Tips On Learning Thai?

[Learned]

I've been in Thailand for a few years now and want to give learning thai another go. I had lessons when I first came out but gave up as the progress was too slow and no one could understand the little I knew. Also every one speaks good enough English to get by and I don't know any Thais.

I'm going to give it another go as I would like to speak the lingo even though it isn't really necessary. I'm after some tips on making sure I succeed this time.

Things in my favour:

Live in Thailand

Fair amount of spare time

Just signed up for a course

Have some books etc already

Things not in my favour:

Poor track record

Don't know any Thais to speak to/practice on

What do people think about having the Thai tv on when at home? Can this help with getting the tones/accent down even if I cant understand?

I'm going to try and talk to at least one person a day. Will probably be shop people as not got anyone else Thai.

Any tips that you found useful when learning?

Thanks!

[Kriver]

How about attending a course at university? It's not as expensive as going to Thai language school. I don't know how much though.

I found this course at Chulalongkorn but not very sure whether it will suit you.

http://www.arts.chula.ac.th/~asc/Intensive_Thai.html

I would give them a call anyway.

[Rumblecat]

To be honest, I haven't found having the TV on to be much help... I would suggest trying to read first. It's a little tricky to get started but once you get into the swing of it, even walking down the street can become an impromptu Thai lesson, be able to make sense of the writing (even if you don't understand the words). It keeps you constantly in a frame of mind where you're learning and using skills.

These two videos from High Speed Thai (never tried the course, so I can't recommend it or not) are an excellent start to explaining how to read. 11 minutes long altogether, well worth watching as it's a good, easy to understand introduction to how Thai words work, and by the end of the video, you're able to read a little bit of Thai.

And these two are pretty good, if you can get past the incredibly annoying muzak...

First one teaches some letters-

Second one puts them into practice and has you reading Thai-

The advantage to learning to read is that it really does help with pronouncing and understand the correct way to say words. However, if you don't want to learn to read, then two books I'd recommend are- Thai For Beginners by Benjawan Becker- and a newer book, optimistically called "Master Thai in 1 Night"...

You won't learn it one night, but it's an excellent guide to the basics of the language, teaching you what you the most important and common stuff you'd need to know, in an easy to understand and well laid out format.

So in terms of what I've found works with learning... it's just putting the time in. Treat the books like text books, write down the lessons, go over and over them and don't move on until you've got them 80-90% learnt... It's the boring way, but it works.

Edited October 28, 2011 by Rumblecat

[Genericnic]

Learned,

I haven't been in Thailand as long as you have but I picked up some tips that helped me get started. As Kriver pointed out, a good university class. I did the intensive program a Payap University in Chiang Mai and got a good foundation for pronunciation and reading and writing and a good basic vocabulary. It was intensive though ... 3 hours a day/ 5 days a week. That was just class time. Was it worth it? You bet. So, my suggestions?

First, find a teacher that is strict about your pronunciation. Tones especially (falling tones gave me fits) but also the vowels such as อื. Start learning the Thai characters here. They aren't hard. The main thing you are looking for is a structured program that will teach you material in an incremental way.

Second, and in conjunction with the first, start building your vocabulary. You said you don't know any Thais to speak to or practice on. You just don't realize you do. Unless you go to exclusively farang places, there are Thais everywhere. All the ones I have met took my efforts to speak Thai with good humor and were very patient with me. I think starting small is good. The local market is where I started. How much is this? What is that called? I would like ... Things like that basics that you will use all the time and they are simple to learn. It will get your confidence up and you will have some laughs along the way. When I speak to Thais, I get one of three reactions. The puppy look with the cocked head looking with that "what" look. Or they will laugh. That usually means I have said something stupid. I laugh too. In the best case, they answer me. In any case, I learn something.

The main thing is to make it สนุก (sanuk - fun). We learn best the things that are fun.

Good luck with it

David

[Colabamumbai]

Do what you suggested. Go out after school with your notebook in hand and speak to any and every vendor that will talk with you, they will help you and they will correct you and they will respect you. This is what I did everyday after school, as you I had no Thai friends to practice with. Once you have the basics down, you will hear words on the TV that you will understand.

[AyG]

Listening to TV at the early stages of learning isn't going to be much help. However, when you start to learn to read Thai, watching English programmes with Thai subtitles can be very helpful. At first you'll only be able to read the first few characters of the subtitles, then the first few words. In time you'll be able to read the entire subtitles and understand how they are a translation of the English. (Generally I find the subtitles on UBC pretty easy to read - simpler language than movie subtitles, or "normal" text such as a newspaper.)

[Learned]

Thanks people. Have already been learning to read by myself and can read short words. Or at least recognize them, not sure if I read a word a Thai would understand what I was saying though!

[charlie10]

I would suggest look at some of the online courses available and commit to working through one of the courses if actually going along to a language school is impractical or impossible given where you live. Once this has given you a good grasp of the basics and the most commonly used words mixing with Thai people and listening in on their conversations will all help bring your language ability and understanding along. As will listening to Thai radio stations and watching Thai TV (news and soaps).

There's a new Thai online language course just out worth a look. They're currently offering about 100 FREE lessons and flash card games, no sign-up or purchase required. All the lessons have audio clickable text, slideshows and flash card and matching word games which really helps teach correct pronunciation. It may be something that can help you with your Thai speaking and understanding.

www. LearnSpeakThaiOnline.com

[khaan]

Listening to TV at the early stages of learning isn't going to be much help. However, when you start to learn to read Thai, watching English programmes with Thai subtitles can be very helpful. At first you'll only be able to read the first few characters of the subtitles, then the first few words. In time you'll be able to read the entire subtitles and understand how they are a translation of the English. (Generally I find the subtitles on UBC pretty easy to read - simpler language than movie subtitles, or "normal" text such as a newspaper.)

I don't know how you can possibly say that this?

I thought not long ago how on earth do the Thai's have time even to read those subtitles on English programs?they come up for

one or two seconds before the next one comes up. If your brain can reconcile what is being said in English and then read the Thai script

below and translate simultaneously in one or two seconds then you must be Superman

Edited November 5, 2011 by khaan