Thai Words for Colors

Before I go over more about those 21 consonant sounds in Thai I would like to take a break by talking about learning how to say different colors in Thai.

In Thai language we have noun, adjective, adverb, and etc. just like in English, but when we’re talking about “Adjectives in English”, adjectives nearly always appear immediately before the noun or noun phrase that they modify which is opposite of the Adjective in Thai language.

For example
Color = see (สี)
White = khaao (ขาว)
There is will be “white color” = see khaao (สีขาว)

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Learning Thai Consonants

Hi everyone,
I’m so excited for my first Thai lesson post. Today I want to talk about Thai language from scratch so I picked “Thai consonants” to start with.

Like we all know that the English language contains 24 consonants, but in Thai language we have 44 consonants total. Hmm…just 20 more for you to remember hahaha…

I remember when I was a kid (5-6 years old) and I have to learn the 44 consonants. The teacher would have a song for all those consonants, a huge chart of 44 consonants and the pictures of anything at all that those consonants refer to.

So the kids would have it stuck in their memory to remember all those consonants up until they get old (something like that). Like in English we have “A” refer to an “Apple” and will have apple picture beside.

Alright let’s have a look…

ก this consonant call “gaaw gai” / ไก่ (gai) means chicken
ข this consonant call “khaaw khai” / ไข่ (khai) means egg
ฃ this consonant call “khaaw khuaat” / ขวด (khuaat) means bottle
ค this consonant call “khaaw khwaay”/ ควาย (khwaay) means water buffalo
ฅ this consonant call “khaaw khohn”/ ฅน (khohn) means person, human being
ฆ this consonant call “khaaw ra-khang”/ ระฆัง (ra- khaang) means a large bell
ง this consonant call “ngaaw nguu”/ งู (nguu) means snake
จ this consonant call “jaaw jaan”/ จาน (jaan) means plate, dish
ฉ this consonant call “chaaw ching”/ ฉิ่ง (ching) means small cymbal used in East and Southeast Asian music
ช this consonant call “chaaw chaang”/ ช้าง (chaang) means elephant
ซ this consonant call “saaw soh”/ โซ่ (soh) means chain
ฌ this consonant call “chaaw chuuhr”/ เฌอ (chuur) means small tree or bush
ญ this consonant call “yaaw ying”/ หญิง (ying) means woman, women
ฎ this consonant call “daaw cha-daa”/ ชฎา (cha-daa) means hat used in Thai classical dancing
ฏ this consonant call “dtaaw bpa-dtak”/ ปฏัก (bpa-dtak) means harpoon, spear, javelin
ฐ this consonant call “thaaw thaan” / ฐาน (thaan) means base, ground, platform
ฑ this consonant call “thaaw mohn thoh”/ มณโฑ (mohn thoh) means a character in the Ramanyana epic(the wife of a giant)
ฒ this consonant call “thaaw phuu thao” / ผู้เฒ่า (phuu thao) means elder, respected old and wise person
ณ this consonant call “naaw naehn” / เณร (naehn) means buddhist novice or monk [typically] below the age of twenty
ด this consonant call “daaw dek” / เด็ก (dek) means child
ต this consonant call “dtaaw dtao” / เต่า (dtao) means turtle
ถ this consonant call “thaaw thoong” / ถุง (thoong) means bag, pouch
ท this consonant call “thaaw tha-haan” / ทหาร (tha-haan) means soldier
ธ this consonant call “thaaw thohng” / ธง (thohng) means flag
น this consonant call “naaw nuu” / หนู (nuu) mouse, mice, rat
บ this consonant call “baaw bai maai” / ใบไม้ (bai maai) means leaf of the tree
ป this consonant call “bpaaw bplaa” / ปลา (bplaa) means fish
ผ this consonant call “phaaw pheung” / ผึ้ง (pheung) means bee
ฝ this consonant call “faaw faa” / ฝา (faa) means lid or cover of a pot or bowl, cap
พ this consonant call “phaaw phaan” / พาน (phaan) means tray on which items are offered to a Buddhist monk
ฟ this consonant call “faaw fun” / ฟัน (fun) means tooth
ภ this consonant call “phaaw sam phao” / สำเภา (sam phao) means [certain type of] small sailing vessel used in Asia and Southeast Asia, junk, argosy
ม this consonant call “maaw maa” / ม้า (maa) means horse
ย this consonant call “yaaw yak” / ยักษ์ (yak) means [a character from the Ramayana epic, a] giant [or] demon
ร this consonant call “raaw reuua” / เรือ (reuua) means boat, ship, barge, vessel
ล this consonant call “law ling” / ลิง (ling) means monkey
ว this consonant call “waaw waaen” / แหวน (waaen) mean ring (worn on the finger)
ศ this consonant call “saaw saa laa” / ศาลา (saa laa) means Thai-style pavilion; open-air gazebo
ษ this consonant call “saaw baaw reuu see” / ฤาษี (reuu see) means ascetic; meditating recluse or hermit
ส this consonant call “saaw seuua” / เสือ (seuua) means tiger
ห this consonant call “haaw heep” / หีบ (heep) means chest, wooden box, trunk
ฬ this consonant call “laaw joo laa” / จุฬา (joo laa) means the male kite
อ this consonant call “aaw aang” / อ่าง (aang) means bowl, bathtub, sink
ฮ this consonant call “haaw nohk huuk” / นกฮูก (nohk huuk) means oriental barn owl

Even though Thai language contains 44 consonants it has only 21 sounds because some of the consonants will have the sound exactly the same as some other consonants. And some of the consonants we rarely see or use anymore.

