The Important Things In My Life

[tumtumbird]

Hi,

How would you say/write in Thai: "The important things in my life"? Or something with a similiar content.

Thanks!

[meadish_sweetball]

Here's a suggestion, I am sure somebody can come up with a better option:

sing (taang taang) thii phom hai khwaam samkhan nai chiiwit

Back translation "(various) things I place importance on".

I would use the 'taang taang' (various) if the following list is fairly long. If it is fewer than three, no need to add it.

[kriswillems]

ของสำคัญที่สุดในชีวิตของผม

If I translate word by word I would come to the sentence above.

I have the following questions:

- what's the difference between sing and khohg?

- Why do you use the construction with "hai" and "kwaam samkhan"? Is this just the way Thai people say things?

[yoot]

The important things in my life - สิ่งที่สำคัญในชีวิตของผม sìng têe săm-kan nai chee-wít kŏng pŏm

สิ่ง (thing or things) ที่ (which) สำคัญ (important) ใน (in) ชีวิต (life) ของผม (my)

what's the difference between sing and khohg?

สิ่ง - things, articles, subjects, particle on designatory particle.

e.g. สิ่งที่สำคัญในชีวิตของผมคือ ครอบครัว และ งานอาชีพ - The important things in my life are family and career.

ของ - things, belongings, possessions, effects, goods, property.

e.g. อย่ายุ่งกับของของผม - Don't touch my belongings.

สิ่งของ - articles, objects, things, goods, chattels, possessions.

e.g. รถยนต์เป็นเพียงแค่สิ่งของที่ใช้แสดงฐานะ - Car is just a thing which use for showing living status.

Look at these examples, they can't be used alternately.

[mangkorn]

The important things in my life - ???????????????????????? sìng têe s?m-kan nai chee-wít k?ng p?m

???? (thing or things) ??? (which) ????? (important) ?? (in) ????? (life) ????? (my)

what's the difference between sing and khohg?

???? - things, articles, subjects, particle on designatory particle.

e.g. ??????????????????????????? ???????? ??? ???????? - The important things in my life are family and career.

??? - things, belongings, possessions, effects, goods, property.

e.g. ??????????????????? - Don't touch my belongings.

??????? - articles, objects, things, goods, chattels, possessions.

e.g. ??????????????????????????????????????? - Car is just a thing which use for showing living status.

Look at these examples, they can't be used alternately.

So it seems that "sing" is used when speaking in more general terms, or an abstract/conceptual sense, while "khong" refers to something concrete that you can touch or point to, no?

And in meadish's example, he changed the passive construction to an active one (hence the action verb "hai"); I'm wondering if that isn't also correct?

Some languages stress the passive voice, others the active voice (Spanish vs. English), but I'm never completely sure about Thai in that regard, i.e., when to use the passive and when to go with the active voice.

[meadish_sweetball]

ของสำคัญที่สุดในชีวิตของผม

If I translate word by word I would come to the sentence above.

I have the following questions:

- what's the difference between sing and khohg?

- Why do you use the construction with "hai" and "kwaam samkhan"? Is this just the way Thai people say things?

First of all, khun yoot is the native speaker so I would go with his suggestion.

But to attempt to answer your second question, the difference as I understand it, would be that 'hai khwaam samkhan' focuses a little more on personal preference and priorities, but the difference is not very strong.

Another difference is that I think it sounds a little bit more formal. But yoot's suggestion is clearer and has a more natural word order, so please do not place too high an importance on my suggestion.

[withnail]

Woo hoo. I'm very happy with myself because I came in here to write what yoot had already written above.

As far as the difference between kong and sing I agree that kong is more for physical possesions and sing for things in general. For example an abstract noun like love or hapiness.

Another example therefore could be ความรักเป็นสิ่งที่สำคัญที่สุดในชีวิตของผม love is the most important thing in my life.

As usual please correct me anyone if I'm wrong. Is it ok for me to use เป็น rather than คือ as in this example I gave one answer and not a list?

Edited May 16, 2007 by withnail

[mangkorn]

Another example therefore could be ????????????????????????????????????????? love is the most important thing in my life.

As usual please correct me anyone if I'm wrong. Is it ok for me to use ???? rather than ??? as in this example I gave one answer and not a list?

Your construction sounds right to me.

And I've always heard "bpen" used with "sing tii sam-khan..."

Cheers.