How YOU learned to speak Thai Language?

[sawadee1947]

Hi

since I arrived here in Thailand 3 years ago I always were considering to learn Thai. At present I feel it's time to start. However sometimes I think I'm too old for that (I'm 68y now) What are my chances to be successful?

What are your experience? And how you learned Thai? And if so you are able to read and write? How long did it take?

Where did you learn in Chiang Mai?

I appreciate serious answers.

Cheers

[NickJ]

I know not how to do it. By listening and copying any ex-bar girl........Never ceases to amaze be hearing a guy speak his version on half english mixed with half barthai....takes 20 IQ points off the top.

[georgemandm]

Hi op not much help on here for you but I know Chiang Mai has a school for you to lean thai just look on google.

I have been leaning thai now for 6 years of and on but you need to try and lean to read a bite of thai not so much to write thai .

I think I am ok with my thai and have been told so by thai people , you need some thai apps on your phone and I do a lot now on YouTube and if you what some advice just message me and I can help you but you are never ever to old to lean anything let alone to talk thai it is not that hard but at the start you will find it very , very hard but keep at it like I did and you will lean all the best cheers

[jspill]

At first spoke to bargirls, dating site girls, taxi drivers, anyone not shy to use a broken Thai-English style with me. Did the 30 lesson audio course on Pimsleur, read Thai for beginners, the orange book everyone reads. Benjawan Poomswan Becker or whoever.

Then made a friend on a dating site and sent 6000 messages back and forth. At first I'd type the English word by word in Thai2English.com and copy paste the translation trying to remember it. Then later I'd force myself to type it out myself in Thai, it'd take an agonising 5 minutes per sentence just trying to find the characters on the keyboard. Eventually got faster.

[FritsSikkink]

learn how to read, helps you a lot. private lessons at a school about 4 times a week and listen to Thai people a lot

[evadgib]

I'm dyslexic enough in English. Whenever I tried Thai I was like the enigma before Alan Turing cracked it!

[jspill]

In some ways Thai is easier to read, try explaining to an Alien why 'circle' has two C's but they sound different, how 'stomach' and 'attach' both end in 'CH' yet sound different...

Once you've learnt the 44 consonants and 22 vowels or whatever it is (can't even remember, you don't need them all many are obsolete) it's a bit more consistent than English

Only mildly annoying they have about 3 characters for 'T', several for 'K', and a few others

[Neeranam]

Immersion.

Never got a Thai gf or wife that spoke English.

I learned to read in 1 month - 1 page a day of an AUA book which took 1/2 hour.

Anyone can learn to read - it's easy and the best way to learn new words.

Never been to any school.

[Thongkorn]

I learned the hard way . I lived in the Jungles of South Thailand learned the basics, like please and thankyou. Water, food, day, night, you just go from there,

[allane]

I carried a notebook to help me remember and learn vocabulary. After I had enough to start speaking in sentences, I took a few lessons to help my pronunciation. Then I had some friends teach me to read.

Do: - learn from Thais, not from foreigners, unless you have found a foreigner who is very good.

- learn the correct way to read romanized Thai. Start by realizing that it is a generalized system intended to be equally suitable (or equally unsuitable ?) for speakers of all foreign languages; it is not a transliteration of Thai to English.

- take every opportunity to speak with any Thai about anything.

Don't spend all of your time sitting on your bar stool, talking to all of the other farangs sitting on theirs. You can do that for years, and at the end you will have learned almost nothing.

[Naam]

learning Thai is rather easy. i know a little 4 year old girl who speaks Thai

[sipi]

Beyond numbers and the basics I give up. A full flight conversation to me sounds like " cuppety cuppety cuppety cuppety..."

[FritsSikkink]

Immersion.

Never got a Thai gf or wife that spoke English.

I learned to read in 1 month - 1 page a day of an AUA book which took 1/2 hour.

Anyone can learn to read - it's easy and the best way to learn new words.

