Easy Thai-English Cognate Dictionary: Learn Thai Fast!

The Original Thai-English Language Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool is loaded with entertaining easy Thai sample sentences and figurative + literal English translations that will quickly get you speaking the Thai language more like a native speaker and less like a tourist. Available now in paperback, eBook, and a workbook version for Thailand residents.

There are a lot of Thai Dictionaries and phrasebooks for sale for foreigners. Some are quite good; others not so good. But the drawback that most Thai-English dictionaries share is that they do not have sample sentences, thus they are not really good as tools for learning Thai. In other words, trying to learn Thai vocabulary without a sample sentence is like trying to remember a Thai recipe without making the dish.

Although there are few Thai language dictionaries that do have sample sentences, these tend to be littered with mistakes, both in the English and the Thai. So, unless your level of Thai is quite good, you are not going to pick up on the mistakes. Thus you could end up ingraining incorrect Thai language within your head, or as we say in linguistic circles, fossilizing bad habits.

The following is an excerpt from the introduction to this new easy Thai dictionary. Whether you are a tourist visiting Thailand, a Thailand expat, or a retiree thinking about moving to Thailand, you’ll want to include this book in your arsenal of Thai language books.

The Original Thai-English Language Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool is an essential supplementary resource for speaking, reading, and understanding the Thai language in the quickest possible time. Written for both beginners and intermediate learners, it is the first English-Thai loanword dictionary and learning tool. Over the years, the Thai people have adopted hundreds of English words into their language. For example, a common Thai word for a cook is gúk (กุ๊ก), which as you can see is pronounced much like the English word from which it is borrowed.

In this book, you’ll quickly learn the most commonly used English loan words, as well as Thai words that rhyme with, or sound similar to, their English counterpart or a related word. For example, the Thai word for bell is grìng (กริ่ง), which is similar to what a bell does: ring.

For the beginning student, these similar words make it much easier to dive into the Thai language without experiencing that common feeling that you’re drowning in a sea of strange sounds. Learning Thai becomes less intimidating and more fun. It also makes all those Thai words which aren’t similar sounding easier to remember.

With this book you’ll also learn how English words sometimes change when pronounced by Thai people. These differences are important to know when having conversations with new Thai friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. While some Thais do speak “standard” English, many others do not. Their non-standard pronunciation results from the fact that the Thai language has different sound rules and lacks certain English sounds. You will often hear this non-standard English when talking to Thais, but if you don’t know how they’ve changed the pronunciations, you often will not understand what they are saying.

The colloquial Thai sentences make this book a valuable tool for intermediate students. Humorous and useful examples are combined in equal measure, so that you can better communicate and enjoy the authentic sanúk (fun) Thai lifestyle. The loanword (cognate) vocabulary provides easy practice for students who are starting to read Thai, while the sample sentences offer excellent reading practice for those further along. In addition, useful language notes are provided covering areas such as grammar, pronunciation, and additional vocabulary, as well as valuable tips on speaking the Isaan dialect.

Lastly, this book will help all learners better recognize the ways in which many Thai words are formed. Minus the polysyllabic words adopted from foreign languages, Thai is a monosyllabic language. More complicated ideas/words are thus formed by putting together one syllable root words to form new words. For example, the Thai word for refrigerator dtôo-yen (ตู้เย็น) is formed by the words dtôo (cabinet) + yen (cool). When such words occur in this book, they are broken down for you. Paying attention to how these root words are put together will help you build your vocabulary even faster. When reading these break-downs, though, do be aware that Thai root words often have quite a few meanings depending how they are used in a sentence. From the range of potential meanings, only those best suited to the entry have been chosen.

“My Favorite Thai Language Book”: Read Our 5 Star Amazon Reviews

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Add 100s of Thai words to your working vocabulary in a week’s time with our easy Original Thai-English Language Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool.

Buy the PDF eBook version for only $3.99*

Buy the Trade Paperback edition from our Bookstore for $8.99

For Buyers in Thailand: Purchase the workbook version for only 225 baht. Contact us at living(at)livinghour.org to receive the ATM transfer details.

