Learning Thai

Search Results

Some results will give you usage of that word in a sentence or phrase:

   happy
   a happy heart
   Are you happy?
   Happy Birthday.

Finish the Sentence Yourself . . .

The . . . at the end of some sentences indicate that you need to finish the sentence yourself.

An example:

English Alternatives

Some entries have English alternatives, but the Thai word remains the same:

Some examples:

Thai Alternatives

Some entries have two or more meanings in Thai, but the Thai word and tone remains the same:

Some examples:

Word Clarification

Clarification is sometimes needed to help identify the meaning of the English word.

Some examples:

Gender

For the sake of clarity and consistency the masculine form pom has been used throughout with one or two exceptions.

An (i) after the word or sentence indicates that the word is common usage, informal, slang or possibly impolite, but can be used in everyday conversations.

An (ii) indicates that the word is extremely impolite and often abusive, and really should not be used.

An (f) indicates that the word is formal or more polite.

If there are two or more entries returned for a search, and neither are marked differently, then they are interchangeable with each other, as in the example below:

Always speak politely by adding krub for a man or ka for a woman at the end of your sentence.

Phonetic Transcriptions

Learn Thai uses common English words wherever it can so you don't have to learn a phonetic system before you learn Thai.

The phonetic transcriptions in Learn Thai is only to help you follow the audio so you can focus on the tone, true sound and length of the word.

Pronouncing R and L

Many Thais pronounce the R as an L at the beginning of the word.

   a-roy becomes a-loy
   rur becomes lur

Learn Thai uses the correct pronunciation in all sound files and phonetic transcriptions.

Thais Pronouncing English words

The use of English words in Thai loan words is becoming more popular.

However, for you to be understood in speaking these words you need to pronounce them in the way that Thais pronounce them.

Here are just a few examples, tap on the word to hear the audio.

   battery
   apartment
   computer

Thai language is tonal - There's no getting around it.

You cannot just simply learn the word, you have to learn the tone or intonation associated with that word.

In English, when we change the tone of a word we change the meaning of the word.

In Thai, if you change the tone of the word you actually change the word itself.

Some examples:

If you change the length of a word you also change the word itself.

Some examples:

There are five different tones in Thai:

1. normal voice

2. low voice

3. falling voice

4. high voice

5. rising voice

Use the Tone Review Exercises in the Categories Menu to help you distinguish between tones and similar sounding words.