Foreigner speak Thai, did you experience the same?

[happysoul]

Hello,

To make it short, I live here for 2 years and only speak Thai at home as my wife only speaks northern Thai and Thai.

At first, when only knowing basic words, I would get in English "oh, you can speak Thai", then it turned into thai "oh, phut prasa Thai dai" (oh, you can speak Thai) then they added "kaeng" (similar to very good). That lasted until more or less 2 years ago.

Then came "khun phut prasa Thai chat" normally used as an introduction to "why is it so?". After a while (and i guess my prononciation was getting better), people I met would tell me "tamai khun phut prasa Thai chat mak?" (why can you speak so good Thai) going directly to the question feeling not shy as i would understand and be able to answer.

For the last months, random people (gas station, mon and pop, bamboo bar...) that I meet forget about the why... The question is now "you muang Thai nan liang? " (do you live in Thailand for a long time already?). The answer I give them always makes them think I'm a liar

Have you had the same kind of evolution in the speech?

Ps: sorry for the written Thai, I do my best with our letters

[bgrassboy]

Same evolution for me too just the way you laid it out! ?

[zeichen]

The only part that doesn't happen to me is anyone asking me or surprised. I guess for some it is a big deal but for most that I know think of it is no big deal. Thais are more impressed that I cook traditional foods. When I buy young jack fruit to make tam kanoon or gaeng kanoon they think that is shocking.

For me my progression wasn't as fast as everyone I know speaks English. I only got better at Thai when I went to more rural areas away from my friends and family.

[CharlieH]

Problem I got was when you can speak a little, but well, they think you can speak more and subsequently babble back at you full speed and I end up lost as my knowledge is not comprehensive enough.

[kurnell]

One 'oh hoiiieee!' and they all think you are fluent.

[somchaismith]

Am I to deduce that when the OP met his wife that he didn't have any Thai language skills and his wife didn't and still doesn't have any English skills?

[Tomtomtom69]

@happysoul, for me it's pretty much the same. I am fluent in both written and spoken Thai since at least 6 years and before that was largely functional too. I started learning to read and write shortly after learning to speak, so reading a menu, writing an essay in Thai and reading an article in Thai are all no problem at all.

Anyway, I'm wondering if you have noticed that there are occasionally a very small number of Thais, perhaps less than 1 in 100, who even though you speak with them in Thai, answer back in English (and no, I don't mean the first time you start speaking with them because at that stage they might not realize you can speak Thai) but rather, even after you speak to them in Thai and clearly your Thai is fluent they somehow fail to speak Thai to you, by pretending to not hear it even though clearly they understand you.

Last weekend I stayed at a bungalow in Ko Chang for one night. I spoke Thai with one of the staff who answered back in Thai immediately and was very happy to speak with me in Thai. The manager didn't realize I could speak Thai at first, but that's because my western friends who were with me who were just visiting spoke to her in English - however, she quickly realized I could speak Thai and so we continued speaking in Thai together.

However, later in the evening I came back and both of these staff members were off and a new guy was there with horrible English. He was almost oblivious to my Thai and kept speaking to me in English, despite me not being able to understand him. One of my friends even pointed this out and I told my friend that I agree that that guy was an ass, I couldn't understand him and don't know why he didn't speak Thai to me (well there wasn't much of a conversation as all I wanted was my room key...but his refusal to speak Thai or acknowledge my Thai meant that there was a great deal of confusion as to the whereabouts of the key, which turned out to be in the room).

It is very rare for me to encounter such resistance to speak Thai, especially from people who have poor English (about the only Thais with whom it might take more convincing to speak Thai are those Thais that have lived abroad or are part of the upper middle class/upper class and who associate extensively with foreigners, nearly all of whom are non-Thai speaking - however, even in those cases most of the time if it's made clear you can speak good Thai, they will prefer Thai).

