Being here for two months, I've obviously picked up a little Thai. Unlike French, I can understand more than I can speak, but I can have basic conversations with people on the street, which is really cool. So, that being said, here is an informal Thai lesson from someone who is not qualified what-so-ever to teach it:
If you're a girl, you end every sentence with Ka. If you're a guy, it's Kap. It's just the Thai way of being polite. It's kind of like please, but you say it all the time.
If' you're a guy, when you say "I" it is "pom", and for girls it's "chan". I never really understood that one, but whatever, go with the flow.
Here are the most helpful phrases that I've found so far:
Khap Khun (Ka / Kap) - Thank you!
Pom/Chan Hiew - I'm Hungry
Sawatdee Kap/Ka - Hello!
Sa bai dee mai? - How are you?
Korr Toad Kap / Ka - I'm sorry!
Pom / Chan Oww - I want...
Arai - What?
You Tee Nai - Where is it?
Hong Nam - Washroom (Room, Water)
Mai is an interesting word, because it's used at the end of a sentence to change the word into a question, but it's also used to mean no. So, here's a sample conversation:
Me: Hiew Mai? (Are you hungry?)
You: Hiew. (Yes I am)
OR
You: Mai Hiew. (No, I'm not).
This is why I find the language really easy, that, and there's no conjugations, tenses, or any other little weird things like that to worry about. Oh, except for the tones, and the fact that Mai can mean 5 different words depending on how you say it. Near and far are the same word, one is just higher than the other...
This elephant can understand more Thai than I can... No word of a lie.
