AB Level 1.26: Are You in Thailand as a Tourist?
Focus: นัก
- We use นัก (nák) as a prefix, mostly before verbs, to form nouns that describe a type of person who does that action. Many of these types of compound words are occupations.
- Examples: * นักบิน (nák-bin) ➤ “person who flies” ; “pilot” * บิน (bin) means "to fly." * นักเขียน (nák-khǐian) ➤ "person who writes" ; “writer” * เขียน (khǐian) means "to write." * นักธุรกิจ (nák-thú-rá-gìt) ➤ "person who does business" ; "businessman." * ธุรกิจ (thú-rá-gìt) means "business" or "commerce."
- Here is a list of some more nouns for types of people that we can make with the prefix นัก (nák).
| THAI | ROMANIZATION | "ENGLISH" |
|---|---|---|
| นักการเมือง | (nák-gaan-muueang) | politician |
| นักกีฬา | (nák-gii-laa) | athlete |
| นักข่าว | (nák-khàao) | reporter; journalist |
| นักเรียน | (nák-riian) | student |
| นักศึกษา | (nák-sùek-sǎa) | university student; college student |
| นักดนตรี | (nák-don-dtrii) | musician |
| นักบินอวกาศ | (nák-bin-à-wà-gàat) | astronaut |
| นักมวย | (nák-muuai) | boxer |
| นักแปล | (nák-bplaae) | translator |
| นักร้อง | (nák-ráawng) | singer |
| นักว่ายน้ำ | (nák-wâai-náam) | swimmer |
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Vocabulary & Phrases
- <<ได้สิ (dâai sì**)**<< * This phrase means "Certainly!" or "Of course you can!" * The verb ได้ (dâai) in this phrase means "to be possible." * สิ (sì) is an emphatic particle. * We use it to turn statements into suggestions or commands. * Examples: * นั่งได้สิครับ (nâng dâai sì khráp.) ➤ "Certainly, you may sit down." * ได้สิครับ (dâai sì khráp.) ➤ "Yes, certainly."
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- <<ทำงานเป็น… (tham-ngaan bpen)<< * This phrase means "work as a…" * ทำงาน (tham-ngaan) **is the verb "to work." * When followed by the verb "to be," เป็น (bpen), and then the name of some occupation, it means the subject works as that occupation. * Example: * ที่อเมริกาทำงานเป็นนักบินน่ะครับ * (thîi à-mee-rí-gaa tham-ngaan bpen nák-bin nâ khráp.)
➤ "In America, I work as a pilot."
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- <<ส่วน (sùuan)<< * This is a noun that means "aspect," "part," or "portion." * However, we can also use it at the beginning of a sentence as a conjunction meaning "as for." * We use it when introducing a different subject than the one we used in the previous sentence. * Examples: * ส่วนดิฉันเป็นครูค่ะ (sùuan dì-chǎn bpen khruu khâ.)
➤ "As for me, I'm a teacher." * ส่วนนั่นคือต้นลิ้นจี่ (sùuan nân khuue dtôn lín-jìi.)
➤ "As for that, it's a lychee tree."
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Working in Thailand
- Certain jobs in Thailand are considered to have higher social status than in other countries.
- Doctors and teachers are highly respected in the community.
- Despite being highly admired, teachers are not paid very well in Thailand.
- Most teachers in Thai government schools start out earning less than $300 USD per month.
- Police officers in Thailand also earn a low regular salary and have a reputation for taking bribes.
- Construction workers in Thailand earn the bare minimum allowed and are often immigrants from neighboring countries.
- Waitresses in Thailand usually receive only the minimum wage as there is not a strong tipping culture.
- Buddhist monks are the most highly respected profession in Thailand but do not earn any money and rely solely on donations for their livelihood.
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