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Rod:

thii khun thuue yuu  riakwaa dawk arai

 

·Õè¤Ø³¶×ÍÍÂÙè
àÃÕ¡ÇèÒ´Í¡ÍÐäÃ

What do you call the flowers you’re holding?

Paeng:

aw  dawk mali  pen sanyalak wan mae

 

ÍëÍ ´Í¡ÁÐÅÔ
à»ç¹ÊÑ­ÅѡɳìÇѹáÁè

Ah, mali. It’s the symbolic flower of Mother’s Day.

Rod:

chai  wansuk nii pen wan mae  rao mai tawng maa tham-ngaan

 

ãªè ÇÑ¹ÈØ¡Ãì¹Õéà»ç¹ÇѹáÁè
àÃÒäÁèµéͧÁÒ·Ó§Ò¹

Right! This Friday is Mother’s Day. We don’t have to come to work.

Paeng:

khun waa mae kap phaw khrai samkhan kwaa

 

¤Ø³ÇèÒáÁè¡Ñº¾èÍ
ã¤ÃÊӤѭ¡ÇèÒ

Who do you think is more important, the mother or father?

Rod:

phom waa samkhan thao thao kan na

 

¼ÁÇèÒÊӤѭà·èÒæ ¡Ñ¹¹Ð

I think they’re equally important.

Paeng:

tae chan waa  khon Thai khit waa mae samkhan kwaa

 

áµè©Ñ¹ÇèÒ ¤¹ä·Â¤Ô´ÇèÒ
áÁèÊӤѭ¡ÇèÒ

But I think Thais think mothers are more important.

Rod:

heytphon la

 

à˵ؼÅÅèÐ

Any reason?

Paeng:

nai phaasaa Thai  sing thii samkhan samkhan  lae yingyai ja khoenton duay kham waa “mae” maichai “phaw”

 

ã¹ÀÒÉÒä·Â ÊÔè§·ÕèÊӤѭæ
 áÅÐÂÔè§ãË­è ¨Ð¢Öé¹µé¹
´éǤÓÇèÒ
áÁèäÁèãªè
¾èÍ

In Thai, anything considered important or of great respect begins with mae not phaw.

Rod:

khaw sak tua-yaang si

 

¢ÍÊÑ¡µÑÇÍÂèÒ§«Ô

Another example?

Paeng:

kham waa “maethap” ngai  pen phuuchai na  tae riakwaa “mae”

 

¤ÓÇèÒ áÁè·Ñ¾ä§
à»ç¹¼ÙéªÒ¹Ð
áµèàÃÕ¡ÇèÒ
áÁè

The word for general is maethap even though all generals are male.

Rod:

uum  yaang nan roe

 

Í×ÍÁì ÍÂèÒ§¹Ñé¹àËÃÍ

Umm, really?

Paeng:

iik tua-yaan nueng na  look nii mii “maenam” tae maimii “phawnam”

 

ÍÕ¡µÑÇÍÂèҧ˹Öè§¹Ð
âÅ¡¹ÕéÁÕ
áÁè¹éÓ
áµèäÁèÁÕ
¾è͹éÓ

One more example, there are only maenam (rivers) and there’s no phawnam.

Rod:

nan kaw jing iik   mii iik mai

 

¹Ñ蹡ç¨ÃÔ§ÍÕ¡
ÁÕÍÕ¡äËÁ

That’s also true. Are there any more?

Paeng:

mii “maephra thawranii” thii phaasaa angkrit riakwaa “ the mother earth” ngai 

 

ÁÕ áÁè¾ÃиóÕ
·ÕèÀÒÉÒÍѧ¡ÄÉàÃÕ¡ÇèÒ

“the mother earth” ä§

Yes, the word for Mother Earth is maephra thawranii.


  • This lesson was prepared by Acharn Sunee Siidao, Educational Specialist.

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    | Comments to Ajaan Sunee at suneec@bangkokpost.co.th |
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    All rights reserved 2005

    Last modified: August 8, 2005
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  • Language check:

    Let's learn some more words beginning with mae  and some beginning with phaw  as well.

  • chef = mae-khrua; phaw-krua
  • sellers, vendors = mae-khaa; phaw-khaa
  • locks = mae-kun-jae
  • housewives, butlers = mae-baan; phaw-baan
  • widows, widowers = mae-maai; phaw-maai
  • primary colours = mae-sii
  • magnets = mae-lek
  • witches, wizards = mae-mot; phaw-mot
  • screw jacks = mae-raeng
  • matchmakers = mae-suue; phaw-suue
  • Vocabulary check:

    How do you say these words and phrases in Thai?

    1. A lock = ………………
    2. A wizard = ………………
    3. A vendor = ………………

    Phuut Phaasaa Thai gives you useful topical and seasonal Thai words and phrases used in daily-life conversations. The column will give you some instant Thai language to help you out in common situations.

    ù singhaakhom òõôø  ( 9 August 2005)     

    wan mae

    This coming Friday, August 12, is Her Majesty the Queen's birthday and this day is recognised in Thailand as Mother's Day. Just recently, the mali or jasmine flower has become the symbolic flower for Mother's Day. There is a saying that white jasmine represents the selfless virtue of a mother who thinks more about the needs, happiness and likes of other people rather than about her own. In Thailand, it seems that mothers enjoy a lot of respect. Let's consider this in this week conversation.