Your Experiences Learning the Thai Language

Hey.

I on my second year of ED-Visa, For me i want to learn the Thai language as i plan to live for the rest of my live, hope +35 years total, So for me it is "Stupid" not to learn, or try learn some...

My reading skill is okay now for a beginner, but even so i can read, i donŽt know what the words mean, my Vocabulary is still to small at this time...And i can write okay all so..

I really want to learn more talking skill, to be able to conversion better with Thai people..

So iŽm change school later this year, to see if other school can help more on the speaking Thai...

I like that i can read the sign now, as i like to use bus, piggy cars and so on to explore on my own...

I find that Thai people er so happy if you try talk to them in Thai, even so you speak wrong, the kindly try to understand you, and try to correct you (Me) to say it right....

I find it open many "Doors" to try talking Thai, again this is for me...
I being lucky other place i live, some have kids that like to try speak English with me, and they try help me out on Thai...
I help them on some school English homework, and they help me on my homework, i was very fun and good for us all i think, but i have to move, That live...

And because the Thai in that area i live before see i try to learn Thai, learn about Thai, they invite me in there home and life...
I learn a lot about Thai people that year, and find out first hand, that many of the talk among Fa-Rang about Thai and how Thai are and so on, is wrong, Again wrong for me and what i see..
I do know we all see Thailand and Thai different...

My hope, one day i can speak Thai okay to fit in better....

Reading the language definitely helps. I can write it a little as well and that's been the most difficult aspect of the language for me.

Well I am over 60 and since December I have taught myself to read basic Thai.  I think its more about application than age.

My spoken Thai is not brilliant and often makes my Thai friends laugh, but their use of English also gives me a laugh too.

I think you have to give it a go, try reading first, it really makes sense of words that "appear" to sound the same but are actually spelled differently. This, depending on the class of consonant used, can also affects the tone of the word, for example the same word appears to be used for "want" and "difficult" but "yaak(english sound)"  is spelled differently and therefore sounds slightly different when spoken by a Thai speaker. 

Context helps too.

I can understand the element of social isolation you mention but I am not so sure they would get resolved in Malaysia or the Phillipines, two very different countries that present their own challenges outside of language to expats looking to settle.

I started with 90 hours of beginner speaking Thai, and am just finishing 90 hours of reading/writing.  For me, the speaking was/is difficult for two reasons: 1) I didn't force myself to practice speaking it with Thais as much as I should, and 2) Remembering the vocabulary, particularly the tones associated with the words, is really difficult.

When I started learning the reading/writing, it was much much easier for me.  For me, I'm much more of a "visual" learner, so it's easy for me to see, recognize and remember shapes than it is to remember a lot of words. The reading/writing has really helped with understanding and remembering the tones of the words though.

So while I'm still very much a beginner, and it's definitely frustrating at times, I'm very glad I've made the investment in learning it.  While I don't read and translate every sign I see, it's nice to know that I could if I really needed/wanted to. 

gjschroeder:
The idea about reading Thai signs is something I use myself. There are so many and it does increase your awareness about what is happening around you. Also nice to be able to read menus etc.

When I started this thread I hoped some of the numerous correspondents to this forum who puport to be in Thailand might respond since I am interested how others get on.

Thanks for your input by the way. You sound similar to me in your progress, I have a similar learnng style too.

I now have quite a decent Thai vocabulary and can understand a lot of what is said to me but making myself understood is still a trial which in turn leads to a lack of confidence ;-)

No need to hold back because you think you speak "wrong"

It is all about keep trying. And lucky Thai are very happy, proud when aliens try speak Thai, Many time the know what you (well me) trying to say, because even so 1-2 words are wrong, the others word that correct make it so, they understand you, and then they happy help you say the wrongs words correct, i never be to a country where they so helpful...

I have a hard time speaking Thai, but i "force" my self to keep trying, i ask in the bus, mini van, if it go to XXXXXXXX, even so i know it is the correct one, and ask again before i get of, only to keep practice..
At marked i go and ask for things, even so i know i not going to buy it and so on...

I all so read signs, and i can read a lot (well i think so) now, but i still donŽt know what it means, so i ask my Gf, sometime when alone, i take a picture, and look it up later at home...

At my GfŽs Dad birthday i stand up, and hold a small speak in Thai, only like 20-30 words, but her Dad all much got a tear in heŽs eye, because i try, Yes i say some words WRONG, but all understand what i was trying to say...


If anyone out there want to practice more, be sure to ask around you area, a lot of Thai like to try talk English because many of them only learn read and writing English in school, and not speaking..
And if you help them with English, they happy practice Thai with you..
Well i found some that like to...


1 tips for learn the Thai alphabet, write the consonants and vowels, i learn them very fast this way...

Well one day i hope the speaking part, be more "normal" for me..

To all out there, keep up the good work...

Kindly..

Never Done That.

Thanks for the encouragement. I agree with what you say about trying to speak as often as possible.

One problem I experience with strangers is that they seem to expect me to speak English when I speak to them (since I think they assume all non-Thai Westeners speak it). ;-)
I believe that they do not "hear" my mispronounced Thai but think its some starnge English dialect!

BTW I too photograph signs, its so easy with today's technology.

I notice on your profile you are Danish so well done for writing in English as well as Thai.