Step-by-Step Process to learn a respectable amount of Thai in 1 month

[InterestedSugoya]

Whoa, that's a pretty specific topic title...

 

Anyway, I wanted to take classes with TSL 3x/week, but for other life reasons I won't be able to take any classes now.

 

I can only do self-study. I will leave Chiang Mai at the end December. I'll be back though (I'll be leaving some things in storage at Chiang Mai Buddy, so I'll def. be back).

 

So...can you help to point me in the right direction or move the arrows a little bit.

 

Learn the alphabet---->Read the "commonly heralded as the holy grail" textbook for Thai learners---->Watch some Youtube videos of Thai teachers----> Watch some Thai TV and try to listen for words that I know, jot down words that I don't know, and try to incorporate them into my study---->Try to read a handful of children's books---->Engage in small talk with Thais in places where they are a captive audience.

 

*I feel that reading will probably be more difficult than speaking. I do however think that proper speaking will be the most difficult of all. I speak English, Spanish, and some Japanese (the first 2 don't count because I was raised with them). I don't want to become overly-stressed with getting the proper tone on a word for now. I assume that the person I am speaking with (eventually), will understand what I mean by the context of the situation. I'm not trying to learn Thai in order to present some major project to a corporation, or to one day become a Thai teacher myself. I just want to understand and be understood.

 

P.S.- I could probably devote a max of 3 hours a day to studying, although that might be overkill (maybe 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, and 1 at night would be okay)

[Oxx]

Forget about learning the alphabet.  Learning to read takes longer than the time you have available.  After four weeks you'd be just about able to decode words - nowhere near fluent reading.

 

Get hold of the Pimsleur Thai course and try talking to Thai people (ordering food, buying goods).  That's all you need to do at this stage.

 

As for "I don't want to become overly-stressed with getting the proper tone on a word for now", you need to be aware that getting the tones right is vital if you're to be understood.  

 

 

[tgeezer]

I would add vowel length to what oxx said, you have not said a word if haven’t got its tone and vowel length correctly.
You Tube has plenty of material, the answer to your question is there.



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[InterestedSugoya]

Thanks for the info. folks. I've been to Thailand about four or five times in my life. All together it doesn't even add up to six months, but I figure that if I keep making my way around here, I might as well learn some of the language.

 

I did a Pimsleur course before for Japanese, but I found that it wasn't anywhere nearly as good as a Japanese textbook. Is there any textbook that you guys can recommend? Even if I don't have enough time to fully digest it in one month, I'll be its owner and therefore have it for whenever I'm ready for it.

[Oxx]

47 minutes ago, InterestedSugoya said:

Is there any textbook that you guys can recommend?

 

A textbook without audio is useless in your circumstances.

 

However, a grammar reference that is well worth reading is https://www.asiabooks.com/thai-an-essential-grammar-2nd-ed-7266.html  There's a .pdf of the first edition floating around on the Internet for free.

 

An online course (with audio) that may be of interest is http://thai-notes.com/FSITLC/

[InterestedSugoya]

Thanks for the replies again. As far as the YouTube lessons, are there any 1 or 2 "go-to" sources that everyone genuinely agrees are valuable?

 

If you don't want to promote any one particular YouTuber publicly, please send me a private message. Thank You.

[phetphet]

Some youtube videos to search for: Learn Thai with Mod, and Kru Wee Teach Thai

[Lacessit]

On 11/22/2018 at 6:12 AM, Oxx said:

Forget about learning the alphabet.  Learning to read takes longer than the time you have available.  After four weeks you'd be just about able to decode words - nowhere near fluent reading.

 

Get hold of the Pimsleur Thai course and try talking to Thai people (ordering food, buying goods).  That's all you need to do at this stage.

 

As for "I don't want to become overly-stressed with getting the proper tone on a word for now", you need to be aware that getting the tones right is vital if you're to be understood.  

 

 

Pimsleur is absolute crap. When I got to Chiang Mai, I found the tones were all wrong, plus the Bangkok Thai was nothing like the Lanna Thai spoken in the north.

If you really want to learn Thai, get a Thai girlfriend. The cost of the lessons varies.

Edited November 23, 2018 by Lacessit

[Oxx]

9 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Pimsleur is absolute crap. When I got to Chiang Mai, I found the tones were all wrong

 

I don't think the OP said he wanted to learn a non-standard variant of Thai which won't be understood outside the North.  Central Thai is the official "correct" form of Thai and is understood across the country.  Lanna Thai is not.

[Lacessit]

2 minutes ago, Oxx said:

 

I don't think the OP said he wanted to learn a non-standard variant of Thai which won't be understood outside the North.  Central Thai is the official "correct" form of Thai and is understood across the country.  Lanna Thai is not.

I get along fine both north and south with the Lanna Thai I have learned. However, your point is valid.

