Thai Equivelent For Eagerness (eager)

[thailand_property_search]

I've been trying (for quite a while now) to find an equivelent word/coloquialsm/saying for eager or eagerness.....and equivelent to (for example) "He shows no eagerness to comply" or "How eager are you to go out tonight "

The dictionary I have list gra haai (having intense desire) which is certainly a good description of the word but real people don't seem to understand this (and no it's not my pronunciation).

Asking Thai's that speak english they just say that it should be want (ow, tongarn etc) but this doesn't quite do it especially for the second phrase which implies the want but requires quantification of want....if that makes any sense

I've often found that there may be a saying instead that relays the sense of the meaning rather than an individual word and am wondering if this may be the case here.

Any ideas?

[Farma]

Do a search on thai2english.com for eager and see the results there. It shows 6 results for the word including non enthusuastic. Maybe the results will be what you are looking for.

[thailand_property_search]

Ive already tried that Farma and have several dictionaries.

The site lists kwarm gra haai for eagerness (gra haai) and grà-dteu-reu-rón for eager which is an equivelent to gra haai.

But the point of my post is that people in conversation do not understand these if used in my previous posts' context if at all.

[Farma]

Wish I could help you more. My language expert is enjoying a spell on a nice relaxing beach at the moment.

[thailand_property_search]

Wish I could help you more. My language expert is enjoying a spell on a nice relaxing beach at the moment.

And are you EAGER to join him

[Losangels]

How about "yangk"? meaning wanting or eagerness to be or do something?

[markuk]

while we are on the subject can someone translate these ?

logic

common sense

consideration (for others) !

[yoot]

eager - กระตือรือร้น grà-dteu-reu-rón , อยากได้yàak dâai , กระหาย grà-hăai

eagerness - ความกระตือรือร้นkwaam grà-dteu-reu-rón , ความอยากkwaam yàak , ความกระหายkwaam grà-hăai

กระหาย grà-hăai - thirsty(which might confused the listener, if you use this term to mean eager.), desirous

"He shows no eagerness to comply" = เขาไม่แสดงความกระตือรือร้นที่จะยอมทำตามเลย

"How eager are you to go out tonight " = คืนนี้คุณอยากออกไปเที่ยวข้างนอกมากแค่ไหน (อยาก...มาก = กระตือรือร้น)

Edited April 28, 2006 by yoot

[bmore99]

Wish I could help you more. My language expert is enjoying a spell on a nice relaxing beach at the moment.

And are you EAGER to join him

Most likely he REALLY WANTS that VERY MUCH.

The answer has been in front of you all the time, but you stay focussed on translating your specific English word "eager", while normal Thai just want something and qualify it with much and really. Speaking a foreign language is not translating one's own language, but adapting to a new way of thinking.

want: เอา ao / อยาก yaak

much: มาก mak / มากๆ mak2

truely: จริง ching / จริงๆ ching2

[yoot]

while we are on the subject can someone translate these ?

logic

common sense

consideration (for others) !

logic - ตรรก dtàk-ga, ความมีเหตุผลkwaam mee hèt pŏn

common sense - สามัญสำนึกsăa-man săm-néuk

consideration (for others) - ความเห็นอกเห็นใจkwaam hĕn òk hĕn jai (ต่อผู้อื่น dtòr pôo èun )

[thailand_property_search]

"He shows no eagerness to comply" = เขาไม่แสดงความกระตือรือร้นที่จะยอมทำตามเลย

"How eager are you to go out tonight " = คืนนี้คุณอยากออกไปเที่ยวข้างนอกมากแค่ไหน (อยาก...มาก = กระตือรือร้น)

Interesting. You use grà-dteu-reu-rón and not gra haai in both cases. Maybe you are right in that they hear thirsty, although they have never offered me a beer for free

But I have tried both and it is usually met with that all consuming arai na. Mai kao jai.

But the answer seems clear. They are the right words to use. The only alternative is the more absolute "want" and besides. People that know me well will get used to my use of the words.

Many thanks all.

Most likely he REALLY WANTS that VERY MUCH.

The answer has been in front of you all the time, but you stay focussed on translating your specific English word "eager", while normal Thai just want something and qualify it with much and really. Speaking a foreign language is not translating one's own language, but adapting to a new way of thinking.

I couldn't agree less.

I see language as a medium to express the way I think and convey that to others. As I stated in my first post, there may have been a saying that conveys the same meaning in the sense it means to me and, in many cases, when the dictionary has failed I have found this to be the best way of expressing my thoughts.

[meadish_sweetball]

In your described context, "yàak" or "tâwngkaan" are perfectly adequate to get your point across.

It is unrealistic to expect to find exact equivalents in Thai of every single concept or thought in your own language.

Most people use language as a means of everyday communication without regard for fine semantics.

The word "กระตือรือร้น" has to be pretty uncommon. During my six years in Thailand I have never heard it used in conversation. As a contrast, 'eager' is fairly common in English. So even if you have a rather close equivalent in terms of semantics, it will do you little good if this word is not in everyday use...

Trying to turn it around: If a Thai man asked you in English "Are you agog for a moonlit saunter?", and when not understood, proceeded with "Does the concept of a nocturnal promenade set you athirst?", you might also feel compelled to tell him

You know, it would be easier if you just said "Do you want to take a walk tonight?"

[thailand_property_search]

In your described context, "yàak" or "tâwngkaan" are perfectly adequate to get your point across.

