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Archive for the 'Thai Grammar' Category

A Useful List of Advanced Thai Words

Have you been learning Thai for a while and want to continue expanding your knowledge? If you already feel comfortable using the language at an intermediate level, it’s time to press onward and start learning advanced Thai vocabulary. Picking up more sophisticated words and terms will enable you to understand more complex conversations and communicate more like a native speaker. To help you start strong, we have prepared this practical list of advanced Thai vocabulary words. For each word, we have included:  English translationPart of speechExample(s) of use At ThaiPod101.com, it’s our goal to make learning Thai easy and fun! Keep reading to become acquainted with the most important advanced words in the Thai language. ... Show more

Negation in Thai: Learn How to Form Negative Sentences

One of the first words a baby learns to say is "no."  It turns out that this little word will come in handy for the rest of our lives! We use it to express our needs, wants, and boundaries on a daily basis. Whether saying no comes as naturally to you as breathing or you consider yourself a people-pleaser, one thing is certain:  As a Thai learner, it’s crucial that you learn how to negate in Thai!  "Negation" refers to the act of making a positive (or affirmative) statement negative, and this is a crucial skill to have for any conversation. It allows you to tell others no, answer questions negatively, and much more.  In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about Thai negation. You’ll learn about the rules... Show more

Does Thai Have Tenses?

Being able to express the timing of an action is a key skill to acquire when learning a foreign language. Did it happen yesterday? Is it going to happen next year? Or maybe it’s happening right now, as you read this? In most languages, tenses are used to accomplish this. A tense is a grammatical concept that can be applied to verbs through conjugation. For example, in English you could express the past, present, and future this way: I walked.I am walking.I will walk. But there’s some good news for Thai learners: There are no Thai tenses you need to learn! Thai is a tenseless language and we have other (much simpler) ways of expressing time as it relates to actions. Thai has no tenses to worry about. Table of Contents... Show more

How Long Does it Take to Learn Thai?

If you’re like most aspiring language learners, you’ve probably asked this all-too-common question at some point: How long does it take to learn Thai?  Thai is not an easy language to learn, especially for a native English speaker. You’ll have to learn a whole new reading and writing system, study a new set of grammar rules, and—most difficult of all—get the hang of Thai pronunciation. Fortunately, the grammar part is pretty simple as there’s no verb conjugation to worry about (tense, mood, and gender play no role here).   Taking the language’s difficulty into consideration, what kind of time commitment should you expect?  In this article, we’ll take a look at the three different levels of Thai fluency: beginner, intermediate, and... Show more

The Top 30 Thai Proverbs and Sayings

Thai people have been using metaphors in day-to-day life for a very long time, so it’s not surprising that proverbs are so prominent in the Thai language today. As a learner of the language, you can greatly benefit from studying Thai proverbs. Doing so will not only help you sound more like a native speaker, but it will also give you more insight into Thai culture and the way Thai people think.  In this lesson, we’ll go over the characteristics of Thai proverbs and present you with a list of the top thirty Thai proverbs and sayings you should learn. Each proverb on our list is accompanied by a detailed explanation and an example of how to use it properly.  Enjoy! Table of Contents An Introduction to Thai Proverbs Good... Show more

An Easy-Breezy Thai Grammar Guide

https://youtu.be/Pbj_2WzUHRM?si=nii79fB5QhIL1mSh In many languages, หลักภาษา (lhàk-phaa-sǎa), or "grammar," is one of the most difficult aspects to learn. Fortunately for you, Thai grammar is notorious for its relatively simple rules and structures when compared to other languages. Still, if you’re thinking about learning Thai or have recently started, you may have several questions concerning Thai grammar: Are there a lot of Thai grammar rules? Should I learn the Thai alphabet and grammar together, or would it be too hard? On this page, you’ll get answers to all of your Thai grammar questions. → Keep in mind that if you want to explore this topic further, ThaiPod101.com has more resources for you: Introduction to Thai Grammar and... Show more

Your Ultimate Guide to Learning Thai Tones

https://youtu.be/n8z1DAqYIK8?si=TuRn2U24Mbd-c6fe เป้าเป่าซาลาเปาร้อน ๆ ก่อนเก็บลงกระเป๋า (bpâo-bpào-saa-laa-bpao-ráawn-ráawn-gàawn-gèp-long-grà -bpǎo) means "Bpâo blew the hot bun before putting it in the bag" in Thai.   For those who aren’t familiar with the Thai language, or who have just started learning it, when you hear this sentence, you may wonder why Thai people repeat the same word so often. However, Thai people didn’t repeat the same word; the words in color, despite sounding very similar, have different tones. Thai is one of many languages that uses tone. Thus, to communicate in Thai, it’s important that you master Thai tones. Luckily for you, this lesson will teach you everything you need to know.  How many tones... Show more

Best Guide to Learn About Thai Numerical Classifiers

In Thai, if you want to tell the number or amount of a noun (both countable and uncountable), knowing the numbers and the most common nouns isn't enough. Unlike in English, you need Thai numerical classifiers to complete the phrase or sentence. So, as a Thai learner, you need to learn about numeric classifiers in Thai in order to speak like a native. In this lesson, we’ll introduce you to Thai numeric classifiers. You’ll also learn the structure of numerical classifiers in Thai along with how to use them. And lastly, we’ll provide you with a list of Thai classifiers. Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only) Table of Contents What are Thai Numeric Classifiers? ... Show more

Is Thai Difficult to Learn? (And Tips to Succeed!)

If you’re interested in learning the Thai language but haven’t started yet, you may be wondering: "Is Thai difficult to learn?" We’re here to tell you that learning Thai may not be as hard as you think it is!   There are certain things that make the Thai language hard to learn, and for these, you’ll need to spend some time studying and practicing. But there are also many other aspects that are pretty simple and straightforward! You may feel a little doubtful about this, as the Thai alphabet, grammar, pronunciation, and so on, are new to you. But you’ll get familiar with these things in no time once you start learning with ThaiPod101.com.   There are many foreigners who can speak and understand Thai so well, after just a few years,... Show more

The Top 10 Common Thai Mistakes for Learners to Avoid

In Thai, there’s a saying, ผิดเป็นครู (phìt-bpen-khruu), which means "learning from your mistakes."   Still, making mistakes can sometimes be embarrassing, so it’s better if you can avoid them in the first place.  Hence, this comprehensive guide on typical Thai language mistakes from ThaiPod101.com. You’ll learn about mistakes in Thai grammar, vocabulary, word choice, and the appropriate use of Thai phrases. By the end of this article, you should be able to decrease the number of common Thai-English mistakes you make, or avoid them altogether! Table of Contents Similar Consonants Short and Long Vowel Sounds A Note on Tone Marks The Correct Tone for คะ (khá) and ค่ะ (khâ) False Friends ตัวผู้ (dtuua-phûu) is... Show more