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Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Notes

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Lesson Transcript

Introduction
Eric: Welcome to 3-Minute Thai Season 1, Lesson 16 - Asking Directions. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask and understand basic directions in Thai.
Body
Eric: Here's the way to ask "Where is the station?" in Thai.
Jay: [Normal] สถานีอยู่ที่ไหน(sà-thǎa-nii yùu thîi-nǎi)
Eric: First is a noun meaning “station”
Jay: [Normal] สถานี [Slow] สถานี (sà-thǎa-nii)
Eric: Next is the word meaning “is” for asking a location.
Jay: [Normal] อยู่ [Slow] อยู่(yùu)
Eric: Last is the word meaning “where”
Jay: [Normal] ที่ไหน [Slow] ที่ไหน(thîi-nǎi)
Eric: Listen again to the question meaning "Where is the station?"
Jay: [Slow] สถานีอยู่ที่ไหน [Normal] สถานีอยู่ที่ไหน
Eric: Here's a response meaning "Go straight."
Jay: [Normal] ตรงไป(dtrong bpai)
Eric: First is a word meaning “straight"
Jay: [Normal] ตรง [Slow] ตรง (dtrong)
Eric: Last is the verb meaning "to go"
Jay: [Normal] ไป [Slow] ไป(bpai)
Eric: Listen again to the response meaning "Go straight."
Jay: [Slow] ตรงไป [Normal] ตรงไป
Eric: Here's a response meaning "Turn right."
Jay: [Normal] เลี้ยวขวา(líiao khwăa)
Eric: First is a word meaning "Turn"
Jay: [Normal] เลี้ยว [Slow] เลี้ยว(líiao)
Eric: Last is the word meaning "Right"
Jay: [Normal] ขวา [Slow] ขวา(khwăa)
Eric: Listen again to the response meaning "Turn right."
Jay: [Slow] เลี้ยวขวา [Normal] เลี้ยวขวา
Eric: Here's a response meaning, "Turn left."
Jay: [Normal] เลี้ยวซ้าย(líiao sáai)
Eric: First is a word meaning "Turn"
Jay: [Normal] เลี้ยว [Slow] เลี้ยว(líiao)
Eric: Last is the word meaning "Left"
Jay: [Normal] ซ้าย [Slow] ซ้าย(sáai)
Eric: Listen again to the response meaning "Turn left."
Jay: [Slow] เลี้ยวซ้าย [Normal] เลี้ยวซ้าย
Cultural Insight
Eric: Now it's time for a quick cultural insight.
Jay: When you ask for directions, Thai people will sometimes give you the name of the street and the soi number. Soi is a word in Thai that means a side street or alley. All the small streets that branch off from main roads are given a number. For example, if they say “Sukhumvit Soi 14” that means “side street #14 off Sukhumvit Road”. All the even-numbered sois are on one side of the main road, and all the odd numbered sois are on the other side. So, in this case, side street # 14 might be right across from side street #13 or side street #15.

Outro

Eric: And that’s all for this lesson. Don’t forget to check out the lesson notes, and we’ll see you in the next lesson!
Jay: สวัสดี ค่ะ

Comments

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ThaiPod101.com
2015-10-19 18:30:00

Do you know any other phrases you can use to give directions? Write them in the comments!

ThaiPod101.com
2021-11-15 22:52:21

Hi sam,

Thank you.If we talk about meaning and ussage they are the same but put in a different position in a sentence. Example: I'm taking a shower. chán àap-náam yùu/ chán gam-lang àap-náam/ chán àap-náam

Without yùu and gam-lang is most common, we just say exactly what we are doing at the time someone asks or asks about. Second common word would be yùu, then gam-lang is least common. Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help.

Have a good day.

ปริษา Parisa

Team ThaiPod101.com

sam
2021-11-10 14:43:15

hi Parisa,

could you tell me the difference btwn yùu and gam-lang? both are auxilary verb indicating progressive tense but which one I should used? thanks

ThaiPod101.com
2020-06-27 00:01:23

Hello Adrian,

Thank you. "laaeo" means "already" usually come after verb to show something has been done. For your sameple we would used verb "set" low tone which means "finish" in front' of "laaeo". ตรงไป yes, "r" silent when we speak "dtong-bpai" unless in formal situation. From listening I think she did say "dtong-bpai". Please let me know if you have any future questions. I will be glad to help.

Have a good day.

ปริษา Parisa

Team ThaiPod101.com

Adrian
2020-06-23 21:29:06

Hi ThaiPod,

To follow Patrick's question in "lae" and "laaeo", if "laaeo" can be used as a verb (as indicated in condition number 4 which means to complete; to come to an end), then let's say I was asked if I'm done with my task, can I say "laaeo" alone?

Also, ตรงไป is it usually pronounced with silent trill "r"? "dtawwng bpai?" I listened carefully to Jay in the audio but I think I did not hear her say "dtrong" but "dtawwng". Is this how it is colloquially used? or am I missing something?

Hope you can answer my question. Kawp Khun!

ThaiPod101.com
2020-05-31 21:54:03

สวัสดี JC,

Thank you for taking the time to leave us your kind comment. 😇

If you have any questions, let us know. 😉

Best,

เลเว็นเต้ (Levente)

Team ThaiPod101.com

JC
2020-05-31 13:30:28

I had to chuckle a little at the last line: "So, in this case, side street # 14 might be right across from side street #13 or side street #15."

Sukhumvit is a bit confusing to people who first arrive in Bangkok because this very much is not the case. Sukhumvit 14 is more than 500 meters away from Sukhumvit 13. It's actually between Sukhumvit 19 and 21.

By the time you get to Sukhumvit #101, the south side is only to #62, because there's so many more sois on the north side than the south side.

The lesson is great! But I see many tourists and expats trying to find Even sois by looking at the odd sois, and that's not gonna help them!

ThaiPod101.com
2018-02-10 01:39:26

Hello Paul,

Thank you very much for your comment and question. Actually, ไป is not describe the word ตรง because it completed by itself. The word ไป is just a direction of verb away from the speaker. Hope that’s help. Please let me know if you have any questions. I will bad glad to help you. We wish you will have a good progress with Thai.

Have a nice day.

Parisa

Team ThaiPod101.com

Paul Muay
2018-02-08 01:08:30

Why is the verb first for "turn right" and "turn left" when the verb is normally second as in dtrong bpai?

ThaiPod101.com
2015-12-11 12:31:57

Hello Patrick,

Thank again for your comment. For your question, "lae" mean "and" is a conjunction but "laaeo" mean "and then" These are the usage of "laaeo"

1.[adv] [positioned at the beginning of a clause indicating the ordering of events or agreement with main clause] next; then; afterwards; so; finally; and

2.[adv] [positioned at the end of a clause indicating current position, fulfilment of a condition, emphasis, or confirmation] already; any more

3.[adv] [adverbial word indicating past tense or aspect marker indicating present perfect (past continued to present)] in the past; completed; still; to make done

4.[v] to complete; to come to an end

Have a nice day.

Parisa

Team ThaiPod101.com

Patrick
2015-12-06 01:30:30

hi

what is exactly the translation for "and" is "lae" or "laaeo" or have different case?

Thank you

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