Where to start. The Thai language is a tonal system. This translates as one word with different accents has many meanings. The equivalent and easiest example is "Green House" and "Greenhouse" although the both sound similar their meanings are different. The Thai language is always like this. To avoid errors one should listen carefully. Learning resources are easy to find except in "Thailand".
Helping Verbs
JAA = will, shall
YAHK = would like to, should like to
KOO-UHN = should
AHT-JAA = may
DY= can
Verbs can be made negative by using "MY" before them
Adjectives and adverbs may be made comparative by adding GWAH after
the Adjective or Adverb.
DEE = good
DEE GWAH = better
REH-OH = fast
REH-OH GWAH = Faster
The superlative degree is formed by using "TEE SOOT"
after the adjective.
DEE = good
DEE GWAH = better
DEE TEE SOOT = best
REH-OH = fast
REH-OH GWAH = faster
REE-OH TEE SOOT = fastest
To illustrate, some working examples
KWY BPEHN SAHT YAI = The buffalo is a big animal.
CHAHNG YAI GWAH KWY = The elephant is bigger than the buffalo.
BPLAH-WAHN BPEHN SAHT YAI TEE SOOT = The whale is the biggest (largest) animal.
Adverbs may be formed from adjectives by repetition of the
adjectives:
KAANG RAANG, KAANG = strong
KAANG KAANG = strongly
BPY REH-OH REH-OH = go quickly
POOT CHAH CHAH = speak slowly
Adverbs of time may be formed by using "TOOK TOOK"
before a noun denouting time:
WAHN = day
TOOK TOOK WAHN = daily, each and every day
BPEE = year
TOOK TOOK BPEE = yearly, every year
Degrees of comparison for adverbs are much like those of for
adjectives:
PETER WEENG REH-OH GWAH JOHN = Peter runs more quickly than
John.
PETER WEENG REH-OH TEE SOOT NY TAHNG-MOHT = Peter runs most quickly of all.
The progressive (continuous) tense (or present tense) is formed
by using "GAHM-LAHNG" before the verb:
KOW GAHM-LAHNG KEE-UHN JOHT-MY YOO = he is writing a letter
The auxiliary verbs "do", "does",
"did" (TAHM) in interrogative setences are not necessary in Thai:
TAHN TAHM MAHN YAHNG-RY? = how did you do it?
TAHN MAH MEU-UH RY? = when did you come?
TAHN DTEE KOW TAHM MY? = why did you hit him?
Generally "REU" or "MY" both spoken with a
rising tone, is used to denote interrogation if another interrogative word is not
used:
TAHN MEE MEED MY? = have you a knife?
KOW BPY LAA-OH REU? = has he gone?
TAHN BPEHN BAH REU? = are you mad?
KOW GAHM-LAHNG NAWN YOO REU? = is he sleeping?
The subject of a sentence is often omitted, whenever the meaning is clear without the subject being expressed.
There are usually many ways of expressing a pronoun in Thai, depending on the relationship between the speakers or persons referred to.
A verb is not always necessary in a Thai sentence, if the meaning is clear without the verb being expressed. However, since a verb is usually the heart of a sentence in any language, verbs in Thai are ommited less often than the subjects.
Non-Verb, Predicate-Adjective, Construction:
he is not well = KOW MY SAH-BY = he not well.
that lady is very beautiful = SOO-PAHP-SAH-DTREE KOHN NAHN SOO-WAY MAHK = lady that person
beautiful very.
And just to cofuse you, answering and asking qusetions. In Thai, one usually answers the question according to the way it is asked; In English, one usually answers the question according to the facts involved.
English Q: You can't speak English?
English A: No, I can't.
Thai Q: KOON POOT PAH-SAH AHNG-GRIT MY DY REU KRAHP?
Literally: "you speak language English not can or not , sir?
Thai A: CHY, KRAHP.
Literally: "yes, sir" or "that's right, sir".
The answer is positive because the phrasing of the question was in agreement with the fact involved. The fact involved in this case is that "you can not speak English".
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