Thai Language Lessons - Lesson 9
Date of lesson: Tuesday 24th February 2004
Forming Questions
What? = ah!-rai!
What is the teacher doing?
khun! kroo gam-lang tahm! ah!-rai!
tahm! = to do
gam-lang tahm! = doing (present tense)
What is she looking for?
(l)hlon! gam-lang mawng ah!-rai!
looking for = mawng, doo or (r)hah
What did he say?
(r)khao (f)phoot ah!-rai!
(f)phoot is a long word when articulated
This same sentence in Thai could also mean 'What is he saying?' as no tense is indicated.
What language is he learning now?
(r)khao gam-lang rean pah-(r)sah ah!-rai! tawn-(h)ni!
rean = to learn
tawn-(h)ni! = now (can be used at the beginning of the sentence instead)
What time did you get up yesterday?
khun! (l)dteun-nawn we-lah ah!-rai! (f)meu-uh wan (h)nii
(l)dteun-nawn = get up / wake up
we-lah ah!-rai! = what time
What time did (do you) you get up?
khun! (l)dteun-nawn we-lah ah!-rai!
Which? = (r)nai!
Which river flows through Bangkok?
(f)maa-(h)naam! (r)sai (r)nai (r)lai! (l)pahn groong!-(f)thep
(f)maa-(h)naam! = river
(r)sai = the classifier for river
(r)lai! = flows
(l)pahn = through
Which book?
nahng!-(r)siew (f)lem! (r)nai
nahng!-(r)siew = book
(f)lem! = the classifier for book
Which bus goes to Phuket?
(h)roht!-(l)bpra!-jam-tahng (l)kan! (r)nai bpai Phuket
(h)roht!-(l)bpra!-jam-tahng = bus
(h)roht!-(f)tua! = another word for bus
(l)kan! = the classifier for bus
Which apartment does Dang live in?
(f)hawng!-(f)chao! (f)hawng! (r)nai (h)ti! Dang (l)yoo
(f)hawng!-(f)chao! = apartment
(f)chao! = to rent
(f)hawng! = the classifier for apartment
(l)yoo = to live
An alternative way to form this question would be:
Dang (l)yoo (f)hawng!-(f)chao! (f)hawng! (r)nai
How? = (l)yahng-rai!
How do (did) you come here?
khun! mah (f)tii-(f)nii (l)yahng-rai!
mah = come
(f)tii-(f)nii = here
How does he do it?
(r)khao tahm! mahn! (l)yahng-rai!
mahn! = it
How can we learn more English?
rao! rean pah-(r)sah ahng!-(l)grit! (f)maak-(h)keun! (l)yahng-rai!
(f)maak-(h)keun! = more
(h)noi-lohng! = less
How do people in small cities differ from those in big cities?
kohn! nai! meu-ung (h)lek! (h)lek! dtaang! (l)jaak kohn! nai! meu-ung (l)yai! (l)yai! (l)yahng-rai!
kohn! = people
nai! = in
meu-ung (wide-mouth sound) = city
dtaang! = differ / different
(l)jaak = from
How much? = (f)tao!-(l)rai!
How much does it cost?
man mii-rah-kah (f)tao!-(l)rai!
How much does this pen cost?
(l)bpahk-gah (f)lem! (r)ni! mii-rah-kah (f)tao!-(l)rai!
How much is that altogether?
(h)tahng! (l)moht! rah-kah (f)tao!-(l)rai!
(h)tahng! (l)moht! = altogether (everything)
How much can you pay?
khun! (l)jai (f)dai! (f)tao!-(l)rai!
(l)jai = pay
(f)dai! = can
How many? = (f)tao!-(l)rai! or (l)gee
How many books do you read in one month?
khun! (l)ahn nahng!-(r)siew (l)gee (f)lem! nai (l)neung deu-un
The answer to this question would be:
n (f)lem! where n = the number of books read
How many hours do you sleep at night?
khun! nawn-(l)lahp! glahng-keun (l)gee (f)chu-ah mohng
How many pencils do you have?
khun! mii din!-(r)sor (l)gee (f)lem!
din!-(r)sor = pencil/s
(f)lem! = the classifier for pencil
How long? = nahn (f)tao!-(l)rai! [time] or yaew (f)tao!-(l)rai! [distance]
How long does it take to go downtown from here?
(l)jaak (f)tee-(f)nee (l)pai! nai! meu-ung (f)chai! we-la nahn (f)tao!-(l)rai!
(l)jaak = from
(f)tee-(f)nee = here
nai! meu-ung = downtown [meu-ung has that wide-mouth sound]
(f)chai! we-la = to take time
How long is the Chao Phrya river?
(f)maa-(h)naam! chao phrya yaew (f)tao!-(l)rai!
How far? = glai! (f)tao!-(l)rai!
How far is the bus station?
sa-(r)tah-nee (h)roht!-(l)bpra!-jam-tahng glai! (f)tao!-(l)rai!
How far is it from Bangkok to Chiang Mai?
(l)jaak groong!-(f)thep (r)teung chiang mai glai! (f)tao!-(l)rai!
to = (r)teung but can also use (l)bpai!
How often? = (l)boy-(r)kae-(r)nai
How often do you go there?
khun! bpai (f)tii-(f)nahn! (l)boy-(r)kae-(r)nai
(f)tii-(f)nahn! = there
Who? = krai!
Who is at the door?
krai! (l)yoo (f)tii bpra!-dtoo
(l)yoo = is
(f)tii = at
bpra!-dtoo = door
Who wants to go to the movies?
krai! yaak (l)pai! doo (r)nahng!
Who are you waiting for?
khun! koy krai!
Who are you talking to?
khun! (f)poot (l)gabp! krai!
When? = (f)meu-uh (l)rai! [wide-mouth sound]
When did he come to Bangkok?
(r)kow! ma groong!-(f)thep (f)meu-uh (l)rai!
When is the next bus to Phuket?
(h)roht!-(l)bpra!-jam-tahng (l)kan! (l)tadt!-bpai! ja pai phuket (f)meu-uh (l)rai!
(l)tadt!-bpai! = next
(l)kan! = the classifier for bus