It is unrealistic to expect to find exact equivalents in Thai of every single concept or thought in your own language.

Most people use language as a means of everyday communication without regard for fine semantics.

The word "กระตือรือร้น" has to be pretty uncommon. During my six years in Thailand I have never heard it used in conversation. As a contrast, 'eager' is fairly common in English. So even if you have a rather close equivalent in terms of semantics, it will do you little good if this word is not in everyday use...

Trying to turn it around: If a Thai man asked you in English "Are you agog for a moonlit saunter?", and when not understood, proceeded with "Does the concept of a nocturnal promenade set you athirst?", you might also feel compelled to tell him

You know, it would be easier if you just said "Do you want to take a walk tonight?"

Indeed. But taking your example, I still understand what it means and go back 100 years ago it could quite possibly have been in common usage and, I might use that terminology for humour (the brits will remember Black Adder!).

But the point is taken. The answer is what it is.

It just struck me as the same sort of query I had when first learning Thai.. "NEED", which the dictionary tells me is "jam pben" - which they also didn't understand and said I mean ow, yaak, tongarn etc (which I didn't) then someone switched me on to "must have" (dtrong mii) which was perfect and conveyed exactly what I wanted and was understood.

Anyhoo. Thanks for all your help. Looks like I'll be using want then!

[yoot]

The word "กระตือรือร้น" has to be pretty uncommon. During my six years in Thailand I have never heard it used in conversation. As a contrast, 'eager' is fairly common in English. So even if you have a rather close equivalent in terms of semantics, it will do you little good if this word is not in everyday use...

M.S. this word is very common but a little bit formal. It works very well in negative sentences. But it can be used in other sentences too. I wonder why during your six years in Thailand you have never heard it used.

For examples;

พรุ่งนี้จะสอบแล้ว ไม่เห็นคุณจะแสดงความกระตือร้นร้นที่จะอ่านหนังสือบ้างเลย(eagerness)

อีกไปกี่วันก็จะแต่งงาน ทำไมคุณดูไม่กระตือรือร้นเลย (enthusiastic)

ทำงานให้มันกระตือรือร้นหน่อย (earnest)

[thailand_property_search]

อีกไปกี่วันก็จะแต่งงาน ทำไมคุณดูไม่กระตือรือร้นเลย (enthusiastic)

In most other cases I think the problem is that I don't use "sa daeng" (which most of the examples use) but, instead, "mai me" (to not have) maybe this is unexpected/bad grammar and throws people off.

คุณ ดู ไม่กระตือรือร้น เลย

But this.....This is very interesting.

To "look" unenthusiastic is just the sort nuance that I'm seeking since it is not definate like want, which requires a want or not want reply. Rather expressing an opinion which may open up the conversation. I'm kicking myself a bit because I know to "look tired" and didn't think of trying this

It'd be interesting (in another thread perhaps) to explore what can and can't be used with "look" (look tired, look sick, look hungry etc, etc).

My g/f is gonna get sick and tired of me using the different permutations of looking enthusiastic and unenthusiastic tomorrow

1.

Me: Do you want to go to the market today?

Her: Up to you.

Me: You don't look enthusiatic/eager (คุณ ดู ไม่กระตือรือร้น)

2.

Me: I want sex

Her Up to you

Me: You don't look enthusiastic at all (คุณ ดู ไม่กระตือรือร้น เลย)

etc, etc, etc

Bingo...Well done Yoot.

Edited April 28, 2006 by thailand_property_search

[Kathe]

กระตือรือร้น เหมาะที่สุดสําหรับคําที่ถามค่ะ เช่นที่คุณ ยุทธ อธิบายไป

This word is pretty common.

[meadish_sweetball]

Fair enough.

I guess I just have to listen harder.

[Rikker]

The word "กระตือรือร้น" has to be pretty uncommon. During my six years in Thailand I have never heard it used in conversation. As a contrast, 'eager' is fairly common in English. So even if you have a rather close equivalent in terms of semantics, it will do you little good if this word is not in everyday use...

Just as an alternative viewpoint, I've heard กระตือรือร้น commonly enough that I learned it within my first few months in Thailand, used it frequently and have never gotten the sense that it wasn't in common use. Another word for กระตือรือร้น in English might be "enthusiastic".

To me it also seems like the best option for the OP's scenario.

I'm on this new bent where I like to google words to see how common they are on the internet. Not sure how useful it always is, but I think it gives one a rough sense for how "current" a word is:

กระหาย = 552 hits (although the phrase "กระหายน้ำ" gives 11,100 hits)

กระตือรือร้น = 66,400 hits

Obviously อยาก and ต้องการ bring up hits in the high hundreds of thousands, but we already know those are common.

Another reason I like กระตือรือร้น is that it's apparently a rhyming elaborate expression. I "collect" elaborate expressions of all sorts in a spreadsheet divided up based on their syllable count, placement of rhyme, etc., and this pattern of ABBC rhyme is very common. You see them everywhere, from everyday words (จุดหมายปลายทาง, ทำมาหากิน) to idioms (กรวดน้ำคว่ำขัน) to religious expressions ((อย่า)ฆ่าสัตว์ตัดชีวิต, เวียนว่ายตายเกิด). I've collected about 250 of this rhyme pattern.

I've often wondered about the origin of กระตือรือร้น, since กระตือ and ร้น alone apparently aren't words, and รือ may or may not be a rhyming nonce (we also have the word หารือ, unclear whether it's etymologically related). Anybody know?

Edited April 29, 2006 by Rikker