Conversational Thai Lesson 7: Time, Activities, and Hobbies Notes

EP0107 Conversational Thai: Module Map and Overview

• Institution: Singapore Polytechnic (SP).
• Module Code: EP0107.
• Module Name: Conversational Thai 1.
• Current Lesson: Lesson 7: Time, Activities, and Hobbies.

Official Semester Schedule

• Week 1 (24 Apr): Lesson 1: Greetings & Introductions.
• Week 2 (1 May): Public Holiday (PH). Self-Directed Learning (SDL): Weather.
• Week 3 (8 May): Lesson 2: Countries & Nationalities.
• Week 4 (15 May): Lesson 3: Common Objects.
• Week 5 (22 May): Lesson 4: Numbers & Mock Test.
• Week 6 (29 May): Lesson 5: Family.
• Week 7: CA1 Week: Written Test (Lessons 1 - 5).
• Mid-Semester: 1 Jun - 5 Jun: Mid-Semester Tests (no class).
• Vacation Break: 6 Jun - 28 Jun.
• Week 8 (3 Jul): Lesson 6: Professions.
• Week 9 (10 Jul): Lesson 7: Time & Hobbies.
• Week 10 (17 Jul): Lesson 8: Days & Months.
• Week 11 (24 Jul): Lesson 9: Revision. CA2 Week: Oral Test.
• Week 12 (31 Jul): Lesson 10: At the Restaurant & Market.
• Week 13 (7 Aug): Lesson 11: Colours & Buying things. Includes Mandatory Online Learning Package: Places, Locations, and Directions.
• Week 14 (14 Aug): Lesson 12: Revision. CA3 Week: Oral Test.
• Week 15 (21 Aug): Buffer week.
• Exams: 24 Aug - 4 Sep: End-of-Semester Examinations (no class).
• Vacation: 5 Sep - 18 Oct.

Telling Time ($\text{way-laa}$)

• Introductory Phrase: $\text{nîi keu naa-lí-gaa}$ (This is a clock).

Time Period Classifications

• $00:00$ (Midnight): $\text{tîiang keun}$.
• Early Morning ($01:00 - 05:00$): Uses the prefix $\text{dtii}$.
  • $01:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{dtii nèung}$ ($1$).
  • $02:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{dtii sŏng}$ ($2$).
  • $03:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{dtii sǎam}$ ($3$).
  • $04:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{dtii sìi}$ ($4$).
  • $05:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{dtii hâa}$ ($5$).
• Morning ($06:00 - 11:00$): Uses the suffix $\text{moong cháo}$.
  • $06:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{hòk moong cháo}$ ($6$).
  • $07:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{jèt moong cháo}$ ($7$).
  • $08:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{bpàet moong cháo}$ ($8$).
  • $09:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{gâo moong cháo}$ ($9$).
  • $10:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{sìp moong cháo}$ ($10$).
  • $11:00\text{ a.m.}$: $\text{sìp-èt moong cháo}$ ($11$).
• Noon ($12:00$): $\text{tîiang-wan}$.
• Afternoon ($13:00 - 15:00$): Uses the prefix $\text{bàai}$. Note that $13:00$ consumes the "one" ($nèung$).
  • $01:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{bàai moong}$.
  • $02:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{bàai sŏng moong}$ ($2$).
  • $03:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{bàai sǎam moong}$ ($3$).
• Late Afternoon/Evening ($16:00 - 18:00$): Uses the suffix $\text{moong yen}$.
  • $04:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{sìi moong yen}$ ($4$).
  • $05:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{hâa moong yen}$ ($5$).
  • $06:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{hòk moong yen}$ ($6$).
• Night ($19:00 - 23:00$): Uses the counting suffix $\text{tûm}$. The numbers reset to $1 - 5$ for this block.
  • $07:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{nèung tûm}$ ($1$).
  • $08:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{sŏng tûm}$ ($2$).
  • $09:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{sǎam tûm}$ ($3$).
  • $10:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{sìi tûm}$ ($4$).
  • $11:00\text{ p.m.}$: $\text{hâa tûm}$ ($5$).

Time-Related Vocabulary

• Broad Periods:
  • Morning: $\text{cháo}$.
  • Day: $\text{glaang-wan}$.
  • Afternoon: $\text{bàai}$.
  • Evening: $\text{yen}$.
  • Night: $\text{glaang-keun}$.
• Time Units:
  • What time?: $\text{gìi moong}$.
  • O'clock: $\text{moong}$.
  • Minute: $\text{naa-tii}$.
  • Half: $\text{krêung}$.
  • Hour: $\text{chûua-moong}$.

