Expats - Farangs Speaking The Local Language

[thaibkk]

I was wondering how many of you expats - farangs live here and speak or are learing the local language ...

[sutnyod]

People on the phone think I am Thai. So, yes, Thai fluent.

Reason for edit: maybe the Excellent tab does not work. I ticked it but it did not count (although my vote went in)

Edited January 24, 2008 by sutnyod

[Maestro]

Not related to visas or work permits. I am moving it to “General topics”.

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Maestro

[lazeeboy]

i think everyone living here for long periods of time should learn the basics .

[ade100]

I speak just enough Thai for the locals to make fun of my accent. The local noodle seller at the end of the street, apparently does a hilarious impersonation of my pronunciation of the word “Gung” (prawns).

[skipvice]

My wife is fluent in english and I only speak enough of her language to get by. I should try harder to learn her language as well as she learned mine.

I am having too much fun to take the time to study.

[kiakaha]

can read the paper , writing is a bit child like , speak/listen well. However in highly specialized areas of vocabulary(medical/legal etc...), I need to use a dictionary.

Been working here 11 yrs. However I know people who've been here 25+ yrs who speak zero thai and I also know people who've been here a few months who can already read.

Each to their own I guess. I would say that living in Bangkok there is less of a need as opposed to say living in the middle of nowhere. None the less, learning the language is a key to understanding the country you are living in and can only be a benefit.

[seonai]

After one year in Bkk I could read, speak and write basic Thai. Now, because I have moved around the country I speak fluently, write badly and read rather badly unless it's in basic script - not newspaper headlines in various fonts !!! But I love having a conversation about politics, Buddhism, culture etc in Thai

[PhilHarries]

After 12 years in country and 3 courses in speaking Thai (2 with AUA) I can just about get by. This can only be put down to laziness on my part ( - supposed to be an ashamed emoticon) but for sure the best way to learn any language is to be in a position where you HAVE to. Reading and writing I never even attempted.

I am now setting out on my next challenge - Tiếng Việt - which has six tones but at least uses western characters so you get a clue how to pronounce the word, but sometimes it's not even close .

[draggons]

PH, just about to start at AUA, how good is it?

After 4 years can just get by but need to learn more.

[Thai at Heart]

I was wondering how many of you expats - farangs live here and speak or are learing the local language ...

Enough to get into and out of trouble

[PeaceBlondie]

Not 35 words. Learning it looks impossible. I think after 5 years here without Thai, I could last 25 more.

[garro]

I would say that my Thai is good but not as good as I would have expected for the effort I have put in over the years.

I have a large vocabulary but the fact that I can slip into speaking fast can make me hard to understand sometimes.

I live in a village where no English is spoken and do manage to have conversations with friends/family.

I would say that I have become less confident about my Thai as the years have gone by due to having higher expectations and a more realistic appraisal of my ability. I think that as your Thai improves and Thai people get to know you better they are less overboard in their praise. In the beginning any attempt to speak it would receive the praise that I was fluent.

I think that as signs of progress slow down, learning a language becomes harder. I continue to practice everyday though and feel convinced that one day I will reach the goal of speaking like a native. I think that anyone learning Thai should be aware that it is a hard task and it will sometimes feel like you are not making progress or even going backwards; at least that's how it has been for me. I do bellieve fully though, that if you continue to practice you will improve.

I would say that my reading ability is my strongest area. I tend to focus on Buddhist texts and reading Thai has opened the door to a world of texts that would otherwise be closed to me. If I'm honest I would also say that I'm much more comfortable reading Thai than speaking it. Probably because I much prefer reading than speaking.

[Xangsamhua]

Can drivers often ask why I speak Thai with a Lao accent. That's where I started and it's hard to speak Thai like the central Thais do. Years ago people from Issan or Laos tried to hide their Lao when they came to BKK. That doesn't happen any more. A good thing, too.

[cmsally]

I pass as a Thai on the phone, so I guess pretty fluent.

I like to talk, so being here for almost 20 yrs and not being able to talk to the vast majority of people would have driven me crazy by now.

Also speak Northern dialect.

[qwertz]

I pass as a Thai on the phone, so I guess pretty fluent.

I like to talk, so being here for almost 20 yrs and not being able to talk to the vast majority of people would have driven me crazy by now.

Also speak Northern dialect.

'Ey up lad, so do I!

[cmsally]

I pass as a Thai on the phone, so I guess pretty fluent.

