Avoid These 5 Mistakes When Speaking Thai — An Expert Guide
Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/linglive/mistakes-when-speaking-thai/
Are you considering learning Thai? Do you want to get it right the first time? To avoid making mistakes when speaking Thai, come with us as go through some common mistakes language learners make
Don’t be concerned if learning Thai appears challenging at first. Anything worthwhile in life takes a certain amount of commitment and passion. Keeping in view the most common mistakes people make while speaking Thai, you can overcome your weaknesses.
In Thailand, Thai is spoken as a first language by 20.2 million people and as a second language by 40 million people. Some people who reside in the Midway Islands, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States speak the language.
Are you interested in learning Thai to get the most out of your trip to Thailand? If yes, then learning from a teacher that is a local speaker of Thai is the best option.
Thai learners can use an app called Ling Live to learn from a native speaker online. It will be helpful in speaking the language fluently without making many mistakes.
Common Mistakes When Speaking Thai
Inability To Fully Understand Tonal Languages — Mistakes When Speaking Thai
The most common mistake made by Westerners is failing to recognize that Thai is a tonal language. The majority of Northern European languages are monotone, which means that each word has a consistent tone. The Thai language has linguistic roots in ancient dialects such as Sanskrit and employs several tones.
When learning Thai, there are five different tones that you must remember: high, low, mid, rising, and falling.
Sometimes you speak a word thinking of a certain meaning, but it’s an incorrect tone. As a result, you deliver a word with a completely different sense. You might get into problems if you do not properly choose Thai words with their correct tone. By only changing the tone of one word, you will get different meanings. For example,
Regional dialects Of Thai — Mistakes When Speaking Thai
It’s vital to remember that, while Central Thai is the official Thai language, other dialects are difficult to learn by ear. However, everyone in Thailand understands Central Thai, which is the dialect spoken in Bangkok and the one taught in schools and used in everyday communication.
If you’re on the Thai side of the Thai-Cambodian border, don’t be shocked if someone speaks to you in a language that sounds like Thai but isn’t. They’ll understand if you talk Central Thai to them.
Release Of Final Consonants — Mistakes When Speaking Thai
Unlike certain languages, such as English, Thai has no released final consonants. For example, Love. It is translated as “รัก” in the Thai language. You can pronounce it as “Rạk.” Do you notice how no air is discharged in the last K sound? In Thai words, this is true for all final consonants.
To pronounce this word correctly, you must pause right before the back of the tongue touches the roof of the mouth. In Thai words, never release the air of final consonants.
The NGAAW-NGUU Sound(ง) Is Mispronounced — Mistakes When Speaking Thai
It is a very common sound in Thai, therefore make sure you pronounce it correctly. This sound can also be found in English. It means the NG sound found in words like “sing” and “ring.” In Thai, unlike English, this sound can appear at the beginning of a word.
Begin by uttering the word “sing” and then bouncing off it. After that, repeat the word in your head. The SI sound should be avoided, but the NG sound should be made. Attempt to isolate the NG sound on its own gradually. That’s how you will be able to speak like Thai speakers.
Mispronouncing PHAAW-PHAAN And BPAAW-BPLLA (พ And ป) — Mistakes When Speaking Thai
It is another common mistake that is often made. These are two P-sounding words. The first looks like the P in the word “pan,” while the second looks like the P in “span.” Although English speakers do not distinguish between these two P sounds, Thai speakers do. The first P sounds like a standard English P that you’re familiar with. The second P is more difficult to pronounce, as it sounds like a soft B.
However, it is not the same as the B sound, which is much more difficult. When pronouncing this sound, you should not let out a rush of air.
Learn Thai Through Ling Live
I hope now you can overcome some common mistakes when speaking Thai. If you are still confused and want to have a deeper knowledge of the Thai language, you can use Ling Live. It was developed by Simya Solutions and has a great teaching methodology. Language learners always like to learn from a local speaker. As they know, it is the only way they will develop great conversational skills.
You have access to your own private Thai tutor Thai which literally means you can master the language with great grammar tips and instructions. Students can practice hundreds of dialogues.
For more great content, read our blogs on “6 Advantages of learning Thai from a native speaker” and “6 Best tips to learn Thai” to learn Thai quickly. Download the app today and learn the Thai language like a pro!
