One of the most difficult things for Thai learners to pick up is probably listening skills, especially when Thai people talk at normal speed. Apart from having to know enough vocabulary words, you also need a good amount of time to get used to the pronunciation, the intonation and all. Sometimes even the words you know very well could be hard to catch when they are spoken. One of the reasons could be that some words are pronounced slightly differently then how they are written. Since real-life media, such as soap operas, could be too difficult to learn from while there are not so many Thai listening exercises available either, PickupThai created this exercise below to help you practice.

How to Practice: Click on the first bar and you will hear a sentence that includes everyday vocabulary words spoken at a normal and natural speed, just like how people actually talk. See how much you can understand. Listen to it over and over and see how much you could get eventually. After that, click on the next bar to listen to the same sentence again, but spoken slowly at the speed intended for language learners. Now, see what are the words you couldn’t get the first time. Compare the two versions and learn how the words are spoken in real life. Lastly, before you move on to the next one, you will see the sentence written down along with English translation. You can use this to check if you heard the sentence spoken correctly.

 

1. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

เขากำลังทำอะไรอยู่ [Káo gamlang tam arai yùu] What is he doing now?

2. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

จะออกจากบ้านกี่โมง [jà àwk jàak bâan gìi mong] What time will you leave home?

3. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

กินข้าวเสร็จรึยัง [gin káo sèt réu yang] Have you finished eating?

4. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

เราไม่ชอบอ่านหนังสือ [rao mâi chôrb àan nángsěu] I don’t like to read.

5. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

ผมมีพี่น้องสามคน [phŏm mii pîi nóng săam kon] I have three siblings.

6. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

เธอถึงบ้านแล้วเหรอ [ter těung bâan léaw rŏr] You’re home already?

7. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

พ่อเราทำงานทุกวัน [pôr rao tam-ngaan túk wan] My father works every day.

8. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

แฟนผมกินเผ็ดเก่งมาก [fan phŏm gin pèd gèng mâak] My girlfriend is good at eating spicy food.

9. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

ฉันต้องออกไปซื้อของแล้ว [chán tông àwk pai séu kŏng léaw] I have to go buy some stuff now.

10. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

ไม่ชอบเลยเวลาฝนตก [mâi chôrb loei welaa fŏn tòk] I don’t like it at all when it rains.

11. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

คุณรู้ไหมโทรศัพท์อยู่ไหน [khun rúu mái torasàp yùu năi] Do you know where the phone is?

12. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

ช่วยเปิดไฟให้หน่อยได้ไหม [chûai pèrd fai hâi nòi dâai mái] Can you turn on the light for me?

13. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

เดี๋ยวอีกสองนาทีโทรไปหา [Diăw ìik sŏng natii to pai hăa] I’ll give you a call in two minutes.

14. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

อาจจะเป็นอย่างงั้นก็ได้นะ [àdjà pen yàang-ngán gâw dâai ná] It could be so.

15. Normal speed:

Slow speed:

ถ้าไม่อยากทำก็ไม่ต้องทำ [tâa mâi yàak tam gâw mâi tông tam] If you don’t want to do it, then don’t do it.

Remarks: Don’t get disheartened if you can’t get some, or even all, of these sentences correct. The sentences themselves look easy but when the words are spoken at normal speed with natural rhythm, it does require a lot of practice and experience to be able to catch. This exercise is more advanced than it actually looks. So don’t worry, this is only the beginning. Practice listening every day and you’ll get better at it with time.

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