How Much Time Do/did You Spend Learning Thai?

[Neeranam]

I am very interested in how much time foreigners living in Thailand put aside to learn the language. I know one guy who has been here over 30 years and cannot understand or speak any Thai. Why? He can speak 7 other languages!

Seems to me that some people find it hard so just give up.

Others like the guy I know don't need it - English at work, English speaking servants etc.

After 4 years living here myself, I couldn't take part in a conversation, only saying the odd word like " ou bia sing eeg kuat", or "aroi aroi". Very embarassed by it all now.

For the last 7 or so years though, I have spent about 1 hour a day on average learning Thai, whether learning to read from a book, chatting to someone at work, or sitting in a bar/restaurant with a dictionary and some natives. I don't study as much as I did as I know enough now to get by, watch the crap on tv, read the newspapers etc. I noticed a post today on a Thai language web-site, which I will be using. I guess that most of the people here won't, why??

No time?

Too hard?

They should learn English?

You are only staying in Thailand a short time?

Other reasons?

Also, the Thai Language section of Thai Visa is very very quiet.

I would have thought that you members, if you don't understand a Thai word or phrase, would just ask someone in the Thai Language Forum.

There are some real experts in that room.

[Boon Mee]

I'm currently spending a minimum of 14 hours a week with my head in a Thai course or reading beginner books.

As soon as my writing gets a little better, I'll be contributing more to the language thread. That's one of the best features about this TV Forum! Everyone is very helpful there and it's really appreciated.

[Dr. Burrito]

I spent about 45 hours a week for three weeks and it did wonders. I've been lazy since and it shows, but its not too bad because I'm lucky with learning Asian languages.

On the other hand, I've got a friend who is crappy with languages, but has plugged away weekly for more than 2 years and his Thai is becoming brilliant.

Hard work always pays off

[Neeranam]

Boon Mee you are more dedicated than me. I have a friend who studies 4 hours a day, 5 days a week at a school. All that plus homework. He is lucky he has the time and money. All I know is that whatever effort you put in will be worth it when you can get more involved. Funny as recently I have winessed westerners in Isarn and in Khao San road getting totally slagged off by the locals, while they were smiling and trying to say something in Thai. One in a bar in Surin was agreeing that he was a penis! with a huge smile on his face, as his girlfriend tried to keep a straight face.

[Johpa]

I cheated and studied Thai at a University in the US. I don't remember how many hours each day was spent studying or listening to those old AUA tapes that first year, but I do know I spent more time on Thai than my other undergraduate courses combined.

[Neeranam]

Strange results! I predicted that about 90% of expats in Thailand spend less than 2 hours a week with a Thai textbook in their hands.

[billd766]

I try to spend an hour or so a day but I find at my age (60) it is a hard language to learn.

[Neeranam]

I try to spend an hour or so a day but I find at my age (60) it is a hard language to learn.

It could be a reason for many expats not being able to speak Thai - age. If you are older, it is harder to learn for sure. It would be a good excuse, too. Then again, even if you don't think that you will be around for long(maybe over 70), you would probably have more free time. 60 ain't old!

[GuestHouse]

I started at the AUA, then took lessons with a couple or three small Thai run private school, then exchanged lessons at a Thai government school and eventualy went to a Thai university to study part time.

The main problem I found was getting decent Teachers, the AUA and the University were great, others where less sucessful.

Private schools I tried where abismal. I am quite convinced that the 'teachers' there was two way deal going on - you pay for lessons and the teachers pay to get access to professional expats. Every single teacher I had at these small Thai run schools hit on me. And collegues of mine had this experience too.

What I would say is the level of Thai among long term residents of Thailand is pretty poor. I have perhaps met less than half a dozen who I would say speak good Thai. Only one who I would say is fluent.

I don't understand that because speaking Thai (good, polite Thai) opens doors. Not only that but it removes the need to rely on anyone else when you need to sort things out.

[Jack Jones]

It's also laziness and ignorance. Many people expect the Thai's to speak English. Although I would consider it at least polite to speak the language of the country that you've chosen to live in.

[wolf5370]

I've taught my wife Hangman.

We now play a combination of Hangman and Eye-Spy in Thai.

You have to pick something in the room and, using Thai Script only, draw your dashes (there may be up to 4 dashes vertically too!).

I am learning how to spell much better. I have also found out some mistakes I had made. For instance, one of the words I used was the Thai word for 'Pad'.