Never been to any school.

you know the characters in 1 month, doesn't mean you can read a newspaper because you don't know the words in a sentence

[kandi]

You certainly don't need private lessons to learn Thai. Sign up for a language school that teaches Thai and try to use what you have learned in your everyday life (taxis, cashiers, markets, friends, ...).

It may take a bit longer than it does for a 25 years old but 68 is still an age where you can learn it. In my Thai course, there're plenty of foreigners at that age who get along just fine.

If you start learning Thai, please get rid of the romanization bullshit as quickly as you can. Learn the real Thai alphabet. It not only makes life a lot easier (and more interesting) but you'll also end up pronouncing the words correctly. Which comes as no surprise if you look at the way the Thai alphabet has been romanized. I mean, why the hell do they use a "k" for ก instead of a "g" (as in "game") which is far closer to the original sound? Try asking for "kai" (which is how they romanize ไก่, chicken) in a restaurant. You'll probably end up getting an egg instead if you pronounce the "k" the English way.

So, start out the proper way and learn the alphabet. It's really not a big deal, you can learn it in less than a month. And don't forget: Learning a language takes time. Don't expect you'll be fluent in a year.

[kandi]

Well, what can I say... Better get used to it, this certainly won't be the last time. As others already said, adding charges wherever they can is common practise in private Thai hospitals. And it doesn't only happen to foreigners, Thais regularly end up in deep debt because they have to pay their gigantic hospital bills. The Bangkok Post had a very interesting article a few weeks back in Spectrum, but unfortunately I'm not allowed to link it here.

Regarding your other question: Every patient in a Thai hospital has the right to refuse treatment (including consultation). You're free to go whenever you feel like it. However, if you don't have some medical knowledge yourself, it's difficult to tell if the doctor is prescribing you a treatment for a reason or simply to increase the hospital's profits. With serious issues, better be safe than sorry.

What worries me even more than the 45 seconds of consultation is the antibiotics. Thai hospitals and pharmacies give out antibiotics as if they were candy, even for viruses where no antibiotic in the world has any effect at all. The only thing it does in these cases is that it makes bacteria becoming resistent against antibiotics. Read this:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs194/en/

[northernjohn]

There has been some good information passed on to you. Just remember it was what worked for them. We are not all the same. I took a course at AUA when I first got here and got left in the dust. I had been here about a week and took the introductory course. There was about 9 in the class all of them had lived here for a year and some of them had taken the class before. Even though it was an introductory class they were trying to teach me grammar which was my worst subject in America only they were doing it in Thai. I lasted two weeks and they converted my time to a lot less but it was private rather than class.

I later took it with an instructor who came to the house one on one. She was a great help but I am a very slow learner. It helped me in that the wife was here and I could make a joke with what I was learning. It was a two hour course. I have thought of taking it again one on one. I can say the basics not very well either and I can count in Thai. A lot of posters here have said learning to read it is a big help. I have heard that from many others also.

One other thing that helps me is when I am trying to learn a word I have the wife look right at me so I can see how her lips and tongue move. I am 73 and I find it hard to remember the words I did know so I have to practice with them.

Good Luck

I had to correct spelling. So I thought I might mention that my one on one. Made me learn the 9 main vowels and several words that have an an h in them before we got into other things. She also made me use all 5 tones. They really didn't help me as I am just about deaf in one ear and the other one is so so. At a guess I would say it was 10 hours before we opened the book.

Edited July 19, 2015 by northernjohn

[landtrout]

Hi op not much help on here for you but I know Chiang Mai has a school for you to lean thai just look on google.

I have been leaning thai now for 6 years of and on but you need to try and lean to read a bite of thai not so much to write thai .

I think I am ok with my thai and have been told so by thai people , you need some thai apps on your phone and I do a lot now on YouTube and if you what some advice just message me and I can help you but you are never ever to old to lean anything let alone to talk thai it is not that hard but at the start you will find it very , very hard but keep at it like I did and you will lean all the best cheers

I gather that the OP's native tongue is English, so that is where he'd be starting from. Clearly, you're coming from some place else entirely.

Seeing as how you've been so successful in your efforts to learn Thai, I'm curious as to what your native language is?

