Learn to Speak Issan

[sunsetter]

Na-Hee.............................Over there

thats just plain naughty

[who]

Wonderful 'post', thanks.
While in Korat I mentioned that Korat was in Issan. I was greeted with chorus of vigorous denials from the family I was talking to. They said they were Thai not Issan.
A few months later I went to Luang Prabang with one of them and he got along perfectly with everyone. I asked and he said that he spoke Issan with them.

[notanameleft]

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.

arrrgg.... so funny
I live in Isaan for my whole life, but honestly i only say "Garee, Tood Muk, Ai here, Nah pee, and Ra yum" which actually are Thai not Isaan.

[sharon]

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.

I'm Thai and I can't list these words out like you. I'm impressed.

[BangkokButcher]

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

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

Brilliant line up there DrBob, but would anyone mind translating them, I'm just way too scared to ask the missus

[Texpat]

To only be used with utmost care....

[pickel]

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.

Focking priceless, green sent.

[pickel]

Brilliant line up there DrBob, but would anyone mind translating them, I'm just way too scared to ask the missus

This link should help.

Thai Language Swear Words and their English Translation. Profanity, Swearing, Cursing, Cussing and Insulting!

But take DirtyDogs advice:

you will most likely end up in hospital if you used these.

[Loombucket]

Thanks for the link pickel, now, at least, I can explain some of the bruises to my upper arm.

[BangkokButcher]

This link should help.

Thai Language Swear Words and their English Translation. Profanity, Swearing, Cursing, Cussing and Insulting!

But take DirtyDogs advice:

you will most likely end up in hospital if you used these.

Cheers for the link pickel, hmm, advice taken on board, definately won't be using too
many of these in the village

[pickel]

Thanks for the link pickel

That link was actually posted on TD a while back by another poster whom I can't recall, so the thanks should go to them.

[chitown]

I want a green revocation from you Dr. B - my wife was not impressed with all my new words I was throwing at her.

Then I read the disclaimer - anyhow worth a green to hear Mrs. Chi exclaim "no good no good" 8 times in a row and then go on about Teakdoor for 5 minutes!!!!

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.

[watterinja]

Much of the same language is used in Lao PDR - certainly in Western Laos.

[Powerhammer]

Thanks Dirty Dog and Dr Bob,
Great work Im going to try this and see what sort of response I will get

[BugginOut]

Yet mae.............................What a beautiful day

Actually, this means "Fukc your mother" and is completely unacceptable. This isn't even remotely funny, because what's going to happen is some newb will try to apply these phrases somewhere and get walloped. There's always one. This is dangerous stuff and I wholeheartedly recommend not learning a word of it.

[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]

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]

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]

That would be Suay

Isn't that the language of the elephant trainers?

[Mandrake]

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

[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!!!