Thai-English Cognate Dictionary: Quick Vocabulary Builder

The Original Thai-English Language Cognate Dictionary & Learning Tool is loaded with entertaining 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 learning tools. 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.

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

The following is an excerpt from the introduction to this new 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.

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Add 100s of 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 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.

Colloquial Thai – Thai Slang Dictionary – Idioms

LivingHour.org is pleased to announce the publication of Learn Thai Language: Generation Next (Slang & Colloquial Talk). This fun and useful bi-lingual book is for all students of the Thai language who wish to better understand and communicate with Thailand’s younger generation. Not a dry textbook or simple dictionary of terms, this is one Thai language book that you will enjoy reading and using.

If you are a Thai language student looking for the latest Thai idioms and slang; a tourist looking for a Thai language book that’s not filled with the same old stuff; or an English teacher struggling to understand your Thai students, Learn Thai Language: Generation Next is the book for you. More than just giving you new vocabulary, this book provides hundreds of sample sentences to advance your skills in listening, talking, and reading the colloquial language of Thailand.

Click here to view sample pages.

The book is organized to make it easy for you to navigate. The Thai vocabulary pages are arranged alphabetically by their transliteration (phonetic spelling). Each Thai entry is followed by an English definition and two English words or phrases that match the Thai. This vocabulary is used in the comic and in the sample sentence below the definition.

The Thai translation of the English sample sentence is followed by its transliteration and by a literal word-for-word translation, so that students can better understand the vocabulary used and how the sentence is organized. At the bottom of each page is a transliteration of the Thai used in the comic, followed again by its literal translation. An English word index is included in the back of the book, which can help you locate matching Thai entries.

Unlike other Thai slang resources that focus on curse words and vulgar language which could get you into deep trouble in Thailand, we focus primarily on common “G” rated slang. As a guide, we have rated the Thai as (G) for general inoffensive words, (PG) for slightly stronger language, and (R) for words which should not be used except when with close friends. The English words and phrases are likewise rated.

Learn Thai Language: Generation Next is also an excellent resource for Thai English students who want to learn the colloquial language of native English speakers. English language notes included.

Order your copy today from our secure Createspace store, email us the receipt, and we will send you a free copy of our mini-ebook: Colloquial Language Expressions.

Buy the Trade Paperback edition from our Bookstore for $9.99*

Buy the PDF eBook version for only $4.99*

Buyers in Thailand. Buy the workbook edition for 225 baht (price includes shipping). Contact us at: living(at)livinghour.org to make arrangements for an ATM money transfer.

*All proceeds from book sales go to The Foundation For Underprivileged Children (Chachoengsao) and the development of lessons and course materials at the Ysaan Institute.

Learn 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 resource to have. The book and eBook are filled with hundreds of 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 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