I am a beginner to learning the Thai language. I am a student in the USA, soon to transfer to a Thai university.

I was wondering, is it nessisary to be able to roll your "r" when speaking? Some times I have noticed it replaced with an L sound, or just omiited entirely (krap = kap) (ruu = luu)

is this true? I cannot for the life of me roll my r. and I want to be understood for the most part by people I talk to.

thanks for advice!

LOL! Don't feel alone. I have a hard time with the "rolling R" sound too. I can sort of do it, but not very well. Using the rolling R sound seems to be a bit more formal. You'll still be understood even if you can't do it. I'd suggest using the R sound (even without the rolling R) though with words such as khrap or roo. It's not always necessary and you're not going to be misunderstood if you happen to use khap or loo. It's very informal and a bit lazier though. In my opinion, it's a good idea to get into the habit of using the R sound with words that include it rather than omit it. It'll make a better impression.