*All proceeds from book sales go to the development of lessons and course materials at the Ysaan Institute.

Learning Easy Thai: Teaching in Thailand

If you are teaching in Thailand and want to quickly add to your working Thai vocabulary, then the Original Thai-English Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool is an excellent easy Thai book from which to learn. The book and eBook are filled with hundreds of easy Thai-English loanwords, as well as English words that sound similar to the Thai word or a related Thai word.

The colloquial sample sentences are unlike the kind you find in other Thai language books and will get you talking more casually and naturally with your Thai students and Thai colleagues. Here are a few entries from this new Thai dictionary:

dictionary n. – ดิก – dìk
That’s not what it means. Where is the dictionary?
มัน ไม่ ได้ หมายความ ว่า อย่าง นั้น ดิก อยู่ ไหน
Man mâi dâi măi-khwahm wâh yàhng-nán. Dìk yòo năi*?
lit. it not does mean that like that, dictionary be where

*In the Isaan dialect the word săi (ไส) replaces năi (ไหน) in referring to where.

fluke n. – ฟลุก – flùk
You passed? That must have been a fluke.
สอบได้ หรอ มัน ต้อง ฟลุ๊ค แน่ๆ เลย
Sàwp-dâi lăw? Man dtâwng flúk nâe nâe leuy.
lit. pass* (question), it must fluke surely surely (emph.)

*pass (สอบได้) = sàwp (สอบ) test/examine + dâi (ได้) get/ receive

function n. – ฟังก์ชัน – fang-chan
I don’t have any teaching function. I’m just a token farang (Westerner).
ผม ไม่ มี ฟังก์ชัน* การสอน เป็น แค่ ฝรั่ง โชว์
Phŏm mâi mee fang-chan gahn-săwn, bpen khâe fà-ràng cho.
lit. I not have function teaching, am just farang show

*The symbol above the letter ก in ฟังก์ชัน is called mái-than-thá-khâht (ไม้ทัณฑฆาต). It means that the letter below it is not pronounced. It also means that the word has likely been adopted from another language.

lower v. – ลด – lót
Put your hand down.
ลด มือ ลง ซี
Lót meu long* see.
lit. lower hand down (urge)

*When the word long (ลง) is placed before the word for a vehicle, like a car or bus, it means to get out of it, since one steps down when exiting.

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Add 100s of easy Thai words to your working vocabulary in a week’s time with our Original Thai-English Language Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool.

Buy the PDF eBook version for only $3.99

Buy the Print Book from our Bookstore for $8.99

Or pick up the multi-platform eBook edition for your iPad, Palm Pilot, Sony Reader, Nook, iPhone, or other portable device by clicking on the following link:

Purchase: Thai-English Cognate Dictionary

Learning Easy Thai: At the Workplace

Learning Thai does not have to be hard or boring. At LivingHour.org we make learning Thai easy and fun. Our book The Original Thai-English Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool is especially helpful to expats working in Thailand who want to learn the Thai language quickly. In one week’s time you can expect to add hundreds of easy Thai words to your working vocabulary.

The cognates, loanwords, and similar sounding words featured in the book makes it easy to remember new Thai words. And the colloquial Thai sample sentences help you to speak Thai correctly. Here is a brief excerpt of a few entries from the book and eBook dealing with the Thai workplace and working with Thais.

decide v. – ตัดสินใจ – dtàt-sĭn-jai
Don’t look at me. It’s up to you to decide.
อย่า มอง นะ แล้วแต่ คุณ จะ ตัดสินใจ
Yàh mawng ná. Láeo-dtàe khun jà dtàt-sĭn-jai.
lit. don’t look (soften), up to you will decide*

*decide (ตัดสินใจ) = dtàt-sĭn (ตัดสิน) decide/judge + jai (ใจ) heart/mind

graphic n. – กราฟิก – grah-fík
We need to change the graphics on this.
ต้อง เปลี่ยน กราฟิก นี้
Dtâwng bplìan grah-fík née.
lit. must change graphic this*

