BudRight Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 I find a lot of Thai people say "you" in Thai when referring to me and it seems rude and irritating. It's also confusing because อยู่ is a very common word. I've asked people not to do this and have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. Might as well tell them I'm a space alien from planet Terberium. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Joe Farang Posted April 17, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted April 17, 2022 If you're going to let things like this irritate you, then you'd be better off going home to Farangland. Ooops sorry, I meant to say If one is going to let things like this irritate one, then one would be better off going home to Farangland. 1 1 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Kenny202 Posted April 17, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted April 17, 2022 Yeah, I mean you have to rise above that if you want to live here. They say you possibly because its the only English word they know. Doesn't mean they are being rude. Here where formality and manners are so important I am sure we are not addressing people correctly either. I been here 10 years and still don't understand the ins and outs. I would file that in the "don't sweat the small stuff" bin. Same as when they refer to us as farang....I find myself bristling a bit sometimes as if you are being referred to as an appliance or something....but I am pretty sure they don't mean any harm. I don't know where you live but here in Isaan they are very abrupt and direct, and I think has a lot to do with their very basic / primitive language. Seem to have one word that could apply to many different things....particularIy if to do with something foreign. Like "nom" can be milk in a bottle or breasts. Cow can mean rice or the color white, and I think various other things too. I always find it difficult to listen to Thais referring to themselves by their own name, rather than use a word like me or my or I. But hey this is Thailand and that is their language. We have to adapt. Try and take note of how tolerant and understanding the Thais are of us. I am sure they are more tolerant of foreigners here than we are in our own countries 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 Its not a big deal is it... “Hey YOU, where you go ?’.... It doesn’t sound nice, but completely ignoring the question isn’t nice either (and thats how I handle the ‘you’ think in most contexts) TukTuk drivers riding along side you as you walk down the street (you, you..... You... he, You, you... )... But, its better than the ‘Clap of hands’ to get your attention, or even worse... the ‘kiss’ or the exaggerated sound of ‘sucking with lips pursed’ to make that horrible sound that some motorcycle guys and Tuk-Tuks do.. Just ignore it !!... thats all you can do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puccini Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 (edited) I have seen Thai people use the the other person's nickname instead of the pronoun with close friends. One woman I know uses "you" or "u" with one of her friends although this is not the friend's nickname. In a way, it is just this woman's personal nickname for this particular friend, who doesn't mind it at all. And in conversation with this friend, she refers to herself as "I". For all I know, they have been doing this since their time together at university. Edited April 17, 2022 by Puccini Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuang Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 You have a problem or attitude 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorry Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 5 hours ago, Puccini said: I have seen Thai people use the the other person's nickname instead of the pronoun with close friends. One woman I know uses "you" or "u" with one of her friends although this is not the friend's nickname. In a way, it is just this woman's personal nickname for this particular friend, who doesn't mind it at all. And in conversation with this friend, she refers to herself as "I". For all I know, they have been doing this since their time together at university. Using the English pronouns "I" and "you" is quite common with non-rural Thais under 40 (when talking in Thai with Thai friends). How does OP want to be addressed? "Khun" is from the textbooks and expresses social distance, it is downright rude when speaking to one's partner. Thai friends would probably want to use a nickname for him, but that might very well be อ้วน (the obvious choice for us) - happy with this? In more formal situations, would OP understand if he were called ลูกค้า? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jak2002003 Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 I don't like it when a Thai person calls me 'sir'. It's creepy. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
