I Can'T Learn Thai: What Should I Do Next?

[tombkk]

I have given up speaking it correctly. Seriously, when my 6 year old corrects my tones (just did so a few minutes ago), I realize I am way too old to learn a new language. I use Thai every day at work and going around town. Never need a dictionary. That just about is enough for me.

I speak fluent Spanish as well. But I learnt that when I was a small brat. Only time really when you can learn languages, is under 10 years of age.

Not true. I learned Arabic at around 20 and was fluent within 6 months. I have forgotten all of it, as that was 30 years ago.

I started learning Thai in my late twenties and am fluent to the extent that I conduct negotiations in Thai with customers and with the government.

[tombkk]

Practice all the time at every opportunity.

Moving to another area is sound advice but all that does is force you to practice more. Go to shops where people don't speak English, there are still plenty in Bangkok. Practice simply transactions again and again until you get that right, then develop them. Bottle of water, packet of cigarettes, whatever it is.

Find Thais who want to learn English and talk to them in mixed language.

Learning to read also helps. Signs, numberplates, packets are a good start.

Stop telling yourself you can't learn it.

Outside the extremes of brain damage or being a naturally gifted polyglot (if indeed there is such thing) it's mostly application and practice IMO, and I've known 50 year olds pick up a new language just as quickly as 20 year olds if the application is there.

An hour a day is quite a lot in the classroom, but it's as nothing compared to the amount of time an infant spends exposed to language when learning for the first time. I've been here 3 years and can hold a reasonable conversation. Don't claim to be fluent and I can get out of my depth, but I'm pretty good for a 3 year old!

I recommend against speaking in mixed language. Speak one language (even if simplified), or the other. It is OK to change languages from one paragraph to the other, but not within a sentence. You will never get the hang of the language otherwise.

I speak four languages fluently and another three to get along with. Hence, I speak from experience.

[tombkk]

Thai is one of top 5 (if not THE) most difficult languages in the world to learn. Why bother? I do a number of things well, learning languages isn't one of them.

Thai is not difficult (in comparison). Where did you get this information?

[Learned]

I use Thai every day at work and going around town. Never need a dictionary. That just about is enough for me.

I would be very happy with that level: speaking without ever having to look words up.

[tombkk]

I use Thai every day at work and going around town. Never need a dictionary. That just about is enough for me.

I would be very happy with that level: speaking without ever having to look words up.

That‘s easy for some and apparently difficult for others. I pick up languages easy and I consider myself lucky. I know people who live in Thailand for 20 years and still cannot have a meaningful conversation.

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[Somtamnication]

Thai is one of top 5 (if not THE) most difficult languages in the world to learn. Why bother? I do a number of things well, learning languages isn't one of them.

Incorrect, according to material found on the web and to personal experiences (I am good at learning languages).

Only time really when you can learn languages, is under 10 years of age.

Incorrect. Give me just one more year in France and I will be fluent in French.

But back to the op's question. That's a difficult one. You live in Thailand and could have full-time immersion in Thai (if you were living in a Thai area and had daily contact with Thais in Thai), the reason your progress is so slow is because you don't need Thai for your daily life. You forget the words you learnt last week simply because you don't need them!

You are comparing apples to oranges. Cudos on you for being able to learn languages after 1 year!

Try learning the 10 different tones (not 5) of the Thai word KAO. The tones kill any meaningful conversation and turns it into a nightmare. Very few Thais even try to understand what a farang is trying tell them. If the tone is not perfect, they will not analyze the context.

[bytebuster]

Try learning the 10 different tones (not 5) of the Thai word KAO. The tones kill any meaningful conversation and turns it into a nightmare. Very few Thais even try to understand what a farang is trying tell them. If the tone is not perfect, they will not analyze the context.

This video will help. (

) Edited July 10, 2012 by bytebuster

[kikenyoy]

"Try learning the 10 different tones (not 5) of the Thai word KAO. "

I assume you mean 5 tones with a short and long vowel for each to make 10 total? Vowel length is different than tones. Also, there are not 10 different pronunciations of the same Thai word. Each is an individual word and the sooner you start to think that way the easier it will be.

[HardenedSoul]

I speak four languages fluently and another three to get along with. Hence, I speak from experience.

I'm well impressed.

[MrHammer]

I use Thai every day at work and going around town. Never need a dictionary. That just about is enough for me.

I would be very happy with that level: speaking without ever having to look words up.

That's easy for some and apparently difficult for others. I pick up languages easy and I consider myself lucky. I know people who live in Thailand for 20 years and still cannot have a meaningful conversation.

Sent from my LG-P698f using Thaivisa Connect App

You've had four posts in this thread and none were helpful for the OP. Was your intention simply to brag? Btw, I speak/write 4 languages and English is the only language other than my mother tongue that I am fluent in, which I attribute to having had classes in school from age 9. Thai just isn't easy to learn to speak. The grammar is childishly simple compared to something like German (which I am also quite proficient in), but the tonality makes it a very difficult language to master unless you're musically gifted. I think I learnt more Japanese in 14 days than I did in one year in Thailand.

