Fun Thai Trivia

Did you know?

“ของกิน” [kǎwng gin] is an informal and colloquial term for “อาหาร” [aahǎan], which means “Food.” “ของ” [kǎwng] means “thing” and “กิน” [gin] means “to eat,” so the literal meaning is “thing to eat.”

However, you cannot always replace “อาหาร” [aahǎan] with “ของกิน” [kǎwng gin], especially in compound nouns like “อาหารไทย” [aahǎan Thai] “Thai food” or “อาหารกลางวัน” [aahǎan glaangwan] “Lunch.”…

Continue reading “ของกิน” [kǎwng gin]

Cilantro: ผักชี [pàk chii]
Mint: สะระแหน่ [saranàe]
Basil: กะเพรา [gaprao]…

Continue reading Herbs

13654120_1775989729349612_3342702003897617687_n

เราเปลี่ยนนิสัยผัวไม่ได้
[rao plìan nísǎi pǔa mâi dâai]
We can’t change our husband’s behavior.

แต่เราเปลี่ยนผัวใหม่ได้
[tàe rao plìan pǔa mài dâai]
But we can have a new husband.

“ผัว [pǔa]” is a colloquial and informal term for “husband.” The word has a somewhat negative connotation and it’s usually regarded as impolite. It’s acceptable to refer one’s husband as “ผัว [pǔa]” even though it doesn’t sound polite, if you’re talking to a friend.…

Continue reading Changing a Husband

คนเราไม่ได้เกิดมาเพื่อหาความหมายของชีวิต
[kon rao mâi dâai gèrd maa pêua hǎa kwaam mǎai kǎwng chiiwít]
We were not born to find the meaning of life.

แต่เกิดมาเพื่อทำให้ชีวิตมีความหมายต่างหาก
[tàe gèrd maa pêua tam hâi chiiwít mii kwaam mǎai tàang hàak]
But we were born to add meaning to our lives.…

Continue reading Meaning of Life

ประเภทของงาน
[pràphêet kǎwng ngaan]
Types of Work

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

ทำงานประจำ [tamngaan prajam]
: to do a full-time job/ to be a full-time worker.

ทำงานพิเศษ [tamngaan písêet]
: to do a part-time job/ to be a part-time worker.…

Continue reading Types of Work

Classifier + นึง [neung] = หนึ่ง [nèung] + Classifier
คนนึง [kon neung] = หนึ่งคน [nèung kon] = One person
ห้องนึง [hâwng neung] = หนึ่งห้อง [nèung hâwng] = One room
บาทนึง [bàat neung] = หนึ่งบาท [nèung bàat] = One baht
จานนึง [jaan neung] = หนึ่งจาน [nèung jaan] = One dish

In spoken Thai, when the classifier comes first, the word “หนึ่ง [nèung]” will change to “นึง”[neung] (from low tone to mid tone).…

Continue reading นึง [neung] VS หนึ่ง [nèung]

นาย [naai] is equivalent of “Mr.” in English, used to address a man. นาง [naang] is equivalent of “Mrs.”, used for a married woman. “นางสาว” [naang sǎao] was originally used for unmarried women who are 15 years old or over. However, since the year 2008, women can legally choose to keep their title “นางสาว” [naang sǎao] or change it to นาง [naang] after marriage.…

Continue reading Titles: Mr., Ms. & Miss

13339570_1016754678360443_4884726080078587345_n

อดีต [adìit] = Past

บางครั้งมันก็ยากที่จะปล่อยมือจากมัน
[baang kráng man gâw yâak tîi jà plòi meu jàak man]
Sometimes it’s hard to let go of the past.

แต่ก็จำเป็นต้องทำ
[tàe gâw jam pen tâwng tham]
But it’s necessary to do so.

Vocabulary – – – – – –

บางครั้ง [baang kráng] Sometimes
ยากที่จะ [yâak tîi jà] Difficult to…
ปล่อย [plòi] to let go
จำเป็น [jam pen] necessary…

Continue reading Let Go of the Past

It’s very important to get the pronunciation correct when you speak Thai, especially because there are hundreds of words that have similar pronunciations. A lot of Thai learners make a mistake when they want to say “คอ ควาย [khaw khwaai]” which is the name of one of the 44 initial consonants we have in Thai, and end up saying the F word instead!…

Continue reading Don’t say the F word by accident!

เสร็จ [sèt] to finish, to be done.

e.g.
ทำงานเสร็จยัง [tam ngaan sèt yang] Have you finished working yet?
ว่ายน้ำเสร็จแล้ว [wâai náam sèt léaw] I’ve finished swimming.
กินเสร็จแล้วบอกนะ [gin sèt léaw bàwk ná] Tell me when you’re done (eating).

จบ [jòp] to be over, to end.

e.g.
หนังจบยัง [nǎng jòp yang] Is the movie over yet?…

Continue reading “เสร็จ [sèt]” vs “จบ [jòp]” vs “เลิก [lêrk]”

งานหนัก [ngaan nàk]: I’ve got too much work to do,
รักพัง [rák pang]: a failed relationship
ตังค์ไม่มี [tang mâi mii]: and no money.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

สัมผัส [sǎm pàt]: to rhyme

หนัก [nàk] rhymes with รัก [rák]
and พัง [pang] rhymes with ตังค์ [tang]…

Continue reading Funny Thai Poem

5 คำที่ไม่ควรพูด
[hâa kam tîi mâi kuan phûut]
5 Things You Should Never Say

1. ยาก [yâak] It’s so difficult.
2. เหนื่อย [neùai] I’m tired.
3. ขี้เกียจ [kîi gìad] I feel so lazy.
4. เบื่อ [bèua] I’m so bored.
5. ทำไม่ได้ [tam mâi dâai] I can’t do it.…

Continue reading 5 Things You Should Never Say

จงเป็นตัวของตัวเอง
[jong pen tua kǎwng tua eeng]
Be yourself

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – (^ 3 ^)/*

Formal imperative form = จง [jong]+ verb
(usually used in the written language)

Ex.

จงมา [jong maa] come!
จงไป [jong pai] go!…

Continue reading “Be yourself”