It could have been that the guy at the hotel was Burmese or Cambodian (at another resort all the staff were Cambodian and while their Thai was OK, their English was just as good), in which case I wouldn't force the dialogue into Thai, seeing that as foreigners they too are not really expected to speak Thai or even if they are, they aren't expected to speak good Thai, just enough to understand their manager's directions and to take payment from Thai or Thai speaking customers. For me I'd rather speak Thai with a Thai, but as far as foreigners such as Cambodians are concerned, it depends which language they speak better. Of course if I could speak Khmer or Burmese I wouldn't speak either English or Thai with them.

[Tomtomtom69]

I forgot to mention but in the majority of cases, most people speak to me in Thai and don't complement me or ask questions. Most, that is...but every so often, once a week or so, there is a question like "tammai khun phood phasaa Thai dai keng mak" or "tammai khun pood Thai keng khanad nee" or similar, but this will obviously depend on who I'm talking to. No McDonald's server would ask me such a question of course, but someone I'm dealing with for a longer period, or a mom and pop store owner might.

Edited May 13, 2014 by Tomtomtom69

[kokesaat]

As I became more confident of my tones, I got more and more "khun phut prasa Thai chat" comments....which I never ever got before I learned the tones. Those comments helped fuel me past the enormous brainaches of putting vowels/consonants together, calculating the tone that went with the word, and getting my mouth/throat/nose to utter the correct sound. I could never have gotten through that sort of mental gymnastics in a classroom.....fortunate indeed to have a neighborhood pharmacist get me through those very difficult classes. As I progressed, I got more "khun phut prasa Thai chat" comments...and they helped provide fuel for my next class.

[kannot]

I never get any comments except they probably think Im kee nok as Im covered in paint with holes in my t shirts, I have no desire to dress up for anyone, I dont speak Thai I really have no ability to learn languages, ill build you a house ok but dont ask to speak to me in Thai, even my Wife walks behind me!!

[apiwan]

Everything. Exactly has you say.

But the locals around you all speak Thai with you.

Then its always surprises strangers when they first see you and then you start talking.

I have one friend who only speaks English with me .

But that's only so he can improve his English .

Used to bother me. Now I couldn't be bothered either way.

It's definitely an asset to have .But only here

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[Oscar2]

Last weekend I stayed at a bungalow in Ko Chang for one night. I spoke Thai with one of the staff who answered back in Thai immediately and was very happy to speak with me in Thai. The manager didn't realize I could speak Thai at first, but that's because my western friends who were with me who were just visiting spoke to her in English - however, she quickly realized I could speak Thai and so we continued speaking in Thai together.

However, later in the evening I came back and both of these staff members were off and a new guy was there with horrible English. He was almost oblivious to my Thai and kept speaking to me in English, despite me not being able to understand him. One of my friends even pointed this out and I told my friend that I agree that that guy was an ass, I couldn't understand him and don't know why he didn't speak Thai to me (well there wasn't much of a conversation as all I wanted was my room key...but his refusal to speak Thai or acknowledge my Thai meant that there was a great deal of confusion as to the whereabouts of the key, which turned out to be in the room).

It is very rare for me to encounter such resistance to speak Thai, especially from people who have poor English (about the only Thais with whom it might take more convincing to speak Thai are those Thais that have lived abroad or are part of the upper middle class/upper class and who associate extensively with foreigners, nearly all of whom are non-Thai speaking - however, even in those cases most of the time if it's made clear you can speak good Thai, they will prefer Thai).

It could have been that the guy at the hotel was Burmese or Cambodian (at another resort all the staff were Cambodian and while their Thai was OK, their English was just as good), in which case I wouldn't force the dialogue into Thai, seeing that as foreigners they too are not really expected to speak Thai or even if they are, they aren't expected to speak good Thai, just enough to understand their manager's directions and to take payment from Thai or Thai speaking customers. For me I'd rather speak Thai with a Thai, but as far as foreigners such as Cambodians are concerned, it depends which language they speak better. Of course if I could speak Khmer or Burmese I wouldn't speak either English or Thai with them.

a lot of Cambodians working on Koh Chang, Koh Kood, etc. don't speak a single word of Thai. the guy probably didn't understand what you were saying.