[MaksimMislavsky]

1. Coversational Thai in 7 days by David Smyth, Somsong Buasai (after this will be able to try speaking to people)

2. Thai for Beginners. Benjawan Poomsan Becker (and sequels) and / or 

3. Complete Thai Beginner to Intermediate (Teach Yourself seires) by David Smyth.

 

All these come as book + audio bundles. Should be available in bookstores. (I bought mine from Kinokuniya in Bangkok)

Learning to read is highly essential and will help a lot with tones and general understanding of everything. Not as hard as it might seem at a glance. Courses ## 2 and 3 will teach you smoothly and effectively. No need to waste time specially learning  the alphabet alone

 

Being able to listen, speak, and read Thai will open a whole stunningly fascinating new world to you. Go for it!

 

Edited November 23, 2018 by MaksimMislavsky
expanded a bit

[1FinickyOne]

This is always a difficult question as everyone learns differently... I am not good with systems and upside down ee transliteration guides. I learned by speaking and listening to the sounds... and words... 

 

most learning is done through repetition... make some flash cards - learn a couple of new words or expression every day... 

 

and good luck... being able to speak has enhanced my Thai experience immeasurably, but it does take time and effort... 

[Lacessit]

51 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

This is always a difficult question as everyone learns differently... I am not good with systems and upside down ee transliteration guides. I learned by speaking and listening to the sounds... and words... 

 

most learning is done through repetition... make some flash cards - learn a couple of new words or expression every day... 

 

and good luck... being able to speak has enhanced my Thai experience immeasurably, but it does take time and effort... 

Correct. i am left-brain visual, so I do better with print than audio.

[Kalasin Jo]

10 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Pimsleur is absolute crap. When I got to Chiang Mai, I found the tones were all wrong, plus the Bangkok Thai was nothing like the Lanna Thai spoken in the north.

If you really want to learn Thai, get a Thai girlfriend. The cost of the lessons varies.

And a Thai gf or wife may prefer that you don't speak/ understand Thai or be too lazy to teach you! And then there's the Isaan dialect to learn too if she's from there and her friends are too

[1FinickyOne]

59 minutes ago, Kalasin Jo said:

And a Thai gf or wife may prefer that you don't speak/ understand Thai or be too lazy to teach you! And then there's the Isaan dialect to learn too if she's from there and her friends are too

There is also a matter of "hand" - - sort of like all the head trips that go into teaching a spouse to drive... nobody wants to be criticized every ten minutes for anything.. 

[1FinickyOne]

5 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Pimsleur is absolute crap. When I got to Chiang Mai, I found the tones were all wrong, plus the Bangkok Thai was nothing like the Lanna Thai spoken in the north.

If you really want to learn Thai, get a Thai girlfriend. The cost of the lessons varies.

I met a guy who was new here and had spent some time doing Pimsler - - nothing he said was comprehensible... 

 

And this is a wonderful movie - - The Sleeping Dictionary... I think it is in full on you tube but here is the trailer..

 

 

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, Kalasin Jo said:

And a Thai gf or wife may prefer that you don't speak/ understand Thai or be too lazy to teach you! And then there's the Isaan dialect to learn too if she's from there and her friends are too

You may be right. I always speak to my GF in Thai, and she responds in either Thai or English. We pick up words from one another. Her father has a village dialect I can barely understand, apart from the fact he is as deaf as a post.

[tgeezer]

In spite of what most people say I think that the letters are a good place to start. Make up your own ‘alphabet’ using a Thai -English dictionary, find words which you find useful; one noun, one verb, กิน > gin =eat. เกาะ >go’ =island ขึ้น >Khuen = go up, ขวด >khuat bottle etc. that will give you 84 words plus teach you some consonants and vowels.
Use the transliteration you find in the dictionary not mine!


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[Janner1]

On 11/22/2018 at 6:12 AM, Oxx said:

As for "I don't want to become overly-stressed with getting the proper tone on a word for now", you need to be aware that getting the tones right is vital if you're to be understood.  

 

You are correct to some degree however he is English and the language has the same ups and downs in expression as Thai, so really he has to do no more than to speak naturally ashewould in English and the sounds will be the same.

Far to much is made of “ you must get the sound correct to be understood when really it is the Thai person that is at fault because they do not listen properly and they are also not expecting us to talk with them.

 

There are just two moderately problematic areas to be aware of and that is colloquial or accented speech, and American Where the words spoken raise up to the point where it becomes a question or dropping so low that they are effectively answering themselves,But the Americans are unaware of this factor, this is not to deride in any way it is simply a statement of fact.

 

so my advice as a language enthusiast is unless you speak with a strong accent do not worry about the highs and lows because they are natural and give a little more time to those words in Thai where the tongue is rolled to the throat in order to say them correctly.

