Speak Thai With Confidence: Teach Yourself

Speak Thai With Confidence: Teach Yourself by David Smyth

Summary:

We’ve all travelled abroad with the best of intentions when it comes to speaking the language, only to falter when it comes to the crunch. This quick and constructive course gives you the Thai you need to talk to the locals – and crucially, the confidence to put it into practice.

As well as providing essential vocabulary and phrases, the course also aims to improve your understanding of spoken Thai, so that you can feel sure of yourself in two-way conversations.

Based on the ten situations you are most likely to find yourself in while abroad, the course builds your knowledge and understanding gradually, and is suitable for complete beginners.

A booklet is included, with the dialogues and their English translations. A glossary of the words and phrases used also provides you with a handy phrasebook while you travel.

By the end of this course, you will be at Level A2 of the Common European Framework for Languages: Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions. Can communicate in simple and routine tasks

• TEN REALISTIC CONVERSATION SCENARIOS – the words and phrases you'll need
• NO GRAMMAR – make progress fast, without learning boring rules or unnecessary vocabulary
• NO NEW SCRIPT TO LEARN – booklet uses romanized transliteration
• ALL-AUDIO COURSE – use anywhere
• LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PRACTICE AND REPETITION – improve your confidence
• HELP IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS SAID BACK TO YOU - strategies for understanding what you hear, so you can have true, two-way conversations and not be thrown by the replies you get

Table of Contents:

CDs 1 and 2

Introduction

Tones

Conversation 1: Introductions / greetings

• Part 1: This is Sakiko, my wife
• Part 2: Hello. Excuse me, what’s your name?

Conversation 2: Taking a taxi / tuk tuk

• Part 1: Taking a taxi
• Part 2: Taking a tuk-tuk

Conversation 3: Shopping

• Part 1: Buying a t-shirt
• Part 2: Buying fruit

Conversation 4: Asking where things are

• Part 1: Where’s the …? Swimming pool, coffee shop, bus station
• Part 2: Is there a bank/PO/toilet around here?

Conversation 5: Ordering and talking about food

• Part 1: Can I have?
• Part 2: Can you eat Thai food?

Conversation 6: Booking a bus/train ticket

• Part 1: I want to book a ticket to …
• Part 2: I want to get off at … Please tell me when to get off

Conversation 7: (Not) speaking Thai/making a phone call

• Part 1: You speak Thai well
• Part 2: I don’t understand/speak Thai

Conversation 8: How do you find Thailand/Bangkok?

• Part 1: How’s Thailand?
• Part 2: Do you come from Bangkok? (Initiating conversation with Thai)

Conversation 9: Health problems

• Part 1: Do you have anything for …?
• Part 2: I need to see a dentist

Conversation 10: Do you have any photos?

• Part 1: Do you have any brothers and sisters?
• Part 2: Do you have any photos?

CD 3: Strategies and practice in understanding

About the Author(s): David Smyth spent several years teaching at universities in Thailand before taking up a post as Senior Lecturer in Thai at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

Readership: adults with little or no knowledge of Thai; adults wanting extra audio material for practice

Reviews: "I am a big fan of this series. Commercial packaging, simple concept and a competitive price make these well worth trying....One to watch." The Bookseller