Thai Word of the Day?

Thai language section, ask your language questions here.
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Super Joe
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Post by Super Joe »

"mee maijimfun mai"? - Got any toothpicks ? Rolls off the tongue nicely.

EDITED and inserted "jim" where I'd put "gin" previously, after Roel pointed out the 'gin' is wrong.

Asked the wife and nanny to both say it to me loads of times and "mai-jim-fun" is how they pronounce it.

SJ
Last edited by Super Joe on Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:58 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Roel
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Post by Roel »

Allow me to correct you Super Joe before the taget group of this thread get confused whilst learning their very first Thai phrases.

Toothpick = ไม้ จิม ฟัน

Using the transliteration used by the Thai government (Royal Thai General System of Description)

MAI CHIM FAN

Certainly not GIN. That would mean "do not eat your tooth/teeth"
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T.I.G.R.
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Post by T.I.G.R. »

It may be only a word or two a day but it's useful and fun.

VS - please give the English meaning of your phrases, so then we have what you never can get in the dictionary; a pronunciation guide and the meaning to go with it. I know Mai Bai literally should mean I don't want to go, right? Or does that phrase have a slightly different meaning to you?

I've been looking at the electronic language translators and it seems that the Cyber Dict 10 might be the best one.....any comments or advice?

I plan to use it instead of constantly asking my wife how to say something.
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Post by BaaBaa. »

T.I.G.R. wrote:I know Mai Bai literally should mean I don't want to go, right? Or does that phrase have a slightly different meaning to you?
Mai Pai means Not Go.
Its more of a P than a B though.

Mai infront of anything means not.

Mai Mao=Sober
Mai Hue=Not Hungry
Mai Rue=Not know
Mai Ao=Not Want
Mai Mee=Not Have
Mai Khaojai=Not Understand

Mai after a word is best thought of as a spoken Question Mark.

Khaojai Mai?
Last edited by BaaBaa. on Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Super Joe
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Post by Super Joe »

It may be only a word or two a day but it's useful and fun
It's currently at about 50 words a day :D

"por" is a useful word.
"por mai?" - Enough?
"Yang mai por" - Not enough yet
"Mai por" - Not enough
"Por leol" - Enough already

SJ
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Roel
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Post by Roel »

T.I.G.R. are you familiair with this one:

http://www.thai2english.com/

Very good site. Can be used both ways TH-EN, EN-TH.
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Post by T.I.G.R. »

Thanks Roel, yes I'm familiar with several written and computer aided learning tools. However, most of my questions arise during conversations or listening to people speak Thai, so I'm looking for something I can have with me wherever I am.....

This subject generated about three pages in the time it took my post to get online.....seems like a lot of fun for all of us. I wonder how long it will go on, but I'm hoping for a permanent thread.

Someone made an interesting comment earlier, sorry, too many pages back, but "know too mutt" is very applicable to me and I'm sure others here. Why? Not sure, but my wife of twenty years has been less than helpful generally and has openly admitted she is a lot happier with me knowing as little Thai as possible. Interesting, isn't it? We have had a wonderful marriage, still do, and yet she will revert to speaking Thai with friends or acquaintances whenever and wherever possible. Anyone else have this Thai proprietary thing going on?

I don't bring this up to change the course of the thread.....way too interesting, but it does have a bearing on at least my personal ventures into learning the language.
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Super Joe
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Post by Super Joe »

Anyone else have this Thai proprietary thing going on?
100% TIGR, I have to pay her by the word, it's usually delivered at 5 times the normal speed and so quiet the CIA couldn't pick it up in their own foyer. Any word repeated is charged at 50% the standard rate.

Back to topic: Something I've always struggled with ...... "I live permanently in Thailand", can anyone help ??

Thanks,
SJ
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Post by BaaBaa. »

T.I.G.R. wrote:Anyone else have this Thai proprietary thing going on?
Absolutely. I get virtually no help whatsoever. :banghead:
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Post by Roel »

Interesting observations, please have a look at this old thread (7 January 2008):

T.I.G.R. wrote:
the fact that my wife preferred to keep her language to herself.....no doubt so I wouldn't know when she was calling me an A***hole.

I replied:

Heard this argument quite often. Sometimes jokingly said, sometimes seriously meant. As a matter of fact many farang girlfriends/wives do not encourage their spouses to learn Thai. They are not stimulating it and are not eager to help. From my personal experience I would say that this is because of the pressure from other people. More than once I experienced that my Thai girlfriend got reprimanded by other Thais because I spoke Thai so well. Do other members share this experience?

And the replies:
My experience has been the opposite and many Thais I know are more than impressed by my proficiency in their language - I get so many asking me to teach them English to the same standard.
(buksida)
I'm with Buksida - most attempts I make are usually greeted with warm smiles and they are genuinely impressed.
(Vital Spark)

Nobody else replied but as we can all see on the new thread:

T.I.G.R.:
Someone made an interesting comment earlier, sorry, too many pages back, but "know too mutt" is very applicable to me and I'm sure others here. Why? Not sure, but my wife of twenty years has been less than helpful generally and has openly admitted she is a lot happier with me knowing as little Thai as possible. Interesting, isn't it? We have had a wonderful marriage, still do, and yet she will revert to speaking Thai with friends or acquaintances whenever and wherever possible. Anyone else have this Thai proprietary thing going on?
Super Joe:
100% TIGR, I have to pay her by the word, it's usually delivered at 5 times the normal speed and so quiet the CIA couldn't pick it up in their own foyer. Any word repeated is charged at 50% the standard rate.
And BaaBaa:
Absolutely. I get virtually no help whatsoever.
We are all living in 'the good old days' of the future.
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T.I.G.R.
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Post by T.I.G.R. »

Roel -

Oh yeah, I remember that one now. I'm at the wonderful age where the hard drive is full and I can barely remember my name.

A very interesting "national" characteristic though.

Well, at least we know it isn't personal!
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Post by buksida »

I stick to my previous comment, I would always be suspicious of anyone not wanting me to speak and comprehend the language of the country I live in. Maybe another thread here!


SJ, for "I live permanently in Thailand" you could use "pom yuu muang Thai dtalort welah" which is "I stay in Thailand all of the time" or "baan yuu muang Thai", "my home is in Thailand".
Last edited by buksida on Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:47 am, edited 3 times in total.
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T.I.G.R.
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Post by T.I.G.R. »

S.J. -

I struggle with that one too.....when people ask where I'm from I just say Cha Am an live with the funny looks.

You could also try Pom Ben Khun Thai if you're in the mood to get bonked...
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Super Joe
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Post by Super Joe »

Thanks Buksi & TIGR will try them out

SJ
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Post by crazy88 »

When being pestered by over zealous bar girls in Hua Hin that are running a little over their fighting weight try "mai ow chang naam n'krup"

Then duck and/or run

Good one to stitch your mates up with for a windup . :wink:

Crazy 88
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