพิเศษในตัวจังหวัด Taking (an) extra tutorial class(es) in the downtown area (in the heart of the province: ในตัวจังหวัด)

On the use of pronouns, it's interesting that, while Thai has a large inventory of pronouns, the language doesn't quite require their use, if the subject or object is obvious from context: ไม่รู้ค่ะ / ไม่ทราบค่ะ "I don't know" (literally, "not know").

Also, in familiar situations, like your new Thai family environment (and also among friends), pronouns are usually replaced by the nicknames of the speaker and listener. Thus, in place of ฉัน for 'I', you might actually use your own name "Miki" มิคี to say something like มิคีชอบมากค่ะ "I really like it (literally, Miki [here] likes it a lot)."

That final particle that indicates you're expressing yourself as a girl ค่ะ (for statements), คะ (for questions) can, once you become close to someone, become จ้ะ, จ๊ะ respectively. Both guys and girls nowadays use จ้ะ and จ๊ะ.

You'll be able to stay in touch with everyone here on the Forum even after you're settled in with your "new family" in Thailand, Miki. So, do continue to talk things over with the various members, as we're here to assist one another in whatever ways we can

[thaigirlmiki]

On the use of pronouns, it's interesting that, while Thai has a large inventory of pronouns, the language doesn't quite require their use, if the subject or object is obvious from context: ไม่รู้ค่ะ / ไม่ทราบค่ะ "I don't know" (literally, "not know").

Also, in familiar situations, like your new Thai family environment (and also among friends), pronouns are usually replaced by the nicknames of the speaker and listener. Thus, in place of ฉัน for 'I', you might actually use your own name "Miki" มิคี to say something like มิคีชอบมากค่ะ "I really like it (literally, Miki [here] likes it a lot)."

That final particle that indicates you're expressing yourself as a girl ค่ะ (for statements), คะ (for questions) can, once you become close to someone, become จ้ะ, จ๊ะ respectively. Both guys and girls nowadays use จ้ะ and จ๊ะ.

You'll be able to stay in touch with everyone here on the Forum even after you're settled in with your "new family" in Thailand, Miki. So, do continue to talk things over with the various members, as we're here to assist one another in whatever ways we can

Ah, so it is the same as Japanese! Another language I took for a year or two was Japanese and I find it's quite similar to Thai grammar. The only problem is I am not sure of the difference between ค่ะ and คะ as far as pronounciation goes. Any advice?

I have heard a Thai friend use จ้ะ. But he could never tell me what it meant. XD Thankfully now I know it's just an additive to a sentence like ค่ะ.

What's odd is I sometimes use the third-person in English too. I'll fit right in at Thai school. 555

Glad I have some back up for language difficulties I may encounter. :3 I just recieved notice of who my family will be and also that they may not speak English, so I might be using this forum more once I am over there. Thanks everyone!

[DonSena]

Ah, so it is the same as Japanese! Another language I took for a year or two was Japanese and I find it's quite similar to Thai grammar. The only problem is I am not sure of the difference between ค่ะ and คะ as far as pronunciation goes. Any advice?

Pronounce ค่ะ with a falling tone and คะ with a slight high tone.

An introduction to the tones of Thai -- and they are much more important in Thai than in Japanese -- can be found here on the Forum. Click on "Lessons" at the top of the page; then, under "Reading and Writing," select "Inside a Thai Syllable,Part I."

The particles at the end of a Thai sentence are arranged in a structure of zero to four particles. While there is a fairly large inventory of sentence particles, each particle can be used in only a certain one of the four positions.

A waitress might say: ทานกาแฟอีกไหมคะ 'Would you like more coffee?', which separates into ทาน 'consume' + กาแฟ 'coffee' + อีก 'more' + ไหม 'asking you' + คะ 'me, a girl'. The ไหม always precedes the คะ. The combination ไหมคะ occupies the first and third positions of what one linguist identifies as the "coda-phrase" -- a phrase of zero, one, two, three or four final particles,which express the speaker's (or the writer's) attitude toward the situation at hand.
Best of luck!

[thaigirlmiki]

Yeah, I really need help on the tones of the Thai language. I know what you're supposed to do for each one, but when I go to say something with the tone, I always get it wrong. Just gotta practice I guess. 555 I'll be sure to look at the spot on the forum for help. Thanks for the pronounciation tip!