How did you become proficient at speaking Thai?

[connda]

If you are proficient at speaking Thai, how did you become proficient?

[Somsrisonphimai]

Practice makes perfect.

[bkkjames]

Years and years of taking in conversations between bar beer gals.

[David48]

I learnt all my Thai on a Barstool.

(only joking MissFarmGirl ... it was only 1/2 my Thai)

[David48]

Years and years of taking in conversations between bar beer gals.

Is that like reading Playboy for the Articles?

Sorry connda ... we have digressed already ...

[cornishcarlos]

I haven't become... Much to the frustration of all concerned

[robblok]

Still got a long way to go but enough to hold conversation. Unfortunately not too much time to go to a school. I learn from listening to some radio and watching tv plus talking to Thais (actually that helps the most). Once you are past a certain stage and you can follow part of the radio (not news) you will learn more and more from just listening.

I learned English at school but mostly from cartoons and tv series (all was in English with Dutch subtitles), learned most of my German from watching german movies and yes learned a bit at school.

For me listening and watching tv helps.. Thai soap operas however mind killing are a good source to learn some Thai. Some parts I can follow quite well and other parts not much.

[bkkjames]

Still got a long way to go but enough to hold conversation. Unfortunately not too much time to go to a school. I learn from listening to some radio and watching tv plus talking to Thais (actually that helps the most). Once you are past a certain stage and you can follow part of the radio (not news) you will learn more and more from just listening.

I learned English at school but mostly from cartoons and tv series (all was in English with Dutch subtitles), learned most of my German from watching german movies and yes learned a bit at school.

For me listening and watching tv helps.. Thai soap operas however mind killing are a good source to learn some Thai. Some parts I can follow quite well and other parts not much.

So you watch Thai soaps?

Sent from my LG-P970 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[krisb]

Still got a long way to go but enough to hold conversation. Unfortunately not too much time to go to a school. I learn from listening to some radio and watching tv plus talking to Thais (actually that helps the most). Once you are past a certain stage and you can follow part of the radio (not news) you will learn more and more from just listening.

I learned English at school but mostly from cartoons and tv series (all was in English with Dutch subtitles), learned most of my German from watching german movies and yes learned a bit at school.

For me listening and watching tv helps.. Thai soap operas however mind killing are a good source to learn some Thai. Some parts I can follow quite well and other parts not much.

So you watch Thai soaps?

Sent from my LG-P970 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yeah 'boing'! Is not a Thai word.

I've heard robblok speak Thai, he's not bad at all.

[BlackArtemis]

95% of all my friends are Thai and only a handful of them speak decent English.

My Ex has a masters in TESOL and she was able to explain a lot of more complicated subjects in English first as well.

I rarely watched Thai TV, but I liked some movies. Generally the music I like is still quite fast, but I try to use the lyrics to practice reading.

I would say that besides while I was working 90% of my interaction was done in Thai and even at work I would converse in Thai with colleagues.

On a side note, I talk toooooo damn much. Not being able to converse makes me feel like a boiling kettle. So I try to learn a language as fast as possible, even if it's just a vacation.

Moved back to the US and don't have Thai friends here. So I skype with friends back there.

I also have a Thai friendly account which I explicitly state where I am and I am only interested in practicing language. This has really improved my reading. However, 99% won't correct my Thai but rather just comment I am "good enough already". Which is more a statement on this country's level of effort...

[Morakot]

How did you become proficient at speaking Thai

Here a short list helping to achieve your aim in no time:

• Never venture into the Thai language section in this forum
• Always let the Thai spouse/ GF/BF do the talking when outside the house
• Firmly remain seated on your barstool in the local expat venue
• Refrain from taking interest in anything related to Thai culture
• Assure yourself that you're too old/ young, too poor/ rich for learning a new language

[ATF]

If you really want to learn Thai and learn it quickly it's easiest to learn it from a falung. I learned the basics from a Vietnam Vet and taught myself the rest from books.

Don't try to learn it from a bargirl unless you want to copy her accent. Listening really is the hardest part and don't let the Thais try to put you off which they like to do.

[CMHomeboy78]

Perseverance.

I was born without an apititude for learning languages, but I overcame it regarding Thai.

I love my family and my adoped country.

I was determined not to be an illiterate who couldn't speak the language.

[robblok]

Still got a long way to go but enough to hold conversation. Unfortunately not too much time to go to a school. I learn from listening to some radio and watching tv plus talking to Thais (actually that helps the most). Once you are past a certain stage and you can follow part of the radio (not news) you will learn more and more from just listening.

I learned English at school but mostly from cartoons and tv series (all was in English with Dutch subtitles), learned most of my German from watching german movies and yes learned a bit at school.

For me listening and watching tv helps.. Thai soap operas however mind killing are a good source to learn some Thai. Some parts I can follow quite well and other parts not much.

So you watch Thai soaps?

Sent from my LG-P970 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The GF does.. i just sometimes catch a bit of them if I have the time and try to follow parts of them then. But only for the language and often parts go way above my language skills while other times I can follow it well. Really depends

[samran]

learn the basics of reading and writing. It opens up a whole new world and a framework for you to hang new words and phrases off.

[garro]

Practice doesn't always make perfect. The main problem is that most of us try to speak Thai using an English vocal system. I've spent the last 13 years studying the language, but for a lot of that time I failed to make much progress. I also made the mistake of just going out there and speaking Thai, and in the end this just damaged my confidence and made me less willing to speak. Almost anyone can learn to speak Thai like a Thai, but we need to first train our vocal system to produce Thai words accurately. Native speakers don't have any extra organs in their throats, so this is something you definitely can do.

