Learning Thai as a complete beginner.

[Lemondropkid]

I've signed up for a 5 week beginners Thai Language course. 

The course doesn't start till mid January,  and I'd like to learn a little before then. 

I know almost zero Thai, where to start?

Can any BM's recommend 

- any Thai language app for total beginners. 

-any text books, see so many in Asia books but are any worth buying.

-anything on YouTube?

All suggestions gratefully received 

[fygjam]

When I first learnt, the AUA teaching material was the go to resource.

https://www.auathailand.org/en/aua-thai-courses/

Also

https://seasite.niu.edu/Thai/default.htm

has some basic stuff.

But you can't just learn it from books. You need someone to speak with and who can correct the tones.

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by fygjam

[forcebwithu]

At the end of this post is a dump of the Thai language bookmarks I started accumulating when I first moved here. Not sure how many are still active, but I expect most are.

As a beginner I would recommend the Learn Thai with Maanii Books, and Thai For Beginners by Benjawan Poomsan Becker. The Becker book is probably available in most Thai bookstores, or if you're in the Pattaya area you're welcome to have my copy of the book as I've pretty much given up trying to learn Thai.

http://learnthaiwithmod.com/2013/06/video-telling-time/
http://www.selfstudythai.com/
http://www.thaipod101.com/
http://translate.google.com/
http://slice-of-thai.com/consonant-sounds/#bpbp
http://www.thai2english.com/
http://www.lyndonhill.com/FunThai/CONTENTS.html
https://tips4thai.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/chart-of-thai-personal-pronouns/
http://www.thai-language.com/BulkLookup
http://ressources.learn2speakthai.net/
http://womenlearnthai.com/index.php/book-store/native-thai-texts/
http://slice-of-thai.com/voice-viewer/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCNPGGH7lguWWeFiHTp-OtQ
https://www.thaipod101.com/thai-word-lists/?coreX=100&src=lp_wotd

Edited November 15, 2023 by forcebwithu

[fygjam]

5 minutes ago, forcebwithu said:

Thai For Beginners by Benjawan Poomsan Becker. The Becker book is probably available in most Thai bookstores

Or

https://paiboonpublishing.com/

Also has a good iOS/Android dictionary with pronunciation.

 

[Zambo]

If this was 15 years ago i would say forget about getting any books or other learning resources to make a start before starting. Better to meet the teacher and use the resources she provides. You could start by using what you do know of the Thai language already at every opportunity and try a few simple exercises like counting to 10.

But in these days of apps i do wonder if there is a good tool out there that could help with simple phrases.

My technique was to speak a few simple words, looking to see if there is any reaction. If just a blur look then adjust the pronunciation a bit until a smile of understanding appears.

[Lemondropkid]

1 hour ago, Zambo said:

Better to meet the teacher and use the resources she provides. You could start by using what you do know of the Thai language already at every opportunity and try a few simple exercises like counting to 10

Was thinking of beginning with learning the numbers. Give plenty of opportunity to try out in real life of course.

I'm planning on popping back into the school - meeting the teacher and getting the resource book is a good idea. On my only visit I spoke to a very friendly administator and was shown a copy of the resource book they use.

I noted they had excellent AC and the school had a well-ordered look to it.

[forcebwithu]

2 minutes ago, Lemondropkid said:

Was thinking of beginning with learning the numbers. Give plenty of opportunity to try out in real life of course.

I'm planning on popping back into the school - meeting the teacher and getting the resource book is a good idea. On my only visit I spoke to a very friendly administator and was shown a copy of the resource book they use.

I noted they had excellent AC and the school had a well-ordered look to it.

I focused on learning to count, the hours of the day and days of the week as a starting point. The rest I just picked it up if it was repeated often enough in day to day conversation.

Kind of sad really that after 14 years here I'm still at a very basic level of speaking and understanding Thai. Working against me is the prevalence of English spoken and my hearing loss which prevents me from distinguishing tones in the language.

