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Ek:

Phawn  phom khaw plian rawngthao khuu mai paep nueng  laew pai kan dai loey

 

พอล ผมขอเปลี่ยน
รองเท้าคู่ใหม่แป๊บนึง
แล้วไปกันได้เลย

Paul, let me change into my new pair of shoes for a few seconds, and then we can go.

Paul:

ngan phom pai khoy thii rot na

 

งั้นผมไปคอยที่รถนะ

Then I’ll go and wait at the car, OK?

Ek:

dai  wannii ja pai khan nai

 

ได้ วันนี้จะไปคันไหน

OK, which car shall we take today?

Paul:

ao khan khawng phom pai diikwaa  rao pai kan sawng khon eng

 

เอาคันของผมไปดีกว่า
เราไปกันสองคนเอง

Let’s take mine. Only two of us are going.

Ek:

Roe  Montrii kap Kaew la

 

เหรอ มนตรีกับแก้วล่ะ

Really? What about Montri and Kaew?

Paul:

khuu nan pai kan kawn laew … waa  fon tok sia laew  Ek  ao rom maa duay na

 

คู่นั้นไปกันก่อนแล้ว …
ว้า ฝนตกเสียแล้ว
เอก  เอาร่มมาด้วยนะ

They (that couple) have already already left… Bah, it’s starting to rain. Ek, bring an umbrella, will you?

Ek:

dai  phom mii khan diew eng  phaw mai Pawn

 

ได้ ผมมีคันเดียวเอง
พอไหม พอล

Okay, I have only one. Is that enough?

Paul:

khan diew kaw phaw...

thueng laew  uue  khaek laai roy khon na

 

คันเดียวก็พอ…

ถึงแล้ว
อือ แขกหลายร้อยคนนะ

One should be enough…

Here we are. Umm, hundreds of guests.

Ek:

chai  rao maa nang toh nii diikwaa  mii thiiwaang sawng thii phawdii

…dai welaa soep aahaan jaan raek phawdii

 

ใช่ เรามานั่งโต๊ะนี้ดีกว่า
มีที่ว่างสองที่พอดี…
ได้เวลาเสิร์ฟอาหาร
จานแรกพอดี

That’s right. Let sit here. There are just two vacant seats... Just in time for the first dish to be served.

Paul:

thii phom maimii chawn  sawm ruuewaa takiap loey la  Ek

 

ที่ผมไม่มีช้อน ซ่อมหรือว่า
ตะเกียบเลยล่ะ เอก

I don’t have a spoon, fork or chopsticks.

Ek:

jing si na  phom kaw maimii…

Nawng Nawng  khaw takiap sawng khuu  chawn lae sawm yaang la sawng khan

 

จริงสินะ ผมก็ไม่มี…

น้องๆ ขอตะเกียบสองคู่
ช้อนและซ่อมอย่างละสองคัน

That’s right, me neither…

Waiter, can I have two pairs of chopsticks, two spoons and two forks, please.

Waiter:

tawng khawthoot duay na khrap …maa laew khrap  takiap sawng khuu  chawn sawng khan  sawm sawng khan

 

ต้องขอโทษด้วยนะครับ…
 มาแล้วครับ ตะเกียบสองคู่
ช้อนสองคัน ซ่อมสองคัน

Sorry sir… Here they are. Two pairs of chopsticks, two spoons and two forks.

Ek:

khawpkhun khrap  Pawn  lui loey

 

ขอบคุณครับ พอล ลุยเลย

Thanks. Paul, dig in!

  • 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: June 27, 2005     |

    • Language check:

    So you now know that the classifier for cars is khan . Other kinds of vehicles like motorbikes, tricycles, trucks, pickups and vans also share the same classifier. Don't ask me why but we use the same classifier with umbrellas, spoons and forks. However, trains take khabuan  and planes take lam  not khan . Ships and boats share the same classifier, lam , with planes.

  • You also notice that the classifier for people is khon . Therefore, words referring to people, i.e., dek  (a child), phuuyai  (an adult), khruu  (a teacher), phanak-ngaan  (an employee), phuujatkaan  (a manager), nakkhaao  (a reporter) etc., take the classifier khon .
  • For things that come in pairs or couples, we use classifier khuu . Besides shoes, socks, spoons and forks, and chopsticks, khuu  can be used with married couples or boyfriends and girlfriends. Sometimes, we use khuu  meaning "two" with things of the same size that always appear side by side like two vases, two candle holders, for instance.
    •

    Classifier check:

    Fill in the correct classifiers.
    1. thiinii mii phanak-ngaan haasip _____
    (We have 50 employees here.)
    2. thoe suue rawngthao maa kii _____ la
    (How many pairs of shows did you buy?)
    3. khaw duu thungthao _____ noy dai mai
    (Can I have a look at that pair of socks?)
    4. rao pai rotbut _____ nii chaimai
    (We're going by this bus, right?)
    5. maichai rao ja pai duay ruuea _____ nii
    (No, we're going by this boat.)
    6. thiinii mii rotfai wan la kii _____
    (How many trains are there each day here?)

     

     

     

     

     

    Answer keys:

    1.khon 2. khuu 3. khuu 4. khan
    5. lam 6. khabuan

    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.

    ๒๘ mithunaayon ๒๕๔๘  ( 28 June 2005)     

    khon, khan, khuu

    The last two lessons included classifiers for many things, i.e., animals, fruits, tables, clothes, kitchen utensils, etc. The classifiers we use with such items are bai, tua, kawn, chin, lem, and daam. A few more worth noting are classifiers for cars, people and a pair or a couple of something. You can find out about these three classifiers in this week's conversation when Paul and Ek brave the rain to go to a big wedding party.