Unit 23 · Real conversations · B1
Unit 23: If I were you
Ask for and give advice, and talk about conditions and plans with if…then.
6 lessons · about 46 min CEFR B1
The story
Boss, now a junior developer in Bangkok, has been offered a job at a start-up in Chiang Mai. After his interview he takes you to dinner in Nimman and asks: should he take it?
After this unit
- I can say what will happen if something happens.
- I can give advice: you should, you shouldn't, don't, why not try it.
- I can talk about work: a job offer, the salary, the boss, moving to a new city.
- I can deal with the bill: offer to treat, accept a treat or split it.
The 6 lessons
Each lesson takes 5-10 minutes. Read it here, then practise it in the app: free, no sign-up.
Words and phrases in Unit 23
Tap the speaker to hear each one. Tap any Thai word to see what it means.
A new job
Lesson page- บริษัท baw-rí-sàt
company noun
ทำงานบริษัทtam-ngaan baw-rí-sàt (to work for a company) is how Thais say they have an office job.
- เงินเดือน ngoen-duean
salary (monthly pay) noun
Friends and relatives may well ask เงินเดือนเท่าไหร่ngoen-duean tâo-rài (how much do you earn?): in Thailand it isn't a rude question.
- หัวหน้า hǔa-nâa
boss, manager, head (of a team) noun
Your boss at work. Our friend บอสbáwt got his nickname from the English word; his own boss is his หัวหน้าhǔa-nâa.
- สัมภาษณ์ sǎm-pâat
to interview; (job) interview verb
A job interview is สัมภาษณ์งานsǎm-pâat ngaan. In the spelling, the last letter (the one with the small mark above it) is silent.
- ประสบการณ์ bprà-sòp-gaan
experience (of work, of life) noun
Work experience, and life experience too: a year abroad is a ประสบการณ์ดีbprà-sòp-gaan dii, a good experience.
- ลาออก laa-àwk
to quit, resign verb
- ย้าย yáai
to move (house, job, city) verb
High tone. Mid-tone ยายyaai is a grandmother: ยายย้ายไปเชียงใหม่yaai yáai bpai chiang-mài, Granny moved to Chiang Mai.
- ตัดสินใจ dtàt-sǐn-jai
to decide verb
ใจjai (heart, mind) hides in many words you know: เข้าใจkâo-jai, ใจดีjai-dii, and now ตัดสินใจdtàt-sǐn-jai.
- โอกาส oo-gàat
chance, opportunity noun
- คุ้ม kúm
worth it, good value adjective
Thais use it all the time about prices: คุ้มมากkúm mâak is 'great value', ไม่คุ้มmâi kúm 'not worth it'.
- เครียด krîat
stressed adjective
Say the k and the r together, with a falling tone: krîat.
- ปัญหา bpan-hǎa
problem noun
ไม่มีปัญหาmâi mii bpan-hǎa (no problem) is a cheerful yes to a favour.
Advice and the bill
Lesson page- ถ้า tâa
if conjunction
Falling tone, with a long aa. The result often starts with ก็gâw: ถ้าว่างก็มานะtâa wâang gâw maa ná If you're free, come over.
- อย่า yàa
don't (+ verb) adverb
Low tone; mid-tone ยาyaa is medicine. Add นะná to keep it friendly: อย่าลืมนะyàa luuem ná Don't forget, okay?
- ลอง lawng
to try (try … and see) verb
You know it from ลองใส่lawng sài (try on). Put the action in the middle and ดูduu at the end: ลองกินดูlawng gin duu try it and see.
- คำแนะนำ kam-náe-nam
advice, a recommendation noun
- ปรึกษา bprùek-sǎa
to consult, ask someone's advice verb
Put the person straight after it: ปรึกษาหมอbprùek-sǎa mǎw see a doctor about it, ปรึกษาแม่bprùek-sǎa mâe talk it over with Mum.
- อาจจะ àat-jà
might, maybe adverb
Before the verb: อาจจะไม่ว่างàat-jà mâi wâang I might not be free. On its own it's a soft, non-committal 'maybe'.