[geronimo]

Hi op not much help on here for you but I know Chiang Mai has a school for you to lean thai just look on google.

I have been leaning thai now for 6 years of and on but you need to try and lean to read a bite of thai not so much to write thai .

I think I am ok with my thai and have been told so by thai people , you need some thai apps on your phone and I do a lot now on YouTube and if you what some advice just message me and I can help you but you are never ever to old to lean anything let alone to talk thai it is not that hard but at the start you will find it very , very hard but keep at it like I did and you will lean all the best cheers

Great! Now you can lean English as well then!

[HeijoshinCool]

Where did you learn in Chiang Mai?

Signed up in Chiang Mai at the local university for a one year course, back in 2010. They closed the school three weeks later and refused to refund the tuition, so I stubbornly taught myself.

In fact, I used the skinny text book from that course, one I ended up paying 30,000 baht for.

Then I watched suffered through a lot of Thai TV, then Thai movies with English subtitles, finally, English movies with Thai subtitles.

Now I'm back in the States (where most everyone is speaking either Spanish or Ebonics), living in a hotel filled with Chinese tourists.

[Hummingbird]

I am older than you. Thai is a difficult language but if you want to learn it is very possible. I found a wonderful school that is not expensive. The teachers are awesome and the classes are fun. Easy Study Thai, 3rd floor, Pantip Plaza. Each class runs for a month and you meet some very interesting students as well. I first started with the speaking only classes so I could learn the rhythm of the language plus some vocabulary and basic grammar. After several months I started the two month reading and writing course. At that point I had some familiarity with the language - understood sounds and tones and basic vocabulary. You have a choice with the textbooks to learn speaking using only Thai script or phonetics or both. I chose phonetics as I felt that everything all at once would be too much for me to remember. Am glad I did it that way. If I was younger I would have started with Thai script only but now I would have been overwhelmed and discouraged, simply because the brain is slower. I watched students who began school in the reading/writing class (aged 40-50+), who had no Thai, and it was more difficult for them. Since it takes a little longer to learn and retain as we age, I would suggest learning to speak a little first. I asked several students who started with just reading and they said they wished they would have taken a few classes in speaking first. Switch over to learning to read and write as soon as you're comfortable as it will help you with your pronunciation immensely. I am very happy with the school and the teachers. Three days a week for two hours each. That way you have time on your own to study and practice. They also give private lessons which are very reasonably priced. I went to several schools in Chiang Mai and this is the best for me by far. Don't be afraid to get out with the locals and say just a few words. Most Thai are very receptive and will try to help.

Paiboon has some really good apps if you have an IPod of IPhone. I bought an inexpensive used IPod just for my language learning and apps. Their dictionary is the best even though it is a little expensive. Well worth the investment. They just released a new app that is awesome - Talking Thai Phrasebook. Well worth the money also. The more you practice the better your self confidence. Plus it is just fun! Good luck!

[Dante99]

Got to train your ear. Get some simple conversations, audio that you can play 24/7 until you learn the patterns and tones without thinking about it. Okay, not 24/7 but at least 4 hours a day, background for whatever you are doing.

[chingmai331]

OP wants to speak Thai. Not read or write. Many locals can speak perfect conversational Thai but cannot read.

My advice: get a device, smartphone maybe, small digital recorder, tape recorder (nearly obsolete) which can record the sounds of native speaker and repeat again and again. Find a local teacher to teach you the sounds and words of daily life <how much money? where's the toilet? big red car, might rain today, etc.> Practice till good enough to use the word, phrase and then out you go , into the world of thainess.

Yeah, can use pencil to jot down sounds, as you hear them, but standard romanized thai is not available, to my knowledge. You must hear, differentiate the sounds and repeat till acceptable.

IMO, learning to read/write is counter-productive.

[FolkGuitar]

We took the basic course at AUA. It provided a wonderful foundation for learning to speak everyday Thai. The class was small, the teacher incredibly patient with us older folks, and very enjoyable. Recently, I've begun teaching myself to read Thai using the on-line lessons at http://j3.learnthaionline.com/ Very fast, very easy!