 

Good luck with your studies I am impressed with your enthusiasm to learn the language, and your plan to spread the 3 hours throughout the day is also good but probably better to do just two hours af actual study and an hour of remembering what you learn will be better, but of course it is your choice.

Remember to tell us how you get on.

[Oxx]

3 hours ago, Janner1 said:

he is English and the language has the same ups and downs in expression as Thai, so really he has to do no more than to speak naturally ashewould in English and the sounds will be the same.

Far to much is made of “ you must get the sound correct to be understood when really it is the Thai person that is at fault because they do not listen properly and they are also not expecting us to talk with them.

 

I can only presume you don't speak Thai at anything beyond a very basic level.  Thai tones are nothing like English intonation.  Just "to speak naturally" will achieve nothing - other than being utterly incomprehensible to Thai people.  The larynx in particular works much harder in Thai (and other tonal languages) than in English.  At first it can be quite a physical strain to make the tones.

 

It is true that Thai people are often loathe to make any effort to understand someone speaking Thai badly.  It's important to learn how to speak it well to get over that hurdle.

[tgeezer]

Janner1: Like oxx I am gobsmacked by the thought that you can ignore the tones. It is very interesting and I realize that if you can write Thai it is almost impossible to do but bear with me.
One example which come to mind is the question word ไม (ไหม) กินคาวไม That becomes ไหม automatically and คาว is obviously ข้าว but what about นีเทาไร There is no question tone there.
Is this the sort of thing you mean?


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[farangchris]

On 11/22/2018 at 6:12 AM, Oxx said:

Forget about learning the alphabet.  Learning to read takes longer than the time you have available.  After four weeks you'd be just about able to decode words - nowhere near fluent reading.

 

Get hold of the Pimsleur Thai course and try talking to Thai people (ordering food, buying goods).  That's all you need to do at this stage.

 

As for "I don't want to become overly-stressed with getting the proper tone on a word for now", you need to be aware that getting the tones right is vital if you're to be understood.  

 

 

Sorry - But this is not true. You can't say to someone "Forget it" or "Do it like this or this".

Everyone has it's one learning curve and his way to learn a language .....

 

Learning a language also includes to read and write of course. And reading is not that difficult, if you know the Thai Alphabet. How should you read a Thai Menu, if you can't read it? ...

 

In my case, the first Step is to learn the Thai Alphabet. Then you can slowly start with a few simple sentences and also learn more about the different tones.

[Oxx]

6 hours ago, farangchris said:

Sorry - But this is not true. You can't say to someone "Forget it" or "Do it like this or this".

Everyone has it's one learning curve and his way to learn a language .....

 

Learning a language also includes to read and write of course. And reading is not that difficult, if you know the Thai Alphabet. How should you read a Thai Menu, if you can't read it? ...

 

In my case, the first Step is to learn the Thai Alphabet. Then you can slowly start with a few simple sentences and also learn more about the different tones.

 

You have clearly overlooked the point that the OP was only talking about learning for 4 weeks.  He's clearly not going to learn to read/write in four weeks, so learning the alphabet, for him, is a waste of time.  If he later wants to continue his studies, then of course he needs to learn the alphabet.

[Katia]

In addition to the others people have suggested, look up Stuart Jay Raj on Youtube and also his course/book Cracking Thai Fundamentals.  He also has tips for learning quickly.

 

The book Learn Thai in 10 Days by Arthit Juyaso (founder of Duke Language School, which I've heard is a good intensive-learning school and if you were able to take classes, I'd probably recommend it for your purposes).  I don't agree that you shouldn't learn to read/write and with diligent study, which you are apparently willing to commit to if you want to learn a lot of Thai in this time period, it is not going to take you longer than a month (I started learning to read/write before moving to Thailand, and was making good progress on track just from short amounts each day).  As you will be learning vocabulary along with your reading/writing, this is even better because you will understand what you're reading (which was my biggest hang-up-- I could read out loud pretty much anything I came across, but that didn't mean I knew what it said.  But when I'd come across a word I knew?  Easy).

 

Website www.womenlearnthai.com, which can link you to pretty much every resource you need.

 

Honestly, you may want to spend more than three hours a day if you want to learn as much as possible.  The intensive language schools will have you in class all day, I believe.

[RocketDog]

Thaipod101.Com has a wealth of marterial in text, video, audio, etc format.

 

It is really pretty cheap and had flash cards, games, a phone app, dictionaries, and other learning aids.

 

A lot of the basic material is available for free from them, including the phone app.

[HighPriority]

Apparently my Thai hurts my wife’s ears.. so she’s teaching me lao... ????????‍♂️

[armadillo215]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuORgJRr7e4&index=34&list=WL     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi1fyEqgUfo&index=40&list=WL