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สวัสดีค่ะ, ดิฉันปรารถนาค่ะ! Welcome to Thaipod101.com’s ตัวอักษรไทย Made Easy!
The fastest, easiest, and most fun way to learn the Thai alphabet: ตัวอักษรไทย!
In the last lesson you learned the vowels ฤ, ฤๅ, ฦ, and ฦๅ . Do you remember how to write them all?
Let’s have a quick look at them to refresh our memories.
In this lesson, you’re going to learn how to write the numbers 1, 2, and 3 in Thai.
Ready to start? Then let's go!
The Thai script has its own style of writing numbers. The Arabic numerals used around the world are seen the most often, but on occasion you do see the Thai numerals used in Thailand, so it helps to be able to read them.
Here is the number "1", which is read as หนึ่ง (nùeng) in Thai. It is written with a clockwise head that continues into a clockwise spiral. Let’s write it.
This is the number "2", which is สอง (sǎawng) in Thai. It also begins with a clockwise head. Then it has 2 bumps on top, followed by half of a square shape on the bottom. Extend the tail up a little above the top part.
The Thai numeral "3" looks like this. The Thai word for "3" is สาม (sǎam). It also begins with a clockwise head, which is followed by 2 bumps going to the right.
You can easily remember its shape because it looks a little like the number 3 turned sideways.
Let's practice writing all three numbers.
Do you have your pen ready? OK, let's go.
First up is number 1, or หนึ่ง in a spiral shape.
Next, number 2, or สอง with 2 bumps and a square bottom.
Then number 3, or สาม with just 2 bumps.
Thai numerals are combined to form larger numbers the same way as Arabic numerals. So this would be the number "12", or สิบสอง (sìp-sǎawng) in Thai.
Can you read this number?
It's "31", or สามสิบเอ็ด (sǎam-sìp-èt) in Thai.
So far you've learned the rules for tone marks with middle and high class consonants. So all that remains now is low class consonants.
The rules for low class consonants are different. So please learn these carefully. In this lesson we'll examine the rule for using mái-èek. The rule is:
Low class consonants with mái-èek create a falling tone.
One example of this rule is the word คู่ (khûu), which means "pair" or "couple".
คู่ has an initial low class consonant ค. The vowel สระ อู is written below it. Then we have the tone mark mái-èek written above it. mái-èek makes คู่ have a falling tone.
Let's practice writing คู่ together.
Start with ค, then สระ อู , and mái-èek.
คู่ (khûu)
Another word that uses mái-èek is ที่นี่ (thîi-nîi), which means "here". ที่นี่ has two syllables. And both syllables have low class initial consonants. We use mái-èek with both syllables to make each one have a falling tone.
So the way to write ที่นี่ in the correct order is:
ท, สระ อี , ไม้เอก, น , สระ อี , ไม้เอก. ที่นี่ (thîi-nîi)
Now it's time for Pradthana's Points.
One way to practice reading Thai each day is through Facebook. Even if you don't have any Thai friends yet, you can find some interesting Thai pages to like. Then when the Thai pages have new posts you can try to read the comments that Thai people leave. This is a good way to see how Thai people communicate in a more casual, non-textbook style. And remember, Thai people are into social media in a big way!
Have you ever heard the Thai word ร้านอาหาร (ráan-aa-hǎan? In the next ตัวอักษรไทย Made Easy Lesson you'll learn what it means, and most of all, how to write it! See you there! สวัสดีค่ะ!

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