it is what it is Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 haha, assume this is a joke post, if not, then you really have to chill, or find somewhere to live more in tune with your linguistic preferences. i actually like the way thais refer to themselves in the third person Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Led Lolly Yellow Lolly Posted April 17, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted April 17, 2022 (edited) 12 hours ago, BudRight said: I find a lot of Thai people say "you" in Thai when referring to me and it seems rude and irritating. It's also confusing because อยู่ is a very common word. I've asked people not to do this and have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. Might as well tell them I'm a space alien from planet Terberium. Are you for real? "You" in Thai (as you state), is a form of respectful address. When they don't know your name, they will often say "Khun Khun" to get your attention, or if you are a customer, they will say "Khun Luukhaa" ('You' customer). The literal translation into English is "You you" but it doesn't really convey the correct meaning. When Thai people use the English word "You" instead, they sincerely believe they are addressing you respectfully, they don't know any better, they just accept what the mighty Google translate tells them. You're just making them confused by being an a$@#ole about it. . . and if they really are using Thai, you're being a complete jerk. Edited April 17, 2022 by Led Lolly Yellow Lolly 3 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritManToo Posted April 18, 2022 Share Posted April 18, 2022 3 hours ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said: Are you for real? "You" in Thai (as you state), is a form of respectful address. As is 'hey, farang'. Personally I prefer the Philippines where they call me 'sir' or sometimes 'boss'. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aforek Posted April 18, 2022 Share Posted April 18, 2022 13 hours ago, Kenny202 said: where you live but here in Isaan they are very abrupt and direct, and I think has a lot to do with their very basic / primitive language. Seem to have one word that could apply to many different things....particularIy if to do with something foreign. Like "nom" can be milk in a bottle or breasts. Cow can mean rice or the color white, and I think various other things too. I don't know Issan language, but I know Thai language and I don't think it's a basic /primitive language for "nom" which means "breast" and " milk", every language ( including English ) has words which have different meanings for " cow ", you don't seem to know the language well, spelling is different and they are not the same words ( even if for you it's always the same " cow " : in fact, 13 different spellings and meanings, with different pronounciation ) , common in Thai language, but 13 is uncommon I admit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritManToo Posted April 18, 2022 Share Posted April 18, 2022 51 minutes ago, Aforek said: I don't know Issan language, but I know Thai language and I don't think it's a basic /primitive language for "nom" which means "breast" and " milk", every language ( including English ) has words which have different meanings for " cow ", you don't seem to know the language well, spelling is different and they are not the same words ( even if for you it's always the same " cow " : in fact, 13 different spellings and meanings, with different pronounciation ) , common in Thai language, but 13 is uncommon I admit I agree with Kenny, and disagree with you. All the Thai languages are primitive, leading to many 'misunderstandings' even between native speakers. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Led Lolly Yellow Lolly Posted April 18, 2022 Share Posted April 18, 2022 (edited) I think it's common for farang to become frustrated by the Thai language and just write it off as primitive. About local dialects, I sit at a bar in Glasgow I can barely understand a word being spoken, the only reason I can understand anything is I used to work with a Glaswegian chef. Yes, red gold (copper), hard water (ice) and things like that may seem childish, and there are many borrowed words in the Thai language, computing terminology for example. . . but a vast swathe of English vocabulary is borrowed from French, Latin, other romance languages. Edited April 18, 2022 by Led Lolly Yellow Lolly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denim Posted April 18, 2022 Share Posted April 18, 2022 14 hours ago, BritManToo said: As is 'hey, farang'. Personally I prefer the Philippines where they call me 'sir' or sometimes 'boss'. They used to call after me in the street .........' Hey chicken legs '. so I started wearing jeans. On my last visit it was ' Hey Baldy ' or the tagalog version ' Kalbo ' but there were so many other Baldies that i liked to imagine it was one of the others they were calling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AventurasEnMadrid Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 (edited) @BudRight I don't like this either or that we are made to feel "other" in so many different ways - I find Thailand to be quite xenophobic to foreigners and this becomes more clear the more advanced you become at the language. Don't pay much mind to the other posters insulting you, this is generally a very toxic forum. Edited April 26, 2022 by AventurasEnMadrid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarryP Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Perhaps you'd prefer "mueng". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriendlyFarang Posted May 20, 2022 Share Posted May 20, 2022 (edited) Thais also use "I" and "You" (as Thai word instead of pom/khun) with other Thais, this isn't meant to degrade us foreigners are something like that, imho that's neutral. Edited May 20, 2022 by FriendlyFarang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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