Thai words that are impossible to pronounce.

[MexicanFarang]

It's not the words, it's whether you hit the tones correctly.

I remember reading directly out of a Khmer phrase book and they understood everything I said, because Khmer has no tones...

[welsh1]

One other place name, and this is purely from memory, that I learned just to annoy people.

Llanfair­pwllgwyn­gyllgo­gery­chwyrn­drobwll­llanty­silio­gogo­goch.

I've been there.

Well, the Train Station!

Wales?

If you can speak Welsh, you want have any problems with pronunciation, with any other languages

[glegolo]

I gonna say this, and probably get all the community over me..... I am MORE than convinced that people born to speak english in some form, does have an enormous disadvantage to pronounce words from other languages.... I have seen this all my life, and it is sometimes laughable to hear english-spoken people try to speak spanish or thai or whatever......

Sorry about that... I know I make you sad, but that is the truth.... But gladly there are some exceptions amongst you guys luckily... So keep up your good work..

Glegolo

[Jaggg88]

One other place name, and this is purely from memory, that I learned just to annoy people.

Llanfair­pwllgwyn­gyllgo­gery­chwyrn­drobwll­llanty­silio­gogo­goch.

I've been there.

Well, the Train Station!

Wales?

Me too, last week travelling from Penmaenmawr to Gwalchmai lovely drive

[climbertrev1]

none whatsoever, most are quite easy to pronounce actually

Making the sounds is one thing making the correct ones is quite another.

ไม้ ใหม่ ไม่ ไหม้ มั้ย Transcribed into english something like;

maai (high tone) mai(low tone) mai(falling tone) mai (falling tone) mai(high tone)

and the real challenge isn't pronunciation of vowels and consonants, it is tone.

Incidently the above translates as : New wood doesn't burn, does it?

I have been working on tone for years now. Sometimes I can hear it clearly other times I still miss it. For me getting falling tone right consistently is a real challenge. But I will perservere I love the challenge of trying to master the Thai language.

If as a mature adult you want to get the pronunciation and tone right you probably have to learn to read and write Thai script. This is far easier than it first appears.

[climbertrev1]

The secret is learning the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA.) Renditions of Thai words without it, using only approximations of the sounds represented by standard consonants and vowels, cannot duplicate the correct pronunciation. For example, there is no "r" sound anywhere in the Thai word for hand.

No, the secret is becoming literate in Thai.

Thai is very regular, with very few exceptions.

I agree 100%. If you are literate in Thai script and that includes reading the tone correctly you will stand a chance of getting your spoken Thai correct.

[climbertrev1]

No such thing as impossible, just difficult.

Can anyone really distinguish between klai (near) and klai (far)?

Yes Thai people and some farang who have learnt to hear tone.

Also the first letter is a G sound not a K sound.

Glai (ไกล), far (mid tone) or Glai( ไกล้), near (falling tone)

The tone is of crucial importance in Thai.

[orpheus454]

No such thing as impossible, just difficult.

Can anyone really distinguish between klai (near) and klai (far)?

Yes Thai people and some farang who have learnt to hear tone.

Also the first letter is a G sound not a K sound.

Glai (ไกล), far (mid tone) or Glai( ไกล้), near (falling tone)

The tone is of crucial importance in Thai.

Yep, same consonant sounds and vowel sound, just a different tone.

If you can't remember which is which, imagine the words being projected from your mouth as you say them, and then being acted upon by gravity.

The one in the falling tone is going to hit the ground closer to you than the one expressed in the level tone, isn't it?