[skyaslimit]

I enjoy my thai in reversed mannar, I keep talking in english to the locals until their vocablury runs out.

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[Chonburiram]

happysoul,

i went through all the steps you mentioned but the ultimate acid test is when someone asks:

"Why you look like a Farang?"

[Forethat]

Hello,

then they added "kaeng" (similar to very good).

Actually, kaeng means something completely different. You sure it wasn't a female who asked you a question? "kaeng mai?"

Let me know if fellows that up with "yai mai?", you may be in a good position there ...

[geronimo]

Yes. Keep trying and soon you will be fluent.

[Somtamnication]

Nothing irks me more than a falang speaking Thai to me.

[Seastallion]

Hello,

then they added "kaeng" (similar to very good).

Actually, kaeng means something completely different. You sure it wasn't a female who asked you a question? "kaeng mai?"

Let me know if fellows that up with "yai mai?", you may be in a good position there ...

I get "put gaeng" or "put Thai gaeng" all the time. Sometimes directly to me, sometimes not to my face but to my wife. She said it means I speak well or clearly. She's quite proud of it.

I guess there's a transliteration confusion going on.

Perhaps we should have transliterated it as "geng" - excellently or proficiently

• พูดเก่ง

Edited May 13, 2014 by Seastallion

[Forethat]

Hello,

then they added "kaeng" (similar to very good).

Actually, kaeng means something completely different. You sure it wasn't a female who asked you a question? "kaeng mai?"

Let me know if fellows that up with "yai mai?", you may be in a good position there ...

I get "put gaeng" or "put Thai gaeng" all the time. Sometimes directly to me, sometimes not to my face but to my wife. She said it means I speak well or clearly. She's quite proud of it.

I guess there's a transliteration confusion going on.

Aha. "gaeng"? So not "kaeng"?

[CaptHaddock]

Don't let Thai praise for your ability to speak Thai go to your head. They have very low expectations of foreigners since they rarely or never encounter a foreigner who is fluent in Thai. Not to be confused with the French in that regard. I find the insistence of Thais such as waiters to speak to me in English to be annoying although I know that they think they are being considerate by doing so. Some may want to practice English, but that is not the motivation for most of them. Since Thais have basically no experience with foreigners who are seriously trying to learn Thai, for the most part they don't understand how helpful it would be to us if they were to speak more slowly and use government [ทางการ] level of language, rather than vernacular and slang. One Thai whom I asked to speak more slowly replied that no, she just couldn't. The only Thais I have met who adapted their speech for my comprehension were those who already spoke English well.

Edited May 13, 2014 by CaptHaddock

[canopy]

Yep, noticed the same ladder of complements as my Thai progressed. The next step in the evolution is no complements at all; they just converse with you naturally. Though one young village girl living nearby asked me if I could speak English.

[happysoul]

Thanks for all your comments, have something fun to read with morning coffee.

You can almost tell where people live by reading. Out in the sticks like I do, Bangkok or a touristic place.

Here, country side north from chiang mai, nobody speaks English. Just pooyai baan number two can a little and likes to show off his English skills, mostly in front of other villagers. If he meets me alone, he will mostly speak in thai.

With other villagers, depending their age,they will only speak northern thai. Now that's another story, I don't get a word and my wife has to translate. If I'm alone, I politely nodd and smile

Cheers

CapHadock, what do you mean with the French, tonnerre de brest ?

Edited May 14, 2014 by happysoul

[CaptHaddock]

Thanks for all your comments, have something fun to read with morning coffee.

You can almost tell where people live by reading. Out in the sticks like I do, Bangkok or a touristic place.

Here, country side north from chiang mai, nobody speaks English. Just pooyai baan number two can a little and likes to show off his English skills, mostly in front of other villagers. If he meets me alone, he will mostly speak in thai.

With other villagers, depending their age,they will only speak northern thai. Now that's another story, I don't get a word and my wife has to translate. If I'm alone, I politely nodd and smile

Cheers

CapHadock, what do you mean with the French, tonnerre de brest ?