[FritsSikkink]

OP wants to speak Thai. Not read or write. Many locals can speak perfect conversational Thai but cannot read.

IMO, learning to read/write is counter-productive.

the Thais who can't read don't speak proper Thai. Your ears aren't used to hear the subtle differences in tone which would result in a completely different word. when you can read (writing not neccesary) you will know the difference

[FritsSikkink]

OP wants to speak Thai. Not read or write. Many locals can speak perfect conversational Thai but cannot read.

IMO, learning to read/write is counter-productive.

the Thais who can't read don't speak proper Thai. Your ears aren't used to hear the subtle differences in tone which would result in a completely different word. when you can read (writing not neccesary) you will know the difference

your nickname is a good example of not hearing the right tone

[pgrahmm]

Some have talent for languages some do not....Although I can sing so can mimic and pronounce well enough......

Forced to take languages in school - could not get it down....

I'm in the some have no talent for languages category.....

Edited July 20, 2015 by pgrahmm

[NancyL]

Some may not have a "talent" for spoken language, but perhaps for other forms. I discovered that I can remember vocabulary easily, esp. once I learned to read Thai. And my writing and spelling improved once I learned to the Thai keyboard -- which, like the Thai alphabet and spelling, makes more sense than the English language keyboard. I'm a good typist and once I learn the Thai keyboard (because I wanted to be able to send emails and do my homework on the computer), I discovered I could remember how to spell Thai words much better. In fact, many words, I can't remember how to spell if I'm writing them, but I can when I type them.

I went thru all the classes at the YMCA -- mostly because the price and class schedule was good and it was close to home. The fact they stick with a Romanized alphabet drove me nuts and I supplemented with private tutoring in the higher levels to learn the Thai alphabet privately. After I ran out of classes at the Y, I set out with "semi-private lessons" with a couple friends from the Y classes and a favorite teacher. That went on for a couple years until she got married and then a couple more years with a different private tutor. The key message is to don't stop trying. It takes hours and hours of work. I've learned so much about Thai history and culture by reading the same books Thai people read in school. It's been very eye-opening.

[LarryBird]

Everyone is going to have different things that work for them. The most important thing, is that you DO SOMETHING. I don't understand the need for spending much on classes or tutors, to be honest.. The Benjawan Poomsan Becker resources are all great. The ANKI flash card system is excellent, and free, unless you want to use it on your iPhone. Anki, Poomsan Becker books are all much better value, and a more efficient use of your time than going to a classroom.

If you have a thai friend that will help you, you can also make audio recordings, that you can listen to while you drive, etc. Poomsan Becker also has multiple audio cd's which are great for playing along.

In my opinion, for beginners/intermediate, reading and writing, is completely unnecessary, and I don't see why people are always so quick to push it. Reading and writing is good for showing off, but not imperative. That said, if you have free time in the day, and want to, it's not rocket science. 6 year olds learn how to do it, right?

[northernjohn]

OP wants to speak Thai. Not read or write. Many locals can speak perfect conversational Thai but cannot read.

IMO, learning to read/write is counter-productive.

the Thais who can't read don't speak proper Thai. Your ears aren't used to hear the subtle differences in tone which would result in a completely different word. when you can read (writing not neccesary) you will know the difference

You are very correct about the tones. If you are like me and hearing not great they are hard to learn because you don't hear them that good to begin with. I am under the understanding that only 20% of the words use different tones and some of them can use all 5 tones.

It has been my experience limited as it is that most Thais can not understand what you are saying some times even though it should be obvious in the context you are using it.

[Ozziepat]

You didn't mention whether or not you are already multi-lingual, or whether you enjoy learning challenges or just tolerate them. Yes, without question you can learn to speak Thai, to some extent, at age 68. Other factors may be more important in determining how well you learn and how quickly. My advice from the lofty perch of age 71: Don't take it too seriously and agonize over your rate of progress, maintain a comfortable pace but keep at it, and don't be afraid to screw up.