*When you point to an object as being the thing that you want or are talking about, the word for this takes a falling tone: nêe (นี่).

office n. – ออฟฟิศ – àwf-fít
I’ll see what I can do. But the office is closed for a week.
ผม จะ ดู ว่า ทำ อะไร ได้ แต่ ออฟฟิศ ปิด หนึ่ง อาทิตย์
Phŏm jà doo wâh tham à-rai dâi dtàe àwf-fít bpìt nèung ah-thít*
lit. I will see that do what can but office closed one week

*Note that the word ah-thít (อาทิตย์), which above means week, literally means sun, and is used in the word for Sunday, which is wan-ah-thít (วันอาทิตย์).

plan n. – แผน – phaen
Do you know why your plan failed?
คุณ ทราบ มั้ย ครับ ทำไม แผน พลาด ไป
Khun sâhp* mái khráp, tham-mai phaen phlâht bpai?
lit. you know (question) (polite) why plan fail go

*Note that the word sâhp (ทราบ) is the formal word for know. In most situations the less formal róo (รู้) is fine to use.

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Add 100s of easy Thai words to your working vocabulary in a week’s time with our Original Thai-English Language Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool.

Buy the PDF eBook version for only $3.99

Buy the Print Book from our Bookstore for $8.99

Or pick up the multi-platform eBook edition for your iPad, Palm Pilot, Sony Reader, Nook, iPhone, or other portable device by clicking on the following link:

Purchase: Thai-English Cognate Dictionary

Learning Easy Thai Language: Emotions & Feelings

The following material dealing with the Thai language and the expression of emotions and feelings is excerpted from the new easy Thai language book and eBook The Original Thai/English Language Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool, which includes loanwords as well as similar sounding words to help you learn colloquial Thai in the quickest possible time. Within the book you’ll find hundreds of easy Thai sample sentences not included in any other Thai learning book. You will quickly and easily be better able to express your emotions and feelings with your Thai friends and colleagues.

love (think luck) v. – รัก – rák
He said it was love at first sight.
เขา บอก ว่า มัน เป็น รักแรกพบ
Kháo bàwk* wâh man bpen rák-râek-phóp.
lit. he say that it is love-first-meet

*The word wâh (ว่า) can also mean say/tell

angry adj. – โกรธ – gròt
I’m angry because there is no co-operation in this place.
ผม โกรธ เพราะ ที่นี่ ไม่ มี ความร่วมมือ สักนิด
Phǒm gròt práw thêe-nêe mâi mee khwahm-rûam-meu* sàk-nít.
lit. I angry because here not have cooperation* even a little

The word khwahm (ความ) is a prefix added to a verb or adjective to form an abstract noun. In this case, it is added to the verb cooperate rûam-meu (ร่วมมือ), which literally means join-hand, to form cooperation.

bitch (complain) v. – บ่น – bòn
Are you gonna keep bitchin’?
แก จะ บ่น ไป เรื่อย ป่ะ เนี่ย
Gae jà bòn bpai rêuay bpà* nîa
lit. you will go bitch always (question) (emph.)

*The word bpà (ป่ะ) is an informal question particle used in or not questions. It is commonly used by young Thais.

bored adj. – เบื่อ – bèua
What do you mean, you’re bored?
หมายความ ว่า ไง คุณ เบื่อ
Măi-khwahm wâh ngai khun bèua?
lit. means* that how you bored

*means (หมายความ) = măi (หมาย) mean/intend + khwahm (ความ) meaning/sense

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Add 100s of easy Thai words to your working vocabulary in a week’s time with our Original Thai-English Language Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool.

Buy the PDF eBook version for only $3.99

Buy the Print Book from our Bookstore for $8.99

Or pick up the eBook edition for your Palm Pilot, Sony Reader, Nook, iPhone, or other portable device by clicking on the following link:

Purchase: Thai-English Cognate Dictionary