Learn to Speak Issan

[Bung]

Someone should do a similar thing for Lao. Around here if you say anything in Lao the locals will piss themselves. (Phetchabun).

I said Bai la der (see you later) in the market the other day and the whole place cracked up.

Taxi drivers in BKK also love it if you say something to them in Lao (after finding out you are from Phetchabun)

[pescator]

I used to live up in the stick for a year or so. In a Mubaan in Sakon. I had prepared myself for the stay, learning central thai.
Somehow the missus failed to tell me that they had a different dialect in this area. So while they could understand me, I couldn`t understand them.
My mother-in-law took pity on me and spoke to me in central thai like I was a retard. Slowing down and exaggerating the pronounciation.
Most folks understand central thai perfectly. They are taught in central thai in school and listen to it on the radio and telly.
But will they use it with you? Usually not. Unless you are with them one to one.
My brother-in-law took me by surprise, we were out fishing together and for the first time he changed to central thai. Noone else was listening so he was not shy anymore.
Weird.
I had a GF from Phetchabun. Stayed in Wichianburi, virtually everyone in town would speak central thai. Going outside of the town it would all be Lao.
Yeah, throwing in a few words of Lao/Isan in a conversation always make people crack up, if you are a farang that is.

[Bung]

Apparently my little village just outside of Phetchabun has it's own dialect and neighbouring villages have their own as well. These places are only a few kilometers away!

What chance do we have?

[oevna]

Originally Posted by Bung

Apparently my little village just outside of Phetchabun has it's own dialect and neighbouring villages have their own as well. These places are only a few kilometers away!

What chance do we have?

They are probably mutually intelligible. Just learn the one where you live, and have fun with it!

[maahuanao]

Poo bao? Isn't it Poo sai?

[maahuanao]

Originally Posted by jlmcneil

my Thai girl lives in Si-Sa-Ket, she told me she speaks suia, I did a search and came up with very little information on the inter-net

Si saket would be Khmer infuenced rather than Lao, maybe that's something to do with it? Just a guess.

[Maximusp]

Originally Posted by jlmcneil

That would be Suay

Isn't that the language of the elephant trainers?

[Mandrake]

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Why would anyone want to speak Isaan? It's a bit like someone teaching you to speak like a Manc.

Well if you live in the Isaan province then it might be useful to learn the local language. A great thread and thanks to the OP for posting. If you live in China learn Mandarin, live in Spain then learn Spanish. Learning manc in Isaan? What age is this Marmite dope... 12?

[daveboy]

^
When in Thailand speak Thai

[Richard11]

I found a book and DVD for learning the Isaan language

learnspeakthai

you can watch the video's on youtube

[notanameleft]

BPee (ปี้) in Lao - Lao means ticket
BPee in Northen Thai means older brother/sister
BPee in Thai - Thai means disastrously
BPee in Thai (slang) and Isaan means fvuk!!!

[MrG]

I don't know about speaking Isaan, but the best site I've found for learning Thai is

http://www.thai-language.com/

Lots of resources: vocabulary, translation engines, alphabet, etc.

I've also been using Rosetta Stone. It's a total immersion system so there's not translations. OK as far as it goes, but I honestly don't think it would do me much good if my Thai wife wasn't around to translate.

[richie]

Just finnish off with doc.mai mee doc etc

[ocker692004]

Tone is the main thing i suppose.

[Jeremia]

Originally Posted by jlmcneil

That would be Suay

Yep it has been a long time for me but here are a few straight from my head ( rather than a cut and paste) I man plik hoy..



Plik hoy... forgot already ( hoy meaning already so I will miss it out. for the rest.)
man..not

man yuen teh.. not want
sawang..drunk
do nat? ...where you go
do dingabat..go shopping ( Also a Santana track!!)
moi. 1
beer. 2
by. 3
boon.4
pram.5
pram moi 6
pram beer. 7
pram by. 8
pram boon 0
dob 10..say pram pram as a joke it means boom boom..

pling ..rain

peu..drink
seesip..saysap
Arr Khun Teh..thank you..

As in "yuen peu saysap eng?" ( eng being the question)
Man yuen arr khun teh being the correct reply!!

Man meen ben ha..no problem..

I probably have plenty more buried at the back of my memmory bank but I moved from there 5 years ago

[Jeremia]

Originally Posted by Maximusp

Isn't that the language of the elephant trainers?

Yep..I took the family to the Pattaya Elephant park..The guy handed me a sun shade..I said "Man yuen ..man gaddow teh" meaning I don't want I am not hot..and he spent the whole trip trying to shout to his friend on another elephant "Parang yang kmer"!!

Tried the same thing in Lampang last month and no reaction...

[FarangRed]

Originally Posted by DrB0b

Here's a handy little guide that should be memorised by anyone on their first visit to Thailand, some of these words are in the Isaan language and if you use them many Thai people will be surprised by your grasp of colloquial Thai.

Yet mae.............................What a beautiful day
Yet mang............................How are you?
Kuay..................................The sun is shining
Ai sa..................................Let's go
Kwai Maar...........................Handsome man
Hoop baak..........................I like you
Orn kuay............................Shall we eat?
I hayer..............................How much is that one?
Gengri...............................Delicious
Chong mang.......................No thank you
Ga-ree...............................Motorcycle
Loog-Ga-Ree.......................Motorcycle Taxi
Por Mung Tai.......................Train Station
Mae-Mung-Tai......................Bus Station
Yed Por..............................Where is?
Sudd-Na-Rok......................Very good
Tood-Muek.........................Fried Chicken
Gook Kuay.........................South-East Asia
Na-Hee.............................Over there
Ai Na Dad..........................Where are you going?
Dollair...............................Too expensive
Ra Yum.............................I'm hungry
Hee mah...........................What is your name?
Yet ped.............................Fried rice
Hee..................................Water
Baan poh mung...................I am from
Naa maw...........................Not right now
Chuk wow..........................I feel ill
Tob bed.............................Guesthouse
Hee mae mang...................Waterfall
Mai chawp khun, dag ling.......I'd like a beer please
Nah peeh...........................Lunchtime
Hua kuai............................I'm tired
Heeh men..........................What is his/her name
Mae mung .........................Noodles

See also: The Hungarian Phrasebook sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus

edited by dirtydog Warning, these are all actually swear words and you will most likely end up in hospital if you used these.

Hey DrBob the knob I had some kind of respect for the articles you wrote and your knowledge of the Thai culture but now you have let me down because everyone of them sayings is not just swaring is very low life and very rude, I bet you would never say any one of them to a Thai, ok chuk wow that's easy
Hey guys ignore everyone of them sayings unless you wanna end up hospital