Ou plutot, mille millions de mille sabords!

[marko kok prong]

The only thing i have found is sometimes they cannot seem to beleive you as a falang can speak Thai,one day my friend and i were at a resturant and he asked "ao nam som khap" [take orange juice} the girl looked dumbfounded,he then asked her in good Thai,if she spoke Thai,again a vacant look,then in english he said Orange juice please,she smiled and nodded okay and went to fetch the juice,we both scratched are heads at that.

[Sigurris]

I am getting to the stage where I can hold a reasonable conversation and read enough to understand the basics. Wherever I go I always try to speak Thai to waiters, shop assistants etc. And, in the main, if I am alone they understand me. However, if I go out to dinner with a woman everything changes. I speak thai they look at her and say, " Allai na?" She will repeat exactly what I say and they understand perfectly. Now though, I say in Thai, "Don't look at her, look at me. Listen and you will understand I am speaking Thai to you". Once this little dance is over I then repeat what I have said before and they understand me.

I am wondering if this little dance will ever change if I am with a Thai woman?

And before you ask, it happens in Pattaya where there are loads of Westerners as well as in Esarn where there are very few.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Sigurris

[eeeya]

Since learning thai I've found that I have become a walking english / thai dictionary for thai people wanting me to translate a word for them

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[marko kok prong]

I am getting to the stage where I can hold a reasonable conversation and read enough to understand the basics. Wherever I go I always try to speak Thai to waiters, shop assistants etc. And, in the main, if I am alone they understand me. However, if I go out to dinner with a woman everything changes. I speak thai they look at her and say, " Allai na?" She will repeat exactly what I say and they understand perfectly. Now though, I say in Thai, "Don't look at her, look at me. Listen and you will understand I am speaking Thai to you". Once this little dance is over I then repeat what I have said before and they understand me.

I am wondering if this little dance will ever change if I am with a Thai woman?

And before you ask, it happens in Pattaya where there are loads of Westerners as well as in Esarn where there are very few.

I know exactly how you feel,i speak to people in the village on my own and they generally understand me,if i am with my wife however they will generally look at her,or she feels compelled to repeat what i have just said,i used to get a little bit annoyed about it,but she is only trying to help,and life is to short to worry about such things.

[Lancelot]

Some times I'm fluent and some times the locals can't understand my pronunciation of "Sawasdee krab!" 555

Seriously, I usually speak Thai with the locals; however, in the tourist areas they often don't understand a single word- because they are listening for English. Or they simply blow me off, refusing to speak Thai with me. In those situations I do one of two things: 1) walk away; or 2) Smile and use the most complicated English vocabulary and grammer I can muster. Now who's your Daddy? 555!

Out side the tourist ghettos I am usually understood and often receive the compliment that my Thai is clear

[happysoul]

@ Marco : I experience also the same. Alone, no problems. With my wife, she must repeat what I said (frequently with the same words), than the third persons answers to us and I behave the same as he did, like I didn't get a word. My wife repeats what he said (also often with the same words unless it was very accurate and complicated Thai) to me, and I answer her. And so it goes on...

@ Lancelot : not me 5555. Yeah, big difference between touristic places and not. Sometimes when back in touristic places I wish I couldn't understand Thai anymore ))

[NancyL]

Yes, I've had the experience were I wish Thai people would just slow down and speak proper Thai and then I would be able to carry on a conversation with them. Since I live in Chiang Mai, I suspect that when this happens, the people may not be capable of speaking proper Thai. I don't have this problem when I'm interacting with staff at a hospital or government office, just in shops, restaurants, songthaews or with tradespeople who come to do work in our condo. I ask them to slow down or use different vocabulary and it doesn't help. They just keep repeating the word I don't understand.

Conversely, when I'm in Bangkok I can understand just about everyone. It's really refreshing. For one thing, people in Bangkok speak more slowly than they do here in the north.

Edited May 14, 2014 by NancyL