Phonetics guide

Five different tones are used in Thai. For the purpose of these pages words are broken up into syllables and each syllable has it's own tone. To indicate the appropriate tone one of the following letters is used in front of each syllable. The mid tone is indicated by the absence of a letter and is pronounced without any inflection in the middle of the vocal range.

(h) high
(l) low
(r) rising
(f) falling
(!) an exclamation mark used after a syllable indicates the syllable is pronounced quickly

Some consonants in Thai do not have an exact English equivalent but are somewhere in between two English letters. Where this occurs I have used both of the English letters to indicate this. Examples are:

bp where the sound is neither b or p but somewhere in between and pronounced quite explosively, such as bpii for year/s.

dt where the sound is neither d or t but somewhere in between, such as (h)dto! for table.

Invitations

I'd like to invite you to lunch
(r)phom (r)khaw (l)cheun kun pai (h)rab!-pra-taan ar-(r)haan (f)thiang

I'd like to invite you to dinner
(r)phom (r)khaw (l)cheun kun pai (h)rab!-pra-taan ar-(r)haan (h)kum!

I'd like to invite you to breakfast
(r)phom (r)khaw (l)cheun kun pai (h)rab!-pra-taan ar-(r)haan (h)chao

I'd like to invite you to go swimming
(r)phom (r)khaw (l)cheun kun pai (f)wai!-(h)naam

(f)wai!-(h)naam = to swim

I'd like to invite you to a party
(r)phom (r)khaw (l)cheun kun pai ngaan-(r)sang-(r)san

party = ngaan-(r)sang-(r)san or ngaan-(r)liang

Will you go to the movies with me tomorrow night?
khun! ja pai doo-(r)nahng! (l)gahp! (r)phom! (f)prung!-(h)nii dtaun-(h)kam! (h)mai!

(l)gahp! = with
(r)phom! = me (male)
(r)chahn! = me (female)
doo-(r)nahng! = the movies
dtaun-(h)kam! = in the night
dtaun-(h)chao = in the morning
dtaun-(l)bai = in the afternoon

This morning = (h)chao nii
This afternoon = (l)bai nii
Midday today = (f)thiang nii

Will you go to Bangsaen with us next week?
khun! ja pai Bangsaen (l)gahp! rao! ah-(h)thit! (f)naa

next week = ah-(h)thit! (f)naa or ah-(h)thit! (l)taht! bpai!

If you are not busy on Monday evening, I'd like to invite you to dinner
(f)tah khun (f)mai! (h)yung! nai! wan!-jan! taun-yen! (r)phom (r)kor cheun khun pai tahn ar-(r)haan (h)kum!

(f)tah = if
(f)mai! = not
(h)yung! = busy
nai! = on
wan!-jan! = Monday
taun-yen! = evening

A short version of the above question might be:

(f)tah khun (f)wahng nai! wan!-jan! taun-yen!

(f)tah khun (f)wahng = if you are free

Another version might be:

(f)wahng (f)mai! tahn ar-(r)haan (h)kum! (l)kabp! (r)phom (h)mai!

Thank you, I'd love to
(l)kawp khun! (h)khrap! (h)kor!-di!-(l)si!

(h)kor!-di!-(l)si! = I'd love to (idiom)

Thank you, I'd like to go
(l)kawp khun! (h)khrap! (r)phom (r)kor yaak jai pai

Sorry, I'm not free
(r)kor (f)thawt (h)khrap! (r)phom (f)mai! (f)wahng

At this point in the lesson I jokingly explained to Goong that in English she would explain to a man she wasn't interested in who had invited her out that she was busy washing her hair. This caused a temporary digression from the lesson plan and some unexpected vocabulary.

(h)sahk! (f)pah = laundry (to wash clothes)
(l)sa! (r)phom! = to wash hair

Thank you, I'll be glad to come
(l)kawp khun! (h)khrap! (r)phom yin!-dii (h)ti ja pai

How wonderful!
(r)kor (h)wi!-set (l)na! (l)si!
or
(h)wi!-set jing jing

It's very nice of you!
Pen kwarm (l)ga!-(l)ru!-na (l)yaang! (h)ying!

Thai society = (r)sahng!-kom! Thai

I'm sorry, I already have an appointment
(r)kor (f)thawt (h)khrap! (r)phom mee (h)nat! (h)laew

(h)nat! = appointment
(h)laew = already

I'm sorry but I have a class at that time
(r)kor (f)thawt (h)khrap! (r)phom mee reun weh-lah (f)nahn!

weh-lah = time
(f)nahn! = that
reun = class (or to study)
rong reun = school

I'd like very much to but I have an appointment with the dentist tomorrow
(r)phom yaak pai (f)maak (l)dtaa (r)phom mee (h)nat! (l)gahp! (r)mor-fahn! (f)prung!-(h)nii dtaun-(h)chao

(l)dtaa = but
(r)mor = doctor
(r)mor-fahn! = dentist (tooth doctor)
(r)mor-dtah = optician (eye doctor)
(l)gahp! = with

bpai! (r)haa (r)mor = go to the hospital (by implication but literally going to see the doctor)
phom bpai! (r)haa (r)mor = I am going to the hospital

rohng pa-yah-bahn = hospital

I will pick you up at 7pm
(r)phom ja pai (h)rahp! khun dtaun (l)neung (f)thum!

(h)rahp! = pick up (somebody)

Shall I meet you in front of your office at 5pm?
(r)phom ja pai (h)pohp! khun (f)nah (f)tii-tahm!-ngaan (r)khawng khun! dtaun (f)haa mohng yen!

(h)pohp! = meet
(f)nah = in front of (same word as 'face')
(f)tii-tahm!-ngaan = office (say quickly)
(r)khawng khun! = your

my = (r)khawng (r)chahn! (female); (r)khawng (r)phom! (male)

I'll meet you at the entrance of Central department store at 6pm, if that's convenient
(r)phom ja (h)pohp! khun (h)ti tahng-(f)kao! (h)haang Centran dtaun (l)hohk! mohng yen! (f)tah sa-(l)du-ak

tahng-(f)kao! = entrance
(f)tah = if
sa-(l)du-ak = convenient

husband = (r)sah-mee (polite); (r)poo-uh (impolite)
wife = pahn!-ra-yah (polite); mia (impolite)
friend = (f)peu-un (wide mouth)