There is now ZERO doubt that I will continue to learn Passa Thai until the day I (so sadly) die.

[MisterBleach]

I once wondered if I had the right stuff to learn the Thai language.

 

Passa Thai cannot be learned in a day.

 

However, I love the script, the beauty of it, and I love the beauty of the language, as a whole.

 

These days, learning passa Thai has become my "holy grail", my holy quest, which will usher me into better understanding of Thai culture.

 

As you can plainly see, I do not lack for motivation.  And, motivation is the most important factor which is key to successful mastery of a second language.

 

So, here is a shout-out to all you lonely people who spend most of their time memorizing vocabulary.

 

This is a very worthy thing to do.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

Lesson 1: Start off calling it 'Thai' not 'Passa Thai' !!! 

[Thian]

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Lesson 1: Start off calling it 'Thai' not 'Passa Thai' !!! 

Phut passa thai mai? That's how they ask me if i can do it.

[BestB]

Lesson 2. There is nothing beautiful about it. Its a nasal, annoying tonal language. there is NO grammar for time and not a rich language to explain or describe, perfect example is Diarrhea, in Thai its <deleted>(poop) exploding(Kee-Tak)

[BestB]

2 minutes ago, Thian said:

Phut passa thai mai? That's how they ask me if i can do it.

Who ever asks you like this, can not speak Thai, because it should be be "Phut passa thai DAI mai"????

 

 

[richard_smith237]

16 minutes ago, Thian said:

28 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Lesson 1: Start off calling it 'Thai' not 'Passa Thai' !!! 

Phut passa thai mai? That's how they ask me if i can do it.

 

The language is called Thai, not 'passa Thai'... much in the same way when someone is learning English they are learning English and have English lessons, not learning 'speak English' and having 'Speak English' lessons... 

 

You are learning Thai, not learning 'Passa Thai'...  however.

 

One other point, learn Thai from a language school if you can, don't learn Thai from girls you've picked up in a bar etc, otherwise everyone you speak Thai with will recognise you've learned your Thai from a bar girl and some will judge you accordingly (yes, a contentious comment, but I have heard Thai's comment in Thai to each other that 'that guy speaks Thai like a bar girl' !!)

 

 

[sunnyboy2018]

21 minutes ago, Thian said:

Phut passa thai mai? That's how they ask me if i can do it.

Yes we know. But why are switching between two languages. Speak Thai not passa Thai.

[sunnyboy2018]

22 minutes ago, BestB said:

Lesson 2. There is nothing beautiful about it. Its a nasal, annoying tonal language. there is NO grammar for time and not a rich language to explain or describe, perfect example is Diarrhea, in Thai its <deleted>(poop) exploding(Kee-Tak)

No languages are inherently beautiful or ugly.

[BestB]

Just now, sunnyboy2018 said:

No languages are inherently beautiful or ugly.

Some are more pleasant to the ear than others.

[BestB]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

The language is called Thai, not 'passa Thai'... much in the same way when someone is learning English they are learning English and have English lessons, not learning 'speak English' and having 'Speak English' lessons... 

 

You are learning Thai, not learning 'Passa Thai'...  however.

 

One other point, learn Thai from a language school if you can, don't learn Thai from girls you've picked up in a bar etc, otherwise everyone you speak Thai with will recognise you've learned your Thai from a bar girl and some will judge you accordingly (yes, a contentious comment, but I have heard Thai's comment in Thai to each other that 'that guy speaks Thai like a bar girl' !!)

 

 

You are 100 % spot on about learning at school instead of from the girls, but one correction. Passa means language, not speak. but no one says i am learning language Thai or language English, people just say i am leaning thai or english

[Delight]

1 hour ago, BestB said:

You are 100 % spot on about learning at school instead of from the girls, but one correction. Passa means language, not speak. but no one says i am learning language Thai or language English, people just say i am leaning thai or english

 If you reference the  Thai language to a Thai person -in any context--they will 100% say Passa Thai-never just Thai.

[MisterBleach]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

The language is called Thai, not 'passa Thai'... much in the same way when someone is learning English they are learning English and have English lessons, not learning 'speak English' and having 'Speak English' lessons... 

 

You are learning Thai, not learning 'Passa Thai'...  however.

 

One other point, learn Thai from a language school if you can, don't learn Thai from girls you've picked up in a bar etc, otherwise everyone you speak Thai with will recognise you've learned your Thai from a bar girl and some will judge you accordingly (yes, a contentious comment, but I have heard Thai's comment in Thai to each other that 'that guy speaks Thai like a bar girl' !!)

 

 

OK

[BestB]

6 minutes ago, Delight said:

 If you reference the  Thai language to a Thai person -in any context--they will 100% say Passa Thai-never just Thai.

really? and your certainty comes from?

[Lacessit]

Personally, my test for proficiency is being able to listen to a conversation between two Thais, and comprehend what is said. I'm getting close.

It's worth learning Thai, if only to be able to facilitate daily transactions, such as buying a bus ticket, or asking if a mango is ready to eat.

 

[Destiny1990]

A foreigner already older then 7 years of age and is beginning with learning the Thai language will never master the 5 different tones correctly.

So i wish u goodluck !

[MisterBleach]

28 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

A foreigner already older then 7 years of age and is beginning with learning the Thai language will never master the 5 different tones correctly.

So i wish u goodluck !

But, since there are only five tones, then how hard can it be?

 

Only five!

