Learning Thai
Learning Thai with Jen – Asking for the Bill
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When asking for the Bill
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When you are at a restaurant (tîi ráan-aa-hǎan), what would you say after finishing eating and drinking? You may say “Bill please” or “Check please” in English. However, it is interesting to know how to say it in Thai, isn’t it?
You can say either “chék bin dûai kráp” or “gèp dtang dûai kráp”.
“chék” means “to check” or “to have something checked”
“bin” means “bill”
“dûai” means “too” (direct meaning). Note: In this context is with indirect meaning as “please do it too”.
“kráp” is an ending particle for male speaker to make words/sentences polite. However, if you are female, you can replace this word by “kâ”
“gèp” means “to collect”
“dtang” is a short version of “sa-staang” which means the smallest Thai currency.
“chék bin dûai kráp” means “please have a bill for me to check too.”
“gèp dtang dûai kráp” means “please collect the money (here) too”
Note : Sometimes we also say “kít dtang dûai kráp” or “kít ng∂n dûai kráp” (“kít” means “to think”, “ng∂n” means “money”).
When you run out of patience
Have you ever been running out of patience and would like to scream out loud to let other people know? For example: “I’ve had enough.” Or “ I can’t bear it.”. How would you say them in Thai so Thai people understand you better? This may be only for saying it to someone you can’t bear anymore and want to let them know.
“pɔɔ-gan-tii” means “I’ve had enough.”
“pɔɔ” means “to be enough”
“gan” means “together”
“tii” means “times” (informal word). Thai people usually put this word after the “request” (sometimes a little bit sounds like ordering someone to do something now.) word. This indirectly means “please …(V)…. once (for me) now”
“(pǒm) ton mâi-wǎi lɛ́ɛo ná” means “ I can’t bear it”.
Note : In Thai we say this phrase as “I cannot bear it already/anymore.”. Anyway, you can skip subject of this phrase to shorten it. That’s why we put “(pǒm)” in the bracket.
(pǒm) means “I” (for a male speaker). However, if you are female, you can use “di-chán”.
“ton” means “to bear”/to be patient on……..
“mâi” means “no” or “not”
“wǎi” is usually put after the verb to show that you can do that verb with patience.
“mâi-wǎi” means “cannot do it with patience” Note : In this context means “cannot bear (with patience).
“lɛ́ɛo” means “already” Note: In this context could also mean “anymore” , just like the short version of “ìik-dtɔ̀ɔ-bpai lɛ́ɛo”
“ná” is an ending particle to express the meaning that “Please be informed” and in the same time to indirectly ask if you have any concerns/opinion according to this.
Notes: Male speakers use Phom (“I”), and female speakers use “chun” or more formally “deechun”. Male speakers use “khrup” at the end of a sentence, and female speakers use “ka”
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All of Jen’s students say she is the best Thai teacher they have had because she is patient with them and teaches at their pace with no pressure to learn quickly.
