How to Learn the Thai Alphabet
Thai is a language that has its own unique alphabet and it is very different from the Latin languages. It features 44 consonants and 32 vowels. The sounds of the letters change depending on their placement in a word, and there are 21 initial sounds and 8 final sounds. While it may be difficult to learn Thai, there are a many resources that will help aspiring Thai speakers become more familiar with the Thai alphabet.
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Things You'll Need
- Thai language software
- Thai alphabet in pictures
- Thai alphabet song
- flash cards
- contact information of native Thai speaker
- audio clips of Thai alphabet pronunciation
Instructions
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Download Thai language software. "60 Minutes to Learn the Thai Alphabet" is downloadable software from CNET.com. It features lessons on Thai symbols, numbers and the Thai alphabet to help you learn Thai instantly. It features a method that will help you memorize the alphabet and pair it with sounds.
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Learn the alphabet in pictures. One of the common ways to learn the Thai alphabet is through pictures. Each letter has a corresponding picture that enables Thai learners to visualize the letters and help them remember. These pictures are of animals, people and things.
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Sing the Thai alphabet in a song. Thai students in kindergarten learn the Thai alphabet song to help them remember the alphabet in an enjoyable way. The Thai alphabet song conveys a story about the interaction of animals and humans. It's different from the English alphabet song where there's a melody, since the Thai alphabet song sounds more like a beat poem.
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Use flash cards. Since the Thai alphabet is symbolic and is very different from English, you need to memorize how each letter looks. Using flash cards is a great way to become familiar with how each letter is written as well as its sound. Flash cards will also enable to you learn the different usages of the Thai letters in a word or sentence.
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Learn the pronunciation of the letters by using audio clips or by speaking to a native Thai speaker. The easiest way to fully learn the proper pronunciation is to hear the alphabet being spoken or sung. Native Thai speakers are the best resources for learning pronunciation, and if you don't have access to a Thai speaker, audio clips are good alternatives.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Royalty-free image by chutiporn