- น่าจะ nâa-jà
probably; should (it would be best to) adverb
A soft guess (น่าจะดีnâa-jà dii it's probably good) or soft advice (น่าจะลองnâa-jà lawng you should give it a try).
- สำคัญ sǎm-kan
important adjective
- เป็นห่วง bpen-hùang
to worry about (someone) verb
Worrying because you care. You know the same ห่วงhùang from ไม่ต้องห่วงmâi dtâwng hùang (don't worry).
- เสียดาย sǐa-daai
what a pity; to regret missing (something) verb
For a missed chance, or something good going to waste: Thais say it over leftover food, too.
- เลี้ยง líang
to treat (someone to a meal); to raise, look after verb
'It's on me' is ผมเลี้ยงเองpǒm líang eeng or ฉันเลี้ยงเองchǎn líang eeng. The same verb means to raise children or keep a pet.
- แยกบิล yâek bin
to split the bill (everyone pays their own) phrase
Everyone pays for what they had. Splitting the total equally is หารกันhǎan gan, 'divide it'.
Grammar: If…then: ถ้า…ก็
- ถ้า tâaเงินเดือน ngoen-dueanดี diiก็ gâwจะ jàย้าย yáai
If the salary's good, I'll move.
- ถ้า tâaไม่ mâiลอง lawngก็ gâwจะ jàเสียดาย sǐa-daai
If you don't try, you'll regret it.
- ถ้า tâaไม่ mâiชอบ châwpก็ gâwกลับ glàpกรุงเทพ grung-têepได้ dâi
If you don't like it, you can always go back to Bangkok.
Dialogue: Dinner in Nimman
Evening at a restaurant in Nimman. This afternoon Boss had his interview with a Chiang Mai start-up, and they offered him the job on the spot. He has ordered far too much food, and he can't decide what to do.
13 lines · tap a line to hear it
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Bossบอส
บริษัท baw-rí-sàtเขา kǎoรับ rápผม pǒmแล้ว láewนะ náแต่ dtàeยัง yangตัดสินใจ dtàt-sǐn-jaiไม่ mâiได้ dâiเลย loeiThey've offered me the job! But I just can't decide.
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You
เงินเดือน ngoen-dueanดี diiไหม mǎiIs the salary good?
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Bossบอส
น้อย náwyกว่า gwàaที่ tîiกรุงเทพ grung-têepนิดหน่อย nít-nàwyแต่ dtàeที่นี่ tîi-nîiค่า kâaเช่า châoถูก tùukกว่า gwàaเยอะ yóeA bit lower than in Bangkok, but rent here is a lot cheaper.
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You
แล้ว láewหัวหน้า hǔa-nâaเป็น bpenคน konยังไง yang-ngaiAnd what's the boss like?
Culture note: Who pays?
Eating out in Thailand comes with an unwritten rule: the older or more senior person usually pays. A boss treats the team, and a พี่pîi treats the น้องnáwng. That's เลี้ยงlíang: to treat, and also to look after.
Good news is another reason to treat: a new job, a promotion, a birthday. Then the person celebrating pays, which is why Boss won't hear of splitting the bill tonight.
Friends of the same age usually share. แยกบิลyâek bin means everyone pays for what they had; หารกันhǎan gan means dividing the total, often by PromptPay right at the table.
If someone treats you, one polite offer to pay is enough: don't fight over the bill. Say ขอบคุณkàwp-kun with a smile and return the favour another day: ครั้งหน้าเลี้ยงคืนนะkráng-nâa líang kuuen ná, next time it's on me.
AI role-play: Should Boss take the job?
At the end of the unit you talk with Boss, an AI character who answers in natural Thai and helps when you get stuck.
The scene
Boss calls you the night before he has to give the start-up his answer. Listen to his worries and give him your advice.
Boss starts
Are you free? Can I ask your advice about something?
Your goals
- 1Ask about the salary, the company and the boss
- 2Give advice with if… then…
- 3Tell him one thing he should do and one thing he shouldn't
- 4Suggest he try something first and see how it goes