Chapter 10 - พูดภาษาไทยเป็่นไหม - Pôot Pah-Säh Tai Bpen Mái? - Do You Speak Thai? (Language Notes)

Front 1

VERB + เป็น/ได + adverb

Back 1

VERB + bpen/dâi + adverb

Hint 1

Adverb comes after verb + bpen/dâi. If adverb is 'gèng (expertly)' or 'klôrng (fluently)', it is normal to drop bpen/dâi.

(e.g., pöm pôot pah-sah tai dâi nít-nòy = I can speak thai a little)

Front 2

ทำไม

Back 2

tum-mai?

Hint 2

usually appears at the beginning of sentence.

tum-mai pâh-säh tai pôot yâhk?
(Why is Thai difficult to speak?)

You can answer 'why?' questions using 'prór (wâh) (because)'

In informal speech, it can occur at the end.

kOOn bpai tum-mai? (where are you going?)

Front 3

ไม่ค่อย

Back 3

mâi kôy nahn ... tâo-rài

Hint 3

"not very" - softens negative statements or responses; tâo-rài at the end of the phrase is optional and often omitted

when used with 'dâi', it can be translated as 'hardly' or 'scarcely'

Front 4

ซี

Back 4

see

Hint 4

used when contradicting a negative statement

mâi gèng (I'm not good at it)
gèng see (Yes you are).

Front 5

เหมือนกัน

Back 5

mëu-un gun

Hint 5

likewise, similarly

also used in qualified or lukewarm 'yes' responses

Front 6

X + ADJECTIVE + กว่า + (+Y)

Back 6

X + ADJECTIVE + gwàh + (+Y)

Hint 6

used when comparing two things

e.g., àhn ngâi gwàh pôot (Reading is easier than speaking)

adding 'mâhk (much)' or 'nít-nòy (a little)' at then end modifies the comparison.