[Lemondropkid]

2 hours ago, forcebwithu said:

As a beginner I would recommend the Learn Thai with Maanii Books, and Thai For Beginners by Benjawan Poomsan Becker. The Becker book is probably available in most Thai bookstores, or if you're in the Pattaya area

Thanks for the offer, am down in Hua Hin. The Becker book was on prominent display in the little Asia Book in Market Village shopping centre here.

Should easily be able to pick up a second hand copy when I'm up in BKK.

I'm under no illusion that it's going to be easy but feel like a lazy idiot knowing nothing. 

[Golfingboy]

I enjoyed Thai with Mod........they make it funny and cover a few important phrases per vlog.

One I remember well is lap nawn VS nawn lap.....

[Lemondropkid]

1 minute ago, forcebwithu said:

I focused on learning to count, the hours of the day and days of the week as a starting point. The rest I just picked it up if it was repeated often enough in day to day conversation.

Kind of sad really that after 14 years here I'm still at a very basic level of speaking and understanding Thai. Working against me is the prevalence of English spoken and my hearing loss which prevents me from distinguishing tones in the language.

We crossed replies🙂

Know you had mentioned on other threads issues with your hearing aids.

I'll bet you know more than you realise. Do you find you are able to understand what Thais are talking about even if you couldn't formulate a reply? Or am I just being too optimistic

Oh and thanks again for all the links.

[rhodie]

There is an app called Memolicious that teaches the Consonants, Vowels and Numbers. Might work for you.

 

[Lemondropkid]

8 minutes ago, rhodie said:

There is an app called Memolicious that teaches the Consonants, Vowels and Numbers. Might work for you.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Can't find in the Google play store unfortunately and am very wary about downloading from unknown sites.

[rhodie]

4 minutes ago, Lemondropkid said:

Thanks for the suggestion. Can't find in the Google play store unfortunately and am very wary about downloading from unknown sites.

Yes, it is a worry.

https://m.apkpure.com/

I used the site above. I installed it about 7 years ago. 

[thegrogmonster]

After struggling with English let alone Thai my only saying is:

Pud Thai mai dai or something like that

[Derek Dangleberries]

48 minutes ago, Golfingboy said:

One I remember well is lap nawn VS nawn lap.....

The spoonerism that I still do is 

Haw Mok (a banana leaf wrapped street food) vs Maw Hok (A six year student) !!

I think I have a reasonable vocabulary but my pronunciation is incomprehensible to most Thais so my suggestion is start at the beginning with the alphabet and vowel sounds ..

[forcebwithu]

1 hour ago, Lemondropkid said:

We crossed replies🙂

Know you had mentioned on other threads issues with your hearing aids.

I'll bet you know more than you realise. Do you find you are able to understand what Thais are talking about even if you couldn't formulate a reply? Or am I just being too optimistic

Oh and thanks again for all the links.

Sometimes I get the gist of what they're talking about, especially if it's my lady spouting off a stream of Thai and I hear my name in the middle of it. 

[Jambo]

4 hours ago, Lemondropkid said:

I've signed up for a 5 week beginners Thai Language course. 

The course doesn't start till mid January,  and I'd like to learn a little before then. 

I know almost zero Thai, where to start?

Can any BM's recommend 

- any Thai language app for total beginners. 

-any text books, see so many in Asia books but are any worth buying.

-anything on YouTube?

All suggestions gratefully received 

Just start with "Mai Pet" when ordering any Thai meal. It will still come at least medium spicy.

On my second trip I let a Thai girl take me to the "Ruen Thai??" restaurant in second road and let her order a meal for the two of us. I wanted it to be an authentic Thai meal so I told her to order for me just as if she was ordering for herself.

It took my head off and my mouth would not  stop burning. I was told to just eat plain rice but that didn't help. I used up copious amounts of water and that did not help either. Half of the Thai staff were around me helping the farang in distress. 🤣

Mai Pet, for ever after!

[Bazle]

52 minutes ago, forcebwithu said:

Sometimes I get the gist of what they're talking about, especially if it's my lady spouting off a stream of Thai and I hear my name in the middle of it

.... and she is holding a knife! 