You could spend the next 13 years trying to learn Thai but not making much progress beyond the intermediate stage. That's what happened to me, and I suspect the vast majority of learners get stuck there. I strongly recommend you get the basics right. You can learn to speak Thai like a Thai - anyone can if they are willing to put in the effort and get the right type of help.

I'm in the middle of a six months quest to become fluent in Thai, and you can follow my progress if you want.

[robblok]

learn the basics of reading and writing. It opens up a whole new world and a framework for you to hang new words and phrases off.

I tried, (should try harder) but it was a bit hard to combine with the rest of my busy program. Its all about priorities and maybe I have set mine wrong. However I am going to give it an other try as I got all the study material here.

[HeijoshinCool]

I have a Rosetta Stone Thai, Level One, that I'll sell ya cheap!

Works quite well at getting a foundation.

[apiwan]

Took one word like pai ( go) then another duway ( together) pai Duway go together.

And progressed from there adding all the time.

Music is a great helper.

TV. Radio.

After many years most say I'm 85% there. Just got lazy last few years and can't be bothered anymore TBH.

If you wanna learn. You will

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[keestha]

Self study and practice. I just learned 10 new Thai words every day, kept rehearsing them, and avoided speaking English. Still regret I only learned the script several years later. You might look into downloading Fundamentals of the Thai language. It takes perseverance, but the effort certainly pays off. Those who do not actively study, remain stuck in a phase of speaking about 50 words that they picked up.

[Kwasaki]

Some people are good at learning laugages, I'm not good at it, I just cannot remember the different tones, I get by with basics.

IMO I'm not bothered with not learning it and I don't really want to understand or overhear all the gossip.

[laolover88]

In Bed

[CharlieH]

I find it more usefull in many situations NOT to speak Thai or let them know you can, you learn more about whats really going on that way.

[connda]

learn the basics of reading and writing. It opens up a whole new world and a framework for you to hang new words and phrases off.

At the moment, I read and write better than I speak. I can actually 'touch type' Thai on my computer.

But, understanding spoken Thai is my biggest problem. I listen to TV daily (as my wife watches), I listen to her conversations with other people, but I'm lucky if I pick up 10% of the spoken Thai. It just doesn't sink in with me. Very frustrating.

[connda]

In Bed

I have Thai for Lovers. Good book.

[connda]

I have a Rosetta Stone Thai, Level One, that I'll sell ya cheap!

Works quite well at getting a foundation.

I've got it already. Too basic at this point. I'm further along than that. But thanks for the offer.

[GuestHouse]

On the back of previous experience learning other languages I decided to start earning Thai on my very first day in Thailand, I recall very well learning to say thank you, count to ten and the words for water, pen, paper etc.

I tried four or five different language schools, but soon learned that they were offering lessons with women who were looking to meet foreign men ( Lessons were more a task of dodging invites to the movies or meals).

I ditched the local language schools and registered with AUA, the best move I made because the AUA gave me a very good foundation which when allied practice in the office and/or with any Thais I had a chance to speak to, resulted in a marked improvement in my rate of learning.

I followed the AUA with exchange lessons in a local school (me teaching English, in exchange for Thai lessons with a government school teacher), a course in Thai language at Burapha university and a spell spending my evenings translating letters and emails for a local translation service (That was an eye opener)

There after just practice and more practice.

The difficulty was never the language but finding a good teacher to build the foundations of understanding - I found the AUA's methods and text books where well structured, though with hindsight their use of an intermediary phonetic alphabet was I think unnecessary and a distraction from the real task of learning to read Thai script.

My advice to anyone intending to move to Thailand, start learning as soon as you arrive: Try to find a professional teacher who will give you a good solid grounding in the basics, practice, practice and practice ... And since you don't know any Thai when you arrive, I'd advise trying to learn an 'educated central Thai accent' but whatever you do, avoid learning and using Thai bad language. There is no reason to learn it, less reason to use it and no better way than to exclude yourself from acceptance that to use inappropriate language.

[samran]

learn the basics of reading and writing. It opens up a whole new world and a framework for you to hang new words and phrases off.

At the moment, I read and write better than I speak. I can actually 'touch type' Thai on my computer.

But, understanding spoken Thai is my biggest problem. I listen to TV daily (as my wife watches), I listen to her conversations with other people, but I'm lucky if I pick up 10% of the spoken Thai. It just doesn't sink in with me. Very frustrating.

Find a topic you are interested in and learn that particular vocab. You're a former copper aren't you? Perhaps something to do with that. Anything really, just as long as it interests you.

I grew up speaking Thai at home in OZ but it was only to a certain level. Got thrown in the deep end on economics. But it provided an excellent stepping stone in the language.

Also realise that most people you come across in life are lousy communicators. I used to get concerned that if I didn't understand them it was my fault. But it is actually the other way around. So bit by bit, ferret out those speakers who you understand best, and focus on them. I like watching the news and for instance I find Sorayuth's morning show in ch 3 good as he a good communicator.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[WhamBam]

I am not proficient in Thai but most Thai I did learn came from online dictionaries that speak many of the words and phrases. A set of headphones to listen to and repeat the words helped. Plus being corrected by the Thai person I was with at the time.

On the other hand, I had CDs on the laptop computer for Thai / English that my ex's used to use to learn more English.

[geronimo]

Total immersion for the first two years and then I hung around with Thais all the time. Worked for me!