I will talk more about it in the next post…

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About Thai Language and Relationships

I’ve just gotten some really good news from one of my friends in Thailand. We had a long conversation on last Monday and I saw the pictures of her with a young cute guy. So next thing I found out was that she’s just gotten married with a guy from Switzerland, that was the cute young guy! She and I have known each other for years and years from Bangkok Nursing Home hospital (BNH), where we worked before.

The actual wedding ceremony will take place in Thailand next year. In the mean time, while they’re waiting they have to start the visa process for her to go to Switzerland.

I don’t want to think about it at all…I’ve been through this situation before myself and I know it hurts and is really painful when you have to stay away from your loved one. I feel really sorry and understand her feeling completely.

Internet and phone call are the most important way for them to use and keep their relationship going while they are apart. The choices are cut back to less choices if the Thai girl can not speak English clearly enough for the native speaker to understand. So that would make it really difficult for you to talk on the phone.

This problem happened to me long time ago, and I don’t remember when and how many times I need to ask my sweet husband to learn Thai again and again. It’s just because sometimes I feel that it’s unfair to be the one that learns English and talk to him. Ok, he said he tried to learn Thai language (but just for the common words and enough to understand when somebody tries to talk about him). He actually tried for me about couple days or so and then he just has no interest after all.

My idea is that the couples should learn to understand each other. That means they both need to learn each others language. I realized that I should do something about it. So what I am going to do is I will try to post Thai phrases on Thailandmusings.com 2-3 times a week. I don’t know that will help much at all but at least the lovers who have to suffer with the language barrier can use some of the phrases in my posts to communicate. I would be really happy if my posts will help them in their communication (at least some).

So please look forward on my posts on Thai Language coming soon…

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Introduction to Songkran

The word “Songkran” originally comes from the Sanskrit language and means “move into”, referring to the orbit of the sun moving into Aries. It marks the end of a year long cycle and is the beginning of the new solar year. Thus Songkran is the Thai New Year celebration.

The Songkran celebration is notably the Kingdom’s most fun filled (sanuk) festival and is celebrated nation wide each year. The holiday is 3 days long from April 13-15, but in many parts of Thailand it is celebrated for much of the month of April.

Most of the world recognizes Songkran as a fun filled time when people of all ages (but especially children and young adults) flock to the streets to shower each other with water. This refreshing solution to beating the April heat in Thailand ranges from harmless water pistols and splashing to bottles, buckets and water cannons delivering a soaking deluge of water to the unwary. However, many may not know that there is a deeper significance to Songkran.

Obviously as a New Year celebration Songkran is a time for new beginnings, and it is also considered to be a time for thanksgiving. It is a time for people to reflect on acts of thoughtfulness and kindness that they have experienced and to consider how these acts bring peace, happiness and well-being. It is also a time for reunions and most Thai’s return to their family homes to renew family ties.

Songkran embodies the traditional Thai cultural values and the underlying significance of Songkran is the process of purification and cleansing. This is a cleansing of all evils, ills and misfortunes that may have occurred and starting the New Year fresh with all the is good and pure. Water is symbolic of the cleaning process and signifies purity.

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Songkran is Coming Soon

I just finished the long conversation with my mom on the phone a few minutes ago. She said around where my hometown is (Tak province), it is so freaking hot! Yesterday it was 40 Celsius and today’s around 39 Celsius, hmm…just almost 40. Well I have to convert to Fahrenheit because now I’m not that used to Celsius system much. OMG…40 Celsius = 102.2 Fahrenheit.

Extremely hot in Thailand like this makes me think about the very important holiday for Thai people known as “Songkran”, that is coming soon. Songkran festival was the Thai New Year in the past before they moved into international day January 1st like anywhere else in the world. Songkran was specifically on the Thai calender on April 13th – 15th every year.

Most people they knew the symbol of this tradition just for splashing water on others. Not many of them know about the most significant activities is all about to do good things like offering food to the monks, releasing birds and fishes, donating, visiting and paying respects to elders, family members, friends and neighbors. It shows about spirit, love, and care between family members together.

So many residents who are living in Bangkok, will go back to their hometown to celebrate with their families. So that’s why Thai government has set on April 14th every year to be family day in Thailand. Let say it is just like Christmas Day for American people I think.

Water has been a representation for Songkran, against the hotness from the weather. The splashing of water originated as a way to pay respect, ask for blessing or apologize to an elderly person about an insult. This will be done by gently pouring a small amount of lustral water on the elderly hands or over a shoulder as a sign of respect we call “Rod Nam Dam Hua”. But for young people mostly will be splashing water, we call “Sard Nam” and this has further evolved into water fights and splashing water over people riding in vehicles.

Usually for me I wouldn’t go back to Tak on this season because it will be so frustrated situation with a thousand of people at the bus station or any of transportation service. I always told my parents I would be happy to go back anytime at all but not on Songkran. So anyone of you please keep in mind if you want to travel somewhere for Songkran, just need to go like a week or two weeks ahead and also make a reservation first. So I prefer to stay in Bkk because no need to worry about traffic at all. Well, except for some places in Bkk where they’re going to celebrate like Kao Sarn Rd., Silom Rd., and Sukhumvit area, traffic can be worse.

You can get more information about “Songkran” here at Songkran.net and then you will get some idea Songkran this year where in Thailand I want to go!

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