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Hiromi:

Aew, nii khue thurian chaimai

 

แอ๋ว นี่คือทุเรียนใช่ไหม

Aew, these are durians, aren’t they?

Aew:

chai koey lawng laew yung

 

ใช่  เคยลองแล้วยัง

Yes. Have you tried it before?

Mae khaa:

 mawnthawng lo la saamsip chanii lo la siphaa ja

 

หมอนทองโลละสามสิบ ชะนีโลละสิบห้าจ้ะ

Mawnthawng is 30 baht per kilo, and chanii is 15 baht per kilo.

Hiromi:

Aew, arai na mawnthawng… chanii

 

 แอ๋ว อะไรน่ะหมอนทอง..ชะนี Aew! What’s that — mawnthawng… chanii?

Aew:

aw! chue phan khawng thurian

 

อ๋อ! ชื่อพันธุ์ของทุเรียน

Ah! They are a variety of durian.

Aew:

chan khaw luuk lek luuk nueng

 

ฉันขอลูกเล็กลูกหนึ่ง

Can I have one small one, please?

Mae khaa:

dai ja raw paep nueng

 

ได้จ้ะ รอแป๊บหนึ่ง

Sure, ma’am. Just a second.

 

puh-puh…puh-puh … luuk nii lae kamlang dii

(The seller hits the fruit with a stick.)

 

 ปุ-ปุ…ปุ-ปุ … ลูกนี้แหละกำลังดี Puh-puh…puh-puh … This is the right one.

Hiromi:

khao tham arai

 

เขาทำอะไร

What is she doing?

Aew:

mae khaa kamlang fung siang laew lueak

 

แม่ค้ากำลังฟังเสียงแล้วเลือก

The seller is listening in order to choose (a good one).

Hiromi:

yaak suue mangkhut maak kwaa

 

อยากซื้อมังคุดมากกว่า

I’d rather buy some mangosteen.

Aew:

dai loei  mae khaa mangkhut lo la thaorai

 

ได้เลย  แม่ค้ามังคุดโลละเท่าไร

Certainly! Excuse me! How much are the mangosteens?

Mae-khaa:

lo la yiisip haa ja  sawng lo siisip haa ja

 

โลละยี่สิบห้าจ้ะ สองโลสี่สิบห้าจ้ะ

Twenty-five baht per kilo. Two kilos for 45 baht, ma’am.

Hiromi:

khaw sue sawng lo

 

ขอซื้อสองโล

Can I have two kilos please?

Mae khaa:

nii kha mangkhut sawng lo

 

นี่ค่ะ มังคุดสองโล

Here are 2 kilos of mangosteen.

Language check:

  • From the conversation, we can see that tthere are two points concerning what is polite in different languages. First, in Thai when we address a seller, we use the term mae khaa as in mae khaa mii kaanyao mai ja. To call her "seller" in English would be rude, so the English equivalent is a polite "Excuse me". Another common term to politely address anybody whose name you don't know is khun. You will probably also hear phi, nawng, lung, paa and the like around markets.

  • The second point is about ja, a polite ending used in the same way as kha and khrap, as in dai ja raw paep nueng. Among sellers and vendors, the term shows they are very polite with buyers. This explains why I translated dai ja to "Sure, ma'am" in the conversation.

  • The adverb paep as in dai ja raw paep nueng is a colloquial term meaning "just a second". The more formal term for this is sak-khruu.

  • What would you say:
  • 1. When you want to buy3 kilos of mangoes from a senior female vendor?
  • 2. When you want to ask a senior male vendor how much are the mangoesteens?

     

  • Answer keys: 1. paa khaw suue mamuang saam loo (kha/khrap) 2. lung ma muang khai yaangai (kha/khrap)

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

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    Last modified: August 22, 2005     |

    • 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.

    ๒๓ singhaakhom ๒๕๔๘  ( 23 August 2005)     

    loo la thao rai

    Thai fruits are in abundance everywhere at this time of the year. Let's look at the language we use to talk about them in this fruit vendor scene. One weekend, Aew is taking Hiromi, her exchange English teacher colleague, to experience street-side vendors - mae khaa. As both Aew and Hiromi love fruit, they are enthusiastic about the fruit stalls: