LEARN TO SPEAK THAI AT HOME

Tips for Learning Thai

If you have never tried to learn a tonal language before (a tonal language requires the correct tone in your speech to determine the correct meaning) then Thai will introduce a new challenge for you. Learning Thai is not as hard as it first seems however and you'll find you get used to the tonal element fairly quickly if you persist.

Here are our tips to keep in mind as you learn Thai:

• Practice daily. Seriously. Your memory will respond more effectively.
• Pay real attention to the tone of the Thai speakers on any Thai audio CDs or DVD.
• Avoid newspapers and magazines in Thai. Headlines often ignore grammar rules.
• Don't worry if you don't pick things up quickly. Just keep going, it will happen!
• Use various Thai language learning materials. Variety will keep your attention high.
• Familiarise yourself with the look of Thai script. Even if you don't know what it means.
• Don't rely on Thai books alone. You need audio material to learn Thai.

Learning to speak Thai is a very rewarding experience and something to be proud of. And don't be afraid to show off your Thai language skills in front of your friends - you will have earned it!

Learn Thai with DVDs!

The Learn Thai DVD courses are a unique way to boost your retention of the Thai language. They are a great option when you want a break from listening to your Thai audio CDs or when learning Thai from course books.

Use the DVDs as a supplement to your other Thai language materials. While they are very useful when used alone they are more beneficial in supporting other texts and audio CDs.

Thai Language Facts

Here are some interesting facts about the Thai language you may not have known:

• Most Thai and Lao speakers can understand each other.
• The Thai language is spoken by over 65 million people.
• The word order is subject-verb-object, although the subject is often omitted.
• Thai language is spoken using 5 tones: low, middle, high, falling and rising.
• There are no variant or plural forms for adjectives and nouns.
• Adjectives follow the noun. In Thai you say 'car red' not 'red car'.
• There are no verb conjucations in Thai. Tenses are understood from the context or from adverbs of time.
• There are no articles (a, an, the) in the Thai language.
• There is no verb 'to be' with adjectives. 'She is beautiful' would be 'She beautiful'.
• If your tone is not correct you won't be easily understood, even if your pronunciation is otherwise perfect. Thai language course teachers stress this.

What does 'Farang' mean?

Farang simply means foreigner, typically of white European decent. Sometimes farang is used in a derogatory sense however for the most part it's just refers to tourists and other outsiders. You may also see it written and pronounced 'Falang' as the l and r sounds are often used interchangeably.

If you find yourself being referred to as a Farang there is no need to feel offended in the vast majority of cases. This is great since its probably the first Thai word you learned!

Learning Thai By Yourself

If you are going to learn Thai by yourself then one of the most important abilities you must have is to be able to motivate yourself. Learning Thai takes time so being able to set time aside and get the work done can be a challenge, especially if you haven't studied in a while. The Thai language requires prolonged focus so dicipline is also important.

If you can master these skills then learning Thai is certainly withing your reach. The Thai language products sold here at Farang Thai are amongst the best available and we often receive feedback from Thai language students who are using these materials with real success. You too will learn Thai if you take it seriously and dedicate the effort and time.

Setting goals may be tricky since it's hard to determine just how long it will take to reach Thai language milestones that you set. We all learn at different speeds which is why Thai courses that you attend with other students are not ideal. Work out your own pace and go with it.

One of the popular products for people learning Thai alone is our Beginners Learn Thai Bundle. If you aren't sure where to start we recommend this product as your jump off point.

Why Typical Thai Classes Don't Work

Most people tend to look for a course in their area when it comes to learning a new language. But if you have ever attended a course like this you probably realised it doesn't really work. Especially if it was a Thai language course.

The reason these courses fail is because of the various levels of understanding between the students (some always know some Thai to start with) and the fact the Thai instructor is trying to squeeze as much in as possible to give you value for money. While the intentions are good, the results are not. Then there is the classic 'around the room' listen and repeat exercise which is great for the teacher wanting to get everyone involved, however for you the student, you are just sitting there listening to other people mutilate the Thai accent and language as a whole. To top it off, there is always a little embarressment that your own Thai language skills may sound funny to the others in the class.

Many Thai language courses actually have most of the time spent listening to other students repeating random elements of spoken Thai - not the language teacher. How is this meant to help YOU at the end of the day?

Even if you still plan to attend a Thai language course, why not start in the right direction by grabbing some of the Thai materials on offer here at Farang thai, and be one of the smart kids who knows a thing or two before you start!