fattman wrote:

To be pedantic, Mai Ow actually means "Don't Want" but certainly does the job.

to be even more pedantic, doesnt 'mai ow' mean that you dont want something that somebody is being offered you? if you dont want to do something, such as to go into the bar, surely 'mai yaak' would be more correct? I stand to be corrected by those more expert

Well, I'm no expert but I believe "mai ao" means "don't want" whereas "mai yahk" means "don't like."  So, if somebody was offering you a drink or candy and you didn't want to take it, it's "mai ao krab."  If you took it and then didn't like the taste, you could say "mai yahk krab" (although you could more specifically say it doesn't taste good with other words).

Or more specific to this crowd ( ), you'd say "mai ao krab" if you wished to decline the blowjob the mamasan is offerring you or "mai yahk krab" if you don't happen to like the katoey show in the bar.

Bob wrote:

Well, I'm no expert but I believe "mai ao" means "don't want" whereas "mai yahk" means "don't like."  So, if somebody was offering you a drink or candy and you didn't want to take it, it's "mai ao krab."  If you took it and then didn't like the taste, you could say "mai yahk krab" (although you could more specifically say it doesn't taste good with other words).

Or more specific to this crowd ( ), you'd say "mai ao krab" if you wished to decline the blowjob the mamasan is offerring you or "mai yahk krab" if you don't happen to like the katoey show in the bar.

"Mai yaak" (don't want) is nonsensical in the way you have used it.  It usually needs another verb with it, like "mai yaak pai" (I don't want to go).  If you took something and didn't like it, you'd simply use "mai chawp", but that's a bit direct.  More polite would be "kin mai pen", I'm not accustomed to the taste.

But both your examples of "mai yaak" are completely wrong.

Chao Na wrote:

"Mai yaak" (don't want) is nonsensical in the way you have used it.  It usually needs another verb with it, like "mai yaak pai" (I don't want to go).  If you took something and didn't like it, you'd simply use "mai chawp", but that's a bit direct.  More polite would be "kin mai pen", I'm not accustomed to the taste.

But both your examples of "mai yaak" are completely wrong.

P' Chao Na, would you agree that 'mai aw' is not really correct to use where you dont want to go into the gogo bar? Whereas if they were handing out flyers and you didnt want want one, 'mai aw' would be correct?
Of course the method used by Thai people is to ignore the touts, which doesnt seem to work - they get harassed just as much as anybody.

dave_syd wrote:

P' Chao Na, would you agree that 'mai aw' is not really correct to use where you dont want to go into the gogo bar? Whereas if they were handing out flyers and you didnt want want one, 'mai aw' would be correct?

No, I'd say it's fine in either case.

Chao Na wrote:

Bob wrote:

Well, I'm no expert but I believe "mai ao" means "don't want" whereas "mai yahk" means "don't like."  So, if somebody was offering you a drink or candy and you didn't want to take it, it's "mai ao krab."  If you took it and then didn't like the taste, you could say "mai yahk krab" (although you could more specifically say it doesn't taste good with other words).

Or more specific to this crowd ( ), you'd say "mai ao krab" if you wished to decline the blowjob the mamasan is offerring you or "mai yahk krab" if you don't happen to like the katoey show in the bar.

"Mai yaak" (don't want) is nonsensical in the way you have used it.  It usually needs another verb with it, like "mai yaak pai" (I don't want to go).  If you took something and didn't like it, you'd simply use "mai chawp", but that's a bit direct.  More polite would be "kin mai pen", I'm not accustomed to the taste.

But both your examples of "mai yaak" are completely wrong.

Correct Chao Na, although "Mai Ow Krub" is perfectly acceptable except in very polite society. "Mai Chawp" literally means "Don't like".

fattman wrote:

Chao Na wrote:

Bob wrote:

Well, I'm no expert but I believe "mai ao" means "don't want" whereas "mai yahk" means "don't like."  So, if somebody was offering you a drink or candy and you didn't want to take it, it's "mai ao krab."  If you took it and then didn't like the taste, you could say "mai yahk krab" (although you could more specifically say it doesn't taste good with other words).