😃

[Lemondropkid]

1 hour ago, forcebwithu said:

Sometimes I get the gist of what they're talking about, especially if it's my lady spouting off a stream of Thai and I hear my name in the middle of it. 

There you go!!!

Managed to open a bank account yesterday. On the whole the process went well.

An early indication of what I was dealing with was when I was asked "What's your Thai address", to which I replied " That would be on the rental contract I just gave you", and then "What's your UK address"🙂

I scored one back for the away team, when as one of what appeared to be several random questions I thought I was asked, " You Read Thai" (she was wearing a face mask as well that wasn't a help, you'd have been stuffed) but she was asking " You Retired" 😁

Edited November 15, 2023 by Lemondropkid

[forqalso]

I took Thai language course at Wat Mongkolratanara in Berkeley, California for about a year. But, a combination of 84 hour work weeks, my already poor study habits and the teacher that tried to teach us to read Thai as we were learning to speak it all led to my failure.  
I can do the basics, like count to ten but I can’t tell you what seven is unless I count up from one. I have a bootleg dvd of Rosetta Stone; somewhere, with Thai on it. I liked it and it seemed like it helped, but back to m study habits. The app called Drops is available in Thai and I think it would be a good one for a free download to get a head start before your class starts.

 

[Derek Dangleberries]

27 minutes ago, forqalso said:

I can do the basics, like count to ten but I can’t tell you what seven is unless I count up from one.

I still get mixed up with left and right, so in my head I say "Saraburi leow kwa" which is the Thai description of where Isaan is .. i.e. Turn right at Saraburi !

 

[fygjam]

You can also do a google search for FSI Thai course.

This is the US Foreign Service Institute for US officials posted to Thailand.

Might be a bit dated now. Too many references to list.

 

[tko]

I first came to Thailand over 41 years ago. Before I left I bought the book "Fundamentals of the Thai language" by, I believe, the Australian War College.  It was recommended to me be a member of the Australian detachment on our mission in Thailand. 

I then separated and went to work in KSA, so I had a lot of time to study.  I wore that book out.  One of my colleagues there had done some Peace Corps work in Thailand and could help out when I got stuck.

When that assignment ended and I got back home, I found out there are Thai temples in almost every large city, and folks there are happy to help.  They also have lessons for the children of Thai families you can listen in on.

Almost 20 years later I met the "one," and fortunately spoke enough Thai to communicate because she didn't speak much English at all.  The next couple decades with her and all the Thai/Farang or Thai/Thai  families from our local temple that we became friends with, ramped my fluency way up.

It seems to me that the books, etc, get you started, but total immersion is what gets you fluent. 

These days I'm conversationally quite fluent, to the point that on the phone Thais are surprised that I'm not Thai.  I read fairly slow and I'm sure my handwriting is atrocious.  To be fair, my handwriting is not much better when I write in English. 

Edited November 15, 2023 by tko
grammar

[ChiFlyer]

I did a run at getting better at Pasathai when I moved here 7 years ago. Let's say limited success at best.

I already had the ability to communicate in several languages (primarily English, Spanish, and to a lesser degree Portuguese), but those languages are all Latin based or strongly Latin influenced. Pasathai is a different story, in that it is an Asian tonal language. As such it bares little or no resemblance to Latin based languages, other than cognitives that have been imported to Pasathai. 

Getting comfortable with the phonetics in Pasathai is a key. Do not learn words, learn phrases. You need to speak regularly with a native Thai speaker who has the patience to correct you, which will be often. 

I am married to a Thai lady and we continue to work at this on a daily basis. I will never be good at speaking Pasathai, but I continue to get a little better.

I would suggest learning numbers and body parts for individual words to start as I suspect that is what interests you the most. 🙂

Edited November 15, 2023 by ChiFlyer

[Bazle]

2 hours ago, ChiFlyer said:

I would suggest learning numbers and body parts for individual words to start as I suspect that is what interests you the most. 🙂

I think that is important for learning any language - you need to be motivated to learn.

I've always been useless at learning languages. For me, Thai is so far away from my reach that I haven't even tried, and I have little motivation as I can just about get by with English and Google.