[Los Luver]

3 hours ago, MisterBleach said:

I once wondered if I had the right stuff to learn the Thai language.

 

Passa Thai cannot be learned in a day.

 

However, I love the script, the beauty of it, and I love the beauty of the language, as a whole.

 

These days, learning passa Thai has become my "holy grail", my holy quest, which will usher me into better understanding of Thai culture.

 

As you can plainly see, I do not lack for motivation.  And, motivation is the most important factor which is key to successful mastery of a second language.

 

So, here is a shout-out to all you lonely people who spend most of their time memorizing vocabulary.

 

This is a very worthy thing to do.

I do share this interest with you. A month ago I posted a thread was asking for school recommendation.

I have had 19 trips to LoS and I can understand 5-6 words. Embarrassing!

I remember, the first time I was in Russia, I had hard time connecting with people. Hell!

The first thing I did after my return home from that trip, I took a basic course at the university. Was great !

After 4 other trips and 7 trips to Ukraine. I can say today that I speak Russian. I enjoyed my holidays in Ex-Soviet...

Btw, Last year, I spent 11 days with a Russian girl, (was in Pattaya on 2 weeks holiday) who couldn't speak much of English (I met her in Lucifer) and I impressed her with my Russian

[Los Luver]

49 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

A foreigner already older then 7 years of age and is beginning with learning the Thai language will never master the 5 different tones correctly.

So i wish u goodluck !

Well, he didn't say that he plans to take a Maser degree in Thai language or he wants to get a journalist job in BKK Post.....

But it is a way to understand lot more Thai culture.....I believe it's fun and it's healthy day occupation instead of ......

[Destiny1990]

1 hour ago, MisterBleach said:

But, since there are only five tones, then how hard can it be?

 

Only five!

The Thai word Maa has 4 meanings depending on your tone !

Try to say Maa with a high tone, a falling tone, a climbing tone, and a flat tone.

lets see how quick u master it.

[MisterBleach]

5 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

The Thai word Maa has 4 meanings depending on your tone !

Try to say Maa with a high tone, a falling tone, a climbing tone, and a flat tone.

lets see how quick u master it.

I can do it.

[Fex Bluse]

Wait until OP's Thai gets really good and he can suddenly understand that 80% of what people talk about is food and discount coupons and 10% about problems with Farang.

 

Not an intellectually stimulating conversation to be found in the abyss

[MisterBleach]

29 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

The Thai word Maa has 4 meanings depending on your tone !

Try to say Maa with a high tone, a falling tone, a climbing tone, and a flat tone.

lets see how quick u master it.

One of your four meanings for Maa, as you mentioned, then must be:

 

ม่า

 

Which means, as you know, "Chinese mother".

 

Of course, ma might mean "horse", in Chinese.

 

 

[Destiny1990]

5 minutes ago, MisterBleach said:

One of your four meanings for Maa, as you mentioned, then must be:

 

ม่า

 

Which means, as you know, "Chinese mother".

 

Of course, ma might mean "horse", in Chinese.

 

 

Maa can mean Dog, Horse and Come.

So it depends on ur tone which one it is.

I don’t know Chinese thought we are talking about Thai language.

[MisterBleach]

16 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Maa can mean Dog, Horse and Come.

So it depends on ur tone which one it is.

I don’t know Chinese thought we are talking about Thai language.

Yes, we are talking about the Thai language, but I just thought that I would point out, for your own edification, that ma has the same meaning in Chinese, depending upon four tones in Mandarin.

 

And I was also pointing out that ma has more than four meanings in Thai.

[Damrongsak]

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

The language is called Thai, not 'passa Thai'... much in the same way when someone is learning English they are learning English and have English lessons, not learning 'speak English' and having 'Speak English' lessons... 

 

You are learning Thai, not learning 'Passa Thai'...  however.

"Passa Thai" is "Thai language". Just like English is "Passa Angkrit".  How many "passa" do you speak?  Wao Lao ben boh?

[tgeezer]

I agree with you on the script, that was one of the first things which attracted me to Pasa Thai. 

I am afraid that you have opened a box of negativity by posting something which so many people feel qualified to opine upon. 

Don’t worry there are language learners on this forum as well and a more informed discussion can be had if you like to join us. 

[Damrongsak]

5 hours ago, sunnyboy2018 said:

No languages are inherently beautiful or ugly.

They are when I speak them.  Especially when I use the 5 tones and short or long vowels (?) and use the wrong words.  My Thai relatives love me. I'm the "old Uncle" and no one gives a <deleted>.  Mostly these days, I just respond with the sound of a water buffalo and walk away.  Keeps them off my back.

[MisterBleach]

23 minutes ago, tgeezer said:

I agree with you on the script, that was one of the first things which attracted me to Pasa Thai. 

I am afraid that you have opened a box of negativity by posting something which so many people feel qualified to opine upon. 

Don’t worry there are language learners on this forum as well and a more informed discussion can be had if you like to join us. 

Where?

[Thian]

10 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

A foreigner already older then 7 years of age and is beginning with learning the Thai language will never master the 5 different tones correctly.

So i wish u goodluck !

I have a friend his name is Min...but min also means stinky....so i don't dare to say his name hahaha. Sure i can't do it properly. But he also speaks english so that's what we speak,

[Thian]

7 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

"Passa Thai" is "Thai language". Just like English is "Passa Angkrit".  How many "passa" do you speak?  Wao Lao ben boh?

Funny that he tries to correct me but also says it wrong himself.