Daily Routines ($"gìt-jà-wát bprà-jam wan"$)

• dtèun-non: To wake up.
• àap-náam: To take a shower.
• non: To sleep.
• bpai roong-riian: To go to school.
• tam gaan-bâan: To do homework.
• gin aa-hǎan cháo: To eat breakfast.
• gin aa-hǎan tîiang: To eat lunch.
• gin aa-hǎan yen: To eat dinner.
• săai: Late.

Activities and Hobbies ($"gìt-jà-gam"$)

• bpai shopping: To go shopping.
• gin gaa-fae: To drink coffee.
• wâai-náam: To swim.
• kìi jàk-grà-yaan: To ride a bike / cycle.
• tam gaan-bâan: To do homework.
• tam aa-hăan: To cook.
• bpai tîieow: To travel / go out.
• lên piano: To play piano.
• riian năng-sĕu: To study.

Grammar: Expressing Ability (Can/Cannot)

Affirmative: Subject + Verb phrase + dâai

• Meaning: Expresses that the subject "can" perform an action.
• Examples:
  • $\text{chăn wâai-náam dâai}$ (I can swim).
  • $\text{pŏm lên piano dâai}$ (I can play the piano).
  • $\text{chăn kìi jàk-grà-yaan dâai}$ (I can cycle).

Negative: Subject + Verb phrase + mâi dâai

• Meaning: Expresses that the subject "cannot" perform an action.
• Examples:
  • $\text{chăn wâai-náam mâi dâai}$ (I cannot swim).
  • $\text{pŏm lên piano mâi dâai}$ (I cannot play the piano).
  • $\text{chăn kìi jàk-grà-yaan mâi dâai}$ (I cannot cycle).

Grammar: Past Tense (Did/Have done)

Affirmative: Subject + dâai + Verb phrase

• Meaning: Indicates a past action or completed event.
• Examples:
  • $\text{chăn dâai wâai-náam}$ (I swam).
  • $\text{pŏm dâai lên piano}$ (I played the piano).
  • $\text{chăn dâai email}$ (I received the email).

Negative: Subject + mâi dâai + Verb phrase

• Meaning: Indicates an action did not happen in the past.
• Examples:
  • $\text{chăn mâi dâai wâai-náam}$ (I did not swim).
  • $\text{pŏm mâi dâai lên piano}$ (I didn't play the piano).
  • $\text{chăn mâi dâai email}$ (I didn't receive the email).

Practice Exercises and Dialogues

Telling Current Time

• Question: $\text{gìi moong láew ká / kráp?}$ (What time is it now?)

Meal Times

• Q: $\text{kun gin aa-hǎan-cháo gìi moong ká?}$ (What time do you eat breakfast?)
• A: $\text{7 moong cháo kráp}$ ($7\text{ a.m.}$).
• Dialogue Follow-up: $\text{láew kun lâ kráp}$ (What about you?)
• Alternative A: $\text{chăn mâi gin aa-hăan cháo kâ}$ (I don’t eat breakfast).

Wake-up Times & Family Context

• Q: $\text{kun dtèun-non gìi moong kráp}$ (What time do you wake up?)
• A: $\text{6 moong cháo}$ ($6\text{ a.m.}$).
• Context Observation: $\text{kun bpen lûug kon-râek, châi măi kráp}$ (You are the first child, right?)

Daily Routine Construction

• Pattern: $\text{kun [activity] gìi moong kráp?}$
• Response Pattern: $\text{chăn/pŏm [activity] + [time] moong kâ/kráp}$.