I thought I was meaning the paper jotter we were using for the game (a little trick I thought). I actually was using the word 'pad' that related to a wad of cloth rather than jotter. She took the mick for the next hour!

Anyway, its a good game for the evernings at home and helps with reading, writing and vocab greatly. Give it a try.

[Ajarn]

AUA for 3 courses in 6 months (10 hours of class, another 20 of self-study -every week!), then real-life after that. AUA is great for laying a good foundation for future learning. I was lucky to have a teacher who spent a lot of time pointing out the Thai logic and the history/origins of vocab and expressions-invaluable to later learning.

Of the farangs who've been here as long, or longer than me, the difference in their Thai ability normally equates to their wife's command of English (or whatever your native language) . Friends with wives who speak English well, usually don't speak Thai very well- if at all. I believe I learned more quickly because I was single for the first 9 years, and I didn't know many Thais who could speak English. I was highly motivated...

I've also heard the comment quite a few times from Thais that it's obvious I went to school to learn Thai, rather than from BG's... This is another way to categorize farangs, it seems

[thongdee]

every day ,5days a week 20 minutes off lisening Thai and wright it down ..... I am Dutch who speak Frenche ,German and Englisch ,Used to live in Surin (khmer) so every language a litle (not perfect) but for us flemisch people it's easy to learn the Thai , I think

[Spee]

I am very interested in how much time foreigners living in Thailand put aside to learn the language.

Not living in Thailand but voted a few hours per week. I expect this to at least double as my uni beginner course starts on Saturday.

My Thai-English English-Thai dictionary and a couple other beginner's books are my constant companions.

I also have several instructional CD's that I've ripped on to my MP3 player and try to listen to these once in a while.

I really like Wolfie's idea of teaching the mia/fiancee/gf "hangman" and learning each other's language that way.

[richb2004]

I have recently been trying to learn Thai (again). When I realise that there are five different ways of pronouncing Mai to give five different meanings I felt like following Ian Curtis's example and ending it all. Learning Thai that is. I'll press on though.

[Neeranam]

I have recently been trying to learn Thai (again). When I realise that there are five different ways of pronouncing Mai to give five different meanings I felt like following Ian Curtis's example and ending it all.  Learning Thai that is. I'll press on though. 

So you recognised my avatar?

[wolf5370]

I've also heard the comment quite a few times from Thais that it's obvious I went to school to learn Thai, rather than from BG's... This is another way to categorize farangs, it seems 

So you don't say 'Ka' after every sentance. It always makes me giggle to hear farang men do this.

[Erawan]

Neeranam, with regards to your friend who can speak 7 languages, what languages are they? Are they by any chance all romanised script or what? My interest always gets piqued when it comes to languages .

[merlin1]

For the average person, I don't there are any shortcuts to learning Thai. It takes time and effort. Take a course of some kind as this will force you to study it outside of class. I took a basic class in Canada once a week and started with flashcards then. Later I took a more intensive course in a US university for a summer. Even after that, I was more or less hopeless and unable to carry much of a conversation.

You need to speak and study daily. I would say 30 minutes a day with flashcards or reviewing new words minimum plus any kind of conversational gambits you can muster with people you meet along the way. Watching TV and listening to radio is a plus as well although not that important in the early going.

If you're serious about busting out of the farang language funk, this is usually what is required. I don't include the gifted types who seem to pick up language in their sleep. I envy those people a lot. Well, actually, I hate them.

[Boon Mee]

For the average person, I don't there are any shortcuts to learning Thai.  It takes time and effort.  Take a course of some kind as this will force you to study it outside of class.  I took a basic class in Canada once a week and started with flashcards then.  Later I took a more intensive course in a US university for a summer.  Even after that, I was more or less hopeless and unable to carry much of a conversation. 

You need to speak and study daily.  I would say 30 minutes a day with flashcards or reviewing new words minimum plus any kind of conversational gambits you can muster with people you meet along the way.    Watching TV and listening to radio is a plus as well although not that important in the early going.

If you're serious about busting out of the farang language funk, this is usually what is required.  I don't include the gifted types who seem to pick up language in their sleep.  I envy those people a lot.  Well, actually, I hate them. 

Good advice, merlin1. "the farang language funk" is an apt way of putting it.

I've made up so many flashcards it's becoming a storage problem!

[Head Snake]

Boon Mee.

I have Chinese and Indonesian flashcards. I've been looking for Thai.

I am curious if you've thought about a means to reproduce your flashcards and sell it for a buck or two.

How many flashcards do you have?

