Читать книгу Instant Thai - Stuart Robson - Страница 8
ОглавлениеPART 1 Words 1–10
Getting to know you
People traveling in Thailand will obviously want to become better informed about everything they see about them and will seek social contact with Thais. The best way to make contact is to exchange a few words in Thai. Your Thai friends will be pleased, and will help you with the pronunciation.
| 1 | DII ดี Good! Right! Okay! |
Sawatdii. สวัสดี Hello!
This is an all-purpose word of greeting. It can be used with anybody, and at any time of day. Informally, people just say Wàtdii! หวัดดี. You can use it to say “hello” on the phone, and also to say goodbye. (It isn’t actually derived from dii ดี at all, but is useful to include here.)
Sabai dii mái? สบายดีไหม Are you well?
To answer a question like this, just repeat the main word (without the question word):
Sabai dii. สบายดี Yes, I am.
Dii mái? ดีไหม Is that okay? Do you agree?
Chohk dii. โชคดี Good luck.
Yin dii. ยินดี It’s my pleasure.
Dii jai. ดีใจ Happy (to see you, know you; literally “good in my heart”).
Grammatical notes
1. Thai sentence is simply formed by ‘subject-verb-object’ order like English. No word is modified or conjugated for tense, person, possession, singular or plural, gender, or subject-verb agreement.
2. The question word mái ไหม is placed at the end of a sentence. It can be interpreted as both a general question and an invitation or suggestion. To answer “yes” repeat the verb or adjective. For saying “no”, put mâi ไม่ before the verb or adjective.
Question: subject + verb/adjective + mái
Yes: subject + verb/adjective
No: subject + mâi (no) + verb/adjective
3. In Thai sentence, subject omission is acceptable when it is clear who the subject is.
Cultural note
Thais do not shake hands, nor do they say “please to meet you” when they “meet and greet” someone. Thais use a gesture of wâai ไหว้. They make a slight bow with the palms pressed together, as a way of greeting and respecting one another. There is a certain “protocol” for making the wâai ไหว้, bearing in mind its function, namely to express respect. So we wâai ไหว้ “up,” to someone we want to show respect to, including a new acquaintance. If someone makes a wâai ไหว้ to you, you must return it (if you’re carrying something, then one hand will do, or even just a little bow). Consequently, you do not make a wâai ไหว้ to a younger or junior person first (but you do return it), and of course you never make one to a child.
When it is intended as a form of greeting or farewell, people would say sà-wàt-dii สวัสดี while performing the wâi.
| 2 | KHÁ/KHÂ/KHRÁP คะ/ค่ะ/ครับ Polite particles |
These three words should be introduced at an early stage, because they are very common. They are used to end a sentence in order to make an utterance sound very polite and respectful.
• ค่ะ khâ (for women) is used for making statements, commands, and also used alone as a polite way to answer “yes”.
• คะ khá (for women) is used at the end of a question.
• ครับ khráp is a neutral ending for men to use in any situation.
| 3 | CHÊU ชื่อ name |
Khun chêu à-rai. คุณชื่ออะไร
What is your name?
Phǒm chêu Simon. ผมชื่อไซมอน
My name is Simon.
Chǎn chêu Helen. ฉันชื่อเฮเลน
My name is Helen.
Khǎu chêu Richard. เขาชื่อ ริดชาร์ด
His name is Richard.
Khun mii chêu lên mái? คุณมีชื่อเล่นไหม
Do you have a nickname?
Grammatical notes
1. The word chêu ชื่อ can be translated into the English word “name” or with the verb “to be called.”
2. Thai has a complicated set of personal pronouns.
The following are appropriate pronouns for conversational use.
| I/me | chǎn | ฉัน (female) |
| dì-chǎn | ดิฉัน (formal for female) | |
| phǒm | ผม (male) | |
| We | rao | เรา |
| You | khun | คุณ |
| thoe | เธอ (female) | |
| He/She/They | khǎo | เขา |
| thoe | เธอ (she) |
Cultural notes
Thais call each other by given names. However, nicknames are commonly used in Thailand. Thais may give you their nicknames instead of their first names. In general Thai given names are preceded by Khun (Mr., Mrs., or Miss), unless they carry a title, such as doctor. Khun is used for men and women, married or single. For example: Somjai (given name) + Rattana (family name) is Khun Somjai. If you don’t know a person’s name, address them as Khun. The first name and the family name are introduced in an official introduction,
| 4 | RÚU-JÀK รู้จัก to know, be acquainted |
Khun rúu-jàk Mali mái? คุณ รู้จักมะลิ ไหม
Do you know Mali?
Thoe rúu-jàk rong-raem Oriental mái?
เธอรู้จักโรงแรมโอเรียนเต็ลไหม
Do you know the Oriental Hotel?
→ Mâi rúu-jàk. ไม่รู้จัก No, I don’t.
Grammatical notes
Mâi ไม่ (“no, not”) is used for a negative sentence and is always placed in front of verbs or adjectives.
Mâi sabai. ไม่สบาย (I’m) not feeling well.
Mâi dii. ไม่ดี (That’s) not good (not a good thing, not a good idea).
Mâi au. ไม่เอา I don’t want it (I won’t accept it, literally “not take”).
Mâi chôrp. ไม่ชอบ (I) don’t like it.
Mâi sǒnjai. ไม่สนใจ (I’m) not interested.
Mâi sǔay. ไม่สวย (It’s) not beautiful. (I don’t find it attractive.)
Mâi bpen rai. ไม่เป็นไร
No worries! It’s okay! It doesn’t matter! Not at all!