I like to talk, so being here for almost 20 yrs and not being able to talk to the vast majority of people would have driven me crazy by now.

Also speak Northern dialect.

'Ey up lad, so do I!

No, not that Northern dialect!!!!

[Scott]

After many, many years here, I've decided I am hopeless at learning the language, so I essentially know none. Yes, I can get by with a taxi and very, very basic Thai, but that's about it. I do understand a fair amount, however.

The problem, I think, for some people as they get older is that the hearing starts to go and that's important for the tones. Some of the differences I just don't here and thus can't replicate in speaking.

At this juncture in time the old issue is complicated by extreme laziness!

[jingjingna]

After being here for four years I can now speak enough to get by. Thai's say I sound Thai and don't have a farang accent when speaking Thai, nice compliment! It was the same when I spent five years in Belgium, spoke like a local.

Must admit have not made the effort to learn how to read/write, pure laziness on my part.

[popshirt]

My situation is the same as Scott's.

I speak two western languages besides English but learning Thai is simply too daunting for me.

One of the main reasons I have not learned is that Thai is useless outside of Thailand.

I speak Spanish fluently and can use it in 40 or more countries, not just in Spain! Also it is an easy language for westerners to learn.

If I were younger and knew I would be spending many more years in Thailand I would make a concerted effort as I did when I moved to Montreal and totally immersed in French when I was in my 20's.

[Neeranam]

I put - 'Enough to get by', but I know people with a lot less knowledge than I to say the same. Enough to get by when buying a house, for example, is not the same as enough to get by when ordering fried bananas. I can read well and write poorly.

[thaihome]

One thing that is obvious to me from the responses, is there seems be a big difference in ones natural ability to learn a foreign language, particularly a tonal one. Now maybe I am rationalizing my inability to learn, but nevertheless, I have seen many people that have spent considerable effort to learn, think they do real well, Thai tell them they do real well to their face, but in fact, they are barely understood. I also know much fewer people that seem to just pick it up naturally and are able to get the tones right.

In my own case, I think Garro as it about right. I might be able to learn to read it, but I will never be comfortable or even well understood speaking as there are too many sounds my mouth just cannot do.

Right now it is not an issue as I work in an English speaking office and our clients and contractors to do everything in English as well. Fortunately for me, English is the international business language

TH

[Ijustwannateach]

A recent scientific study (mentioned in the Economist demonstrated that there is a genetic element in the ability to learn tonal versus non-tonal languages- it would certainly explain the number of linguistically gifted and hard-working types I've met who knew multiple other languages (including some Asian ones) but couldn't handle tonal ones like Thai or Chinese.

"S"

[jayjayjayjay]

i think everyone living here for long periods of time should learn the basics .

The better my Thai the better life got here........ I dont have to believe what they say in pigeon Angrit, now I can ask anyone for there opion and get it from the horses mouth, and believe me, it's a lot different than the translated stories you non-Thai speakers get. One of the real pleasure is being able to speak with the average commoner, not just the educated elite or BGs.

[thaihome]

Working in China, you will meet many expats that speak Mandarin or Cantonese (or both) like natives. Most reached that point in a matter of months after getting there. Once they master speaking, they then concentrate on how many written character they can memorize.

Makes me sick.

TH.

PS - I also know several ABC's that cannot speak a word, even after living in China for years.

[garro]

I really believe that while it is harder for some people to 'speak like a native' than others, it is possible for almost anybody to reach this goal. For some, like me, it requires a tremendous amount of hard work and a long time. The question is whether or not you think it is worth the effort.

[garro]

I have found two things which have helped me with the speech aspect of learning Thai;

- immatating somebody whose accent you wish to copy. I would recommend somebody without a regional accent.

- recording yourself frequently and work on improvements.

[thaibkk]

as going on about this topic:

you learned your thai in a school or with a book / (audio) cd/dvd/computer program ?

any recommandations ?

[cmsally]

I think to become fluent in any language you have to start thinking in it. If you can force yourself to do this you will be recalling things you learn along the way on a much more frequent basis and progress much faster.

Also avoid people who say how good you are and make friends with someone who will correct you about every other sentence. These are your real language friends, they really want to see you progress and are realistic about your abilities.

[toybits]

Have been in Thailand 15 years. Am able to give lectures in Thai. Can read if printed (handwritten script is difficult to read). Don't write - unfortunately. Still have to learn the Thai National Anthem.