[Neeranam]

Neeranam, with regards to your friend who can speak 7 languages, what languages are they? Are they by any chance all romanised script or what? My interest always gets piqued when it comes to languages .

He speaks English, French, Russian, Spanish, Whatever they speak in Belgium, Italian, and something else.

All romanised, is Russian romanised?

He is an old guy who spent many years in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam before coming here about 30 years ago. He didn't speak any of their languages either apart from French. He emigrated to USA when he was a teenager from France, so that wpuld explain the ability to learn those similare European languages.

[Boon Mee]

Boon Mee.

I have Chinese and Indonesian flashcards.  I've been looking for Thai.

I am curious if you've thought about a means to reproduce your flashcards and sell it for a buck or two.

How many flashcards do you have?

I have the 44 consonants & the vowels plus simple sentences and phrases. Maybe a couple hundred or so but they are really easy to produce yourself.

PM me and I can give you some ideas?

[simon43]

Although this poll seems to indicate that the majority of people study Thai for more than 5 hours each week, I'm sure that the actual numbers of farang learning Thai is very small when compared to the numbers of expats living here

I study about 8 hours each week with a 121 teacher, with reading, writing and speaking. When you can understand the many rules about reading Thai, then suddenly it becomes much easier to speak and write the language, because you can determine how a word should be written or pronounced.

I've been improving my spoken Thai by chatting to the nurses at the local hospital which I've been visiting due to an elbow problem (living too many beer glasses??). Although I class myself as only speaking basic Thai, they all encourage me to speak and I'm able to discuss the finer points of infected wounds!!

[Coffee Dude]

Shortly after I moved here I enrolled in a beginner course for conversational Thai. That didn't do much for me.

I have a big problem with the tones, both in listening and speaking. I have bought a book as well as an audio CD by the same author to help me read and write as well as learn vocabulary and sentence structure. I can now read most Thai words phonetically...But the tones!!! I know that a particular word should be rising, falling, high, low or mid tone, but I can't always hear it or say it correctly. What to do? What to Do?

[ExNewMex]

I just moved here recently and it sounds like such a difficult language. I wish I could learn, it would certainly be a benefit, but where, how, finding time; those things are a killer.

I have a lot of respect for you guys who are good at speaking the language. I'm sure the locals appreciate the effort.

[wolf5370]

have a big problem with the tones, both in listening and speaking. I have bought a book as well as an audio CD by the same author to help me read and write as well as learn vocabulary and sentence structure. I can now read most Thai words phonetically...But the tones!!! I know that a particular word should be rising, falling, high, low or mid tone, but I can't always hear it or say it correctly. What to do?  What to Do? 

Coffee Dude - the simple answer is don't give up. Your ear will 'learn' through experience. You will also learn to guess which tone has been used as your vocab grows by the context of the sentance. Practise as much as possible. Say difficult variations (shirt, tiger; horse, dog, come; near, far; etc) to your self in the mirror etc (save boring the sh1t out of your partner! - but check with her before and after a 'talk to yourself session').

ExNewMex, locals usually appreciate the effort. Some are not too happy though, especially if they've been talking about you before they found out!

[Erawan]

Ah, so there is a common thread between those languages, apart from Russian. But yeah, fair play to him, I'm impressed. Any idea over what period of time he accumulated all those languages? He must be getting on now, ######... could take me forever!

[Spee]

But the tones!!! I know that a particular word should be rising, falling, high, low or mid tone, but I can't always hear it or say it correctly.

As I said before, I'm just a neophyte so I could be full of "you-know-what."

I think the trouble with the tones originates in the often heavy reliance on transliteration, as opposed to learning the tone rules and the thai alphabet, and also trying to speak functionally rather than from memory or off a script. I know I often catch myself falling back to the transliteration, when I should be moving forward with the alphabet. Hopefully this will change when I start my formal classroom instruction tommorrow.

One of the best tools I've found so far to help is Ms. P-Becker's "Proper Thai Pronounciation." It is a small booklet and audio-CD combination that focuses primarly on tonality and tone-related drills, as opposed to increasing vocabulary or working on proper grammar.

There are numerous exercises to help one work their way up at least from clumsy to semi-functional. From there, I think it takes immersion into the language to further develop the vocal skills.

HTH !

[Coffee Dude]

Mr and Mrs Becker are the authors I use mostly. Since he's American and she's Thai and they both do the pronuciation, it helps a lot. I won't give up, but it's terrible that I know exactly what I'm saying but Thai people look at me like I have horns growing from my head