Or more specific to this crowd ( ), you'd say "mai ao krab" if you wished to decline the blowjob the mamasan is offerring you or "mai yahk krab" if you don't happen to like the katoey show in the bar.

"Mai yaak" (don't want) is nonsensical in the way you have used it.  It usually needs another verb with it, like "mai yaak pai" (I don't want to go).  If you took something and didn't like it, you'd simply use "mai chawp", but that's a bit direct.  More polite would be "kin mai pen", I'm not accustomed to the taste.

But both your examples of "mai yaak" are completely wrong.

Correct Chao Na, although "Mai Ow Krub" is perfectly acceptable except in very polite society. "Mai Chawp" literally means "Don't like".

Yes...the liberal use of "krub" should be a given.

Chao Na wrote:

"Mai yaak" (don't want) is nonsensical in the way you have used it.  It usually needs another verb with it, like "mai yaak pai" (I don't want to go).  If you took something and didn't like it, you'd simply use "mai chawp", but that's a bit direct.  More polite would be "kin mai pen", I'm not accustomed to the taste.

But both your examples of "mai yaak" are completely wrong.

You know, BG, as soon as I saw your comment, I realized I was wrong ("chawp" was the word I should have been using for "like" and realize that "yahk" is more commonly used as an auxiliary verb). Sorry.....but I occasionally get sidetracked reading and speaking what thai I know when I haven't done so in months.

By the way boys, nobody says krub except when using formal Thai.  After the letter k (or Thai equivalent) the
R is not pronounced...
It sounds likes kup...  Simply drop the R.

There is a bp consonant and a dt consonant among the many Thai consonants and they are difficult for many
farangs to pronounce.. the worst is the ng one, which is easy at the end of a word as we are used to ing endings but
very difficult at the beginning of a word..
Is anyone still awake?  

I am no authority on the Thai language and have not been to Thai language school for over three years.. You do learn the krub in school
(if you are male, females say ka) but in practice you hear kup almost all the time...

I disagree with you about "no one" pronouncing the "r".

It's kind of like saying "ain't" instead of "isn't".  Depends on if you want to speak correctly, or speak like an uneducated bar boy.

homintern is on your IGNORE list.

Its not only the ignorant and uneducated Thais who drop the 'r', or sustitute 'r' for 'l'. I have some friends who are certainly not ignorant or uneducated, and I cant remember them pronouncing the 'khrap' with the 'r' in normal conversation, yet there is a security guy at my building (who I will generalise and suggest he is probably less educated, but I could be wrong) who always pronounces it with the 'r'.
My Thai teacher said use whichever you want, Thai people dont care.

You are right, it's not solely a matter of education.

It's more like the difference between "yes" and "yeah".  Everyone knows what is correct, but laziness/casualness often play a part.  "Krub" is always acceptable, regardless of the situation.  "kub" or "klub" are not always acceptable, if you are trying to be polite or speaking with a stranger.

All Thais, whatever their education level, drop the sound of some letters, or change the sound of R to L (Aroi, Arai, etc) simply because it's easier to say, or maybe its laziness. Everyone does it. Mai Pen Rai more often than not sounds like My BeLai; the sound is quite different. Mai Dai becomes Middai. Krab Krub, Kab, Kub, you'll hear it all from folks of all 'classes', plus the obligatory Ka from the queens and katoeys.

Just like all English speakers use "yes", "yeah", "yep", "uh-huh", or just nod their heads when they want to respond in the affirmative, depending on the situation.

But if you don't know when is appropriate to use which, you can come off sounding either like an oaf, cretin, or slob.

Same thing in Thai.  It is always best to use the proper "krub", then you'll always be right.