Learn how to ask and answer the question, "How long have you been studying Thai?"
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Jessi: Top 25 Thai Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 6: "How long have you been studying Thai?" in Thai. In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll master a common question for Thai learners, and then learn how to answer like a native speaker. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then, through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations. |
| In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question "How long have you been studying Thai?" In Thai, this is... |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan thâo-rài láaeo khá |
| Jessi: The first word in the question is... |
| Pim: khun |
| Jessi: meaning "you" in English. |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) khun |
| Jessi: Listen again and repeat. |
| Pim: khun |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the translation, breaking it down, and then giving it again at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is- |
| Pim: riian |
| Jessi: meaning "study" |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) riian |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: riian |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: Listen to the first two words of the question and repeat. |
| Pim: khun riian |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: And next is... |
| Pim: phaa-sǎa thai |
| Jessi: meaning "Thai language" |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) phaa-sǎa thai |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: phaa-sǎa thai |
| Jessi: Listen to the first three words of the question and repeat. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: And next... |
| Pim: maa |
| Jessi: meaning "to come" |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) maa |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: maa |
| Jessi: Listen to the first four words of the question and repeat. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: And after that... |
| Pim: naan |
| Jessi: meaning "long" |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) naan |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: naan |
| Jessi: Listen to the first five words of the question and repeat. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: And next... |
| Pim: thâo-rài |
| Jessi: meaning "how much" or “how many” |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) thâo-rài |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: thâo-rài |
| Jessi: Listen to the first six words of the question and repeat. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan thâo-rài |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: And next... |
| Pim: láaeo |
| Jessi: meaning something like "already," "and then," “as for,” or “later” |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) láaeo |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: láaeo |
| Jessi: Listen to the first seven words of the question and repeat. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan thâo-rài láaeo |
| Jessi: And after that… |
| Pim: khá |
| Jessi: a polite ending particle for female speakers for questions and requests |
| Pim: khá |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: khá |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: Now listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan thâo-rài láaeo khá |
| {pause} |
| Jessi: Note that this question is set as how a female speaker would say it, if you are a male speaker, please change the final khá to khráp. |
| Jessi: You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies. Master the following pattern and responses to the question "How long have you been studying Thai?" |
| Pim: nùeng duuean khâ |
| Jessi: "For one month." Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| Pim: (Slow) nùeng duuean khâ |
| {pause} |
| Jessi: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word... |
| Pim: nùeng |
| Jessi: meaning "one" |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) nùeng |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: nùeng |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: And after that... |
| Pim: duuean |
| Jessi: which is a classifier for month. |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) duuean |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: duuean |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: And after that... |
| Pim: khâ |
| Jessi: a particle added at the end of the sentence or phrase in order to increase the level of politeness when the speaker is female |
| Pim: (Slow, by syllable) khâ |
| Jessi: Now repeat. |
| Pim: khâ |
| Jessi: Listen to the speaker say "For one month." and then repeat. |
| Pim: nùeng duuean khâ |
| Jessi: This is how you would say “in one month” if you are a female; if you are a male, simply replace the word khá with the word khráp. Now, listen to the entire response as you would say it if you’re a male, and repeat. |
| Pim: nùeng duuean khráp |
| {Pause} |
| Jessi: To expand on the pattern, replace "one month" with "three months." |
| Pim: sǎam duuean |
| Jessi: "three months" |
| Pim: (slow) sǎam duuean (regular) sǎam duuean |
| Jessi: Listen to the phrase again, this time with "three months." |
| Pim: sǎam duuean khâ |
| Jessi: It mostly stays the same, simply replace "one month." Say, "For three months." |
| {pause} |
| Pim: sǎam duuean khâ |
| Jessi: Remember, this is how to answer the question if you’re a female. If you’re male, use khráp instead of khâ. Now let’s try it with a masculine version. |
| Jessi: To make another phrase, replace "three months" with "5 months and a half." |
| Pim: hâa duuean khrûeng |
| Jessi: "5 months and a half" |
| Pim: (slow) hâa duuean khrûeng (regular) hâa duuean khrûeng |
| Jessi: Listen to the phrase again, this time with "5 months and a half." |
| Pim: hâa duuean khrûeng khráp |
| Jessi: Replace the phrase "three months" and make rest of the sentence masculine. Say "For 5 months and a half" |
| Pim: hâa duuean khrûeng khráp |
| {pause} |
| Jessi: To use a different phrase, replace "5 months and a half" with "half a year." |
| Pim: khrûeng bpii |
| Jessi: "half a year" |
| Pim: (slow) khrûeng bpii (regular) khrûeng bpii |
| Jessi: Listen to the phrase again, this time with "half a year." |
| Pim: khrûeng bpii khráp |
| Jessi: In this case, replace the phrase "5 months and a half." Say "For half a year." |
| {pause} |
| Pim: khrûeng bpii khráp |
| Jessi: Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you're visiting Thailand and someone asks you how long you’ve been studying Thai. You’re a female speaker who’s been studying it for one month. Respond to the question. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan thâo-rài láaeo khá (five seconds) nùeng duuean khâ |
| Jessi: Now imagine you’re a female speaker who’s been studying it for three months. Respond to the question. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan thâo-rài láaeo khá (five seconds) sǎam duuean khâ |
| Jessi: Now imagine you're a male speaker who’s been studying it for 5 months and a half. Answer the speaker's question. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan thâo-rài láaeo khá (five seconds) hâa duuean khrûeng khráp |
| Jessi: Now imagine you're a male speaker who’s been studying it for half a year. Respond to the question. |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan thâo-rài láaeo khá (five seconds) khrûeng bpii khráp |
| Jessi: Now you want to ask someone how long they’ve been studying Thai. Ask the feminine version of that question. |
| (5 seconds) |
| Pim: khun riian phaa-sǎa thai maa naan thâo-rài láaeo khá |
| Jessi: This is the end of Lesson 6. |
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