Obviously if you have to remember tones on top of new words, then that is more work than just learning new words. And that's the main problem with teaching Thai with romanized spelling since it makes no sense as the spelling should tell you the pronounciation. So learning tones should not be the focus, but rather learning how to read the alphabet and then simply learning word for word pronounciation. The association in your brain should be to make an association between a set of symbols attached to a sound, not to knowing a bunch of romanized letters with an attached tonal rule. If I were to learn Thai again, I would simply immerse myself in the alphabet before attempting to speak.

Edited July 19, 2012 by MrHammer

[Parvis]

Probably the most important is a positive attitude. If you tell yourself - you cannot learn Thai - you are certainly going to succeed IN NOT BEING ABLE TO LEARN THAI. Unfortunately, a negative attitude is often reinforced by your immediate environment (or even unqualified teachers at your School).

Latest research shows - your brain doesn't have to shrink with age. Adults are actually better at learning new languages than kids -- if you can put aside linguistic habits (the brain gets trained to ignore sounds it doesn't need for comprehension) and embrace the nonsensical, which is how kids learn. Kids first associate sounds with objects, then recognize sounds and words as labels, and then link words with meaning.

To learn a new language, whether in class, with audio tapes, or on the computer remember these tips:

[*]Don't stress. If you get anxious about learning new phrases, they'll never stick. Meditate for 5 minutes before you start a lesson and eliminate distractions.

[*]Practice listening -- and hearing. Tune in to TV channels with the language you are learning. Don't worry about understanding. Just let it wash over you. Understanding comes later.

[*]Stay in top shape. Speech is mental and physical. Staying at a healthy weight and keeping blood pumping reduces body-wide inflammation and feeds your grey and white matter the oxygen and nutrients you need to stay sharp.

Edited July 20, 2012 by Parvis

[Learned]

Obviously if you have to remember tones on top of new words, then that is more work than just learning new words. And that's the main problem with teaching Thai with romanized spelling since it makes no sense as the spelling should tell you the pronounciation. So learning tones should not be the focus, but rather learning how to read the alphabet and then simply learning word for word pronounciation. The association in your brain should be to make an association between a set of symbols attached to a sound, not to knowing a bunch of romanized letters with an attached tonal rule. If I were to learn Thai again, I would simply immerse myself in the alphabet before attempting to speak.

The tones are my biggest problem.

If all words were mid tone then I think I would be able to speak Thai quite well with the knowledge I have now.

But as it is I can't remember the tones of any words I 'know' ( yes I know not knowing the tone means I don't really know the word but you know what I mean).

I also can't hear tones when Thais speak so that causes a few problems too!

I can read Thai but I didn't learn to read until at least a few years of starting learning to speak. I thought learning to read would help my speaking but it hasn't. I guess the only way it would is if I also learnt all the spelling of the words I know so that I can picture the spelling and 'see' the tone. But that is even more things to learn!

Perhaps someone could make a list of all the mid-tone words and I can just use those to try and speak Thai?

[watcharacters]

Don't bother and just get the itranslate app for iPhone !! Works a treat

deleted

Edited July 20, 2012 by watcharacters

[Sydneycraig]

Doesn't come up in searches well - try " translate voice "

[meadish_sweetball]

I do really need to learn Thai, for some reason I can't find the motivation, I am easily embarrassed when I try some new words and get it totally wrong.

Let them laugh, what does it matter? If you can laugh with them, all the better. If you persist, you will have the last laugh as you will know their language better than they know yours.

If you let your embarrassment win, they get the last laugh.

[leosmith]

I learned Arabic at around 20 and was fluent within 6 months. I have forgotten all of it, as that was 30 years ago.

You probably have an interesting definition of "Fluent" that you'd like to share with us.

Thai is not difficult (in comparison). Where did you get this information?

I have no idea what you mean by (in comparison). This information comes from FSI and is repeated in many sites:

http://www.effectivelanguagelearning.com/language-guide/language-difficulty

According to this, it's one of the 12 hardest (major) languages for a native english speaker to learn.

[Gaccha]

OP,

You've done about 70 hours studying by my reckoning. You probably need to do about 3,000 hours. When you've done that, come back and tell me how you're doing.

Concentrate on the reading and listening.

[Slappz]

Wow I've never read so many excuses in a 2 page thread.

Learning Thai isn't gonna happen in a month, you need to do things everyday, immerse yourself in the language, over a long period of time. Stop watching English programs, switch to Thai. There's 100's on Thai programs on Youtube. Anytime your talking to a Thai in public always use Thai. Make Thai friends who will help correct your pronounciation. Get a tutor. Read Thai books, magazines, newspapers.

When you create an environment of Thai all around you the language will improve naturally and consistently.

[FritsSikkink]

Here some practice material. the Maanii children books

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Thai/maanii/menu/default.htm