Periods of Time

• Structure: $\text{dtâng-dtàe [time 1] tĕung [time 2]}$ (From [time 1] until [time 2]).
• Application (School):
  • Q: $\text{kun bpai SP dtâng-dtàe gìi moong tĕung gìi moong kráp?}$
  • A: $\text{pǒm bpai SP dtâng dtàe 7 moong cháo tĕung bàai 3 moong kráp}$ (I go to SP from $7\text{ a.m.}$ to $3\text{ p.m.}$).
• Application (Sleep):
  • Q: $\text{kun non dtâng-dtàe gìi moong tĕung gìi moong ká?}$
  • A1: $\text{chǎn non dtâng dtàe 3 tûm tĕung dtii 5 kâ}$ (I sleep from $9\text{ p.m.}$ to $5\text{ a.m.}$).
  • A2: $\text{chǎn non 8 chûua-mong kâ}$ (I sleep for $8$ hours).
• Application (Study):
  • Q: $\text{kun riian paa-săa Thai aa-tít lá gìi chûua-mong ká?}$ (How many hours do you learn Thai per week?)
  • A: $\text{pŏm riian paa-săa Thai dtâng-dtàe 8 moong cháo tĕung 11 moong cháo kráp}$ ($3$ hours a week).

Activity & Permission Dialogue

• Vocab: $\text{gàp}$ (with); $\text{dtông}$ (must, have to).
• Dialogue 1:
  • A: $\text{kun bpai wâai-náam gàp pŏm dâai mái kráp?}$ (Can you go and swim with me?)
  • B1: $\text{bpai dâai kráp}$ (Yes, I can go!).
  • B2: $\text{bpai mâi dâai, chăn dtông tam-ngaan kâ}$ (I can’t go. I have to work).
• Dialogue 2 (Traveling/Reasons):
  • A: $\text{dton-níi kun bpai tîieow meuuang Thai dâai măi kráp?}$ (Can you travel to Thailand now?)
  • B: $\text{mâi dâai kâ}$ (No, I can't).
  • A: $\text{tam-mai lâ kráp?}$ (Why?)
  • B: $\text{chăn dtông riian năng-sĕu kâ}$ (I have to study).

Past Tense Practice

• Scenario 1 (Shopping):
  • Q: $\text{kun dâai bpai shopping mái kráp?}$ (Did you go shopping?)
  • A: $\text{dâai bpai kâ, sà-nùk mâak}$ (Yes, I did go. It was very fun).
  • Q: $\text{tîi năi kráp?}$ (At where?)
  • A: $\text{tîi hâang ION Orchard kâ}$ (At ION Orchard mall).
• Scenario 2 (Cooking):
  • A: $\text{chăn hĭw mâak kâ, kun dâai tam aa-hăan yen rĕu yang ká?}$ (I am very hungry. Have you cooked dinner?)
  • B: $\text{tam láew kráp, pŏm tam dtôm-yam gàp kâao-pàt kráp}$ (I've cooked already. I made Tom Yum and fried rice).
• Scenario 3 (Piano Lesson):
  • Q: $\text{wan-níi kun dâai bpai tîi Yamaha châi mái kráp?}$ (You went to Yamaha today, right?)
  • A: $\text{châi kâ}$.
  • Q: $\text{kun dâai lên piano tîi-nân mái kráp?}$ (Did you play piano over there?)
  • A: $\text{dâai lên kâ}$ (I did).

Questions & Discussion

• Q: What time does John go to school?
• A: $\text{kăo bpai roong-riian 6 moong cháo kráp}$ (He goes to school at $6\text{ a.m.}$).
• Q: Does John like to be late?
• A: $\text{kăo mâi chôp bpai roong-riian săai kráp}$ (He doesn’t like to go to school late).
• Q: Can your younger brother cycle?
• A dialogue:
  • Student 1: $\text{nân keu nóng-chaai kŏng kun, rĕr ká?}$ (That is your younger brother, right?)
  • Student 2: $\text{châi kâ}$ (That’s right).
  • Student 1: $\text{kăo kìi jàk-grà-yaan dâai măi ká?}$ (Can he cycle?)
  • Student 2: $\text{kăo kìi jàk-grà-yaan mâi dâai kâ}$ (He cannot cycle).

CA2 Oral Assessment Administrative Rules

• Scheduled Period: Week 8 (Lesson 9).
• Attendance Policy: Must arrive on time. Late arrival results in a penalty of $10$ marks being deducted.
• Wait Time: Late students must wait for everyone else to finish before they are allowed to attempt the assessment.
• Medical Policy:
  • A valid Medical Certificate (MC) is required if absent.
  • Students must apply for a Letter of Absence (LOA) immediately.
• Make-up Session: Only available if a lecturer-approved LOA is provided. The make-up must be booked within the following week, subject to lecturer availability.
• Student Responsibility: It is the student's task to submit documents, apply for LOA, and inform the lecturer of any absence.