NOTE: Many people say mâi-pen-rai because they believe that they don’t have much control over things. Just accept and move on.
| 5 | YÙU อยู่ to be there, present; to live, dwell |
Khun Wichaa yùu mái? คุณวิชาอยู่ไหม
Is Mr Wichaa there? (= Is Mr Wichaa in?)
Tim yùu thîi nǎi? ทิมอยู่ที่ไหน
Where is Tim?
Tim yùu thîi bâan. ทิมอยู่ที่บ้าน
Tim is at home.
Bâan gèut yùu thîi nǎi? บ้านเกิดอยู่ที่ไหน
Where is your home town (“village of birth”)?
Chǎn yùu thîi Melbourne. ฉันอยู่ที่เมลเบอร์น
I live in Melbourne.
For a different meaning of yùu อยู่ see Note at the end of Word 7 below.
| 6 | KHON คน person, people |
Khun bpen khon châat à-rai? คุณเป็นคนชาติอะไร
What is your nationality?
→ Khǎu bpen khon Amerigan. เขาเป็นคนอเมริกัน
He’s an American.
NOTE: the place is Amerigaa อเมริกา; and the adjective is Amerigan.
Khǎu bpen khon Jiin. เขาเป็นคนจีน He’s Chinese.
Yîi-bpùn ญี่ปุ่น Japanese
Yeraman เยอรมัน German
Faràngsèt ฝรั่งเศส French
Anggrìt อังกฤษ British
(“English” covers the whole of Britain!)
NOTE: The same adjectives for nationality generally apply to the language, e.g.:
Phaasǎa Jiin ภาษาจีน Chinese (language)
Yîi-bpùn ญี่ปุ่น Japanese
Faràngsèt ฝรั่งเศส French
Thai ไทย Thai
Anggrìt อังกฤษ English
| 7 | THAM ทำ to do; to make |
Khun tham à-rai? คุณทำอะไร
What do you do? or What are you doing?
→ Chǎn tham ahǎan. ฉันทำอาหาร
I’m cooking (literally “making food”).
→ Phǒm duu tiiwii yùu. ผมดูทีวีอยู่ I’m watching TV.
→ Chǎn norn lên yùu. ฉันนอนเล่นอยู่
I’m taking a nap.
→ Chǎn shopping yùu. ฉันชอบปิ้งอยู่
I’m shopping.
NOTE: In order to show continuous or present action, it is usually expressed by adding yùu อยู่ at the end of the sentence.
Khun tham-ngaan à-rai? คุณทำงานอะไร
What do you do for living?
(literally “What is your job?”)
→ Phǒm pen nák-thú-rá-kìt. ผมเป็นนักธุรกิจ
I’m a businessman.
→ Chǎn pen phá-yaa-baan. ฉันเป็นพยาบาล
I’m a nurse.
nák-rórng นักร้อง a singer
nák-gilaa นักกีฬา sportsman/woman, athlete
nák-dtên นักเต้น dancer
nák-muay นักมวย boxer
nák-sùek-sǎa นักศึกษา university student
aa-jaan อาจารย์ professor/lecturer
mǎw หมอ doctor
thá-naay-khwaam ทนายความ lawyer
tam-rùat ตำรวจ police officer
phá-nák-ngaan พนักงาน office worker
phá-nák-ngaan khǎay พนักงานขาย salesperson
thá-hǎan ทหาร soldier
khâa-râat-chá-kaan ข้าราชการ government official
wít-sà-wá-gawn วิศวกร engineer
châang ช่าง mechanic
Grammatical note
Verb-to-be pen (เป็น) is used with a noun to indicate attributes, properties, or identity of a subject. For example:
Phǒm pen mǎw. ผมเป็นหมอ I am a doctor.
Chǎn pen khon Thai. ฉันเป็นคนไทย I am Thai.
| 8 | DTORN ตอน part of the day |
dtorn cháau ตอนเช้า in the morning
dtorn thîang ตอนเที่ยง at noon
dtorn bàai ตอนบ่าย in the afternoon
dtorn yen ตอนเย็น in the evening
dtorn khâm ตอนค่ำ iate at night
Dtorn cháau rau bpai hông-náam.
ตอนเช้าเราไปห้องน้ำ
In the morning we go to the bathroom (toilet).
Substitute the word underlined:
gin aahǎan cháau กินอาหารเช้า have breakfast
àap náam อาบน้ำ take a bath
bpraeng fan แปรงฟัน clean our teeth
wǐi phǒm หวีผม brush our hair
dtàeng dtua แต่งตัว get dressed
hǎa wâen-dtaa หาแว่นตา go looking for our glasses
Dtorn thîang rau bpai gin ahąan-thîang.
ตอนเที่ยงเราไปกินอาหารเที่ยง
At noon we have lunch.
Dtorn bàai rau bpai gin ahąan-wâang.
ตอนบ่ายเราไปกินอาหารว่าง
In the afternoon we have a snack.
Dtorn yen rau bpai gin ahąan yen.
ตอนเย็นเราไปกินอาหารเย็น
In the evening we eat dinner.
Dtorn khâm rau bpai disago.
ตอนค่ำเราไปดิสโก้
In the dead of night we go to a disco.
| 9 | LÁEW แล้ว already; past tense marker |
Sèt láew. เสร็จแล้ว
It’s finished (has been done).
Mòt láew. หมดแล้ว
It’s all used up (finished).
Jàai láew. จ่ายแล้ว
(I’ve) paid already.
Khâu-jai láew. เข้าใจแล้ว
I understand (literally “understand already”).
Fǒn dtòk láew. ฝนตกแล้ว
It’s raining (has started to rain).
