Unit 22 · Real conversations · B1
Unit 22: What do you think?
Give your opinion with reasons, agree and disagree politely, and compare places and food.
6 lessons · about 46 min CEFR B1
The story
A rainy afternoon at Krit's co-working café in Nimman. Krit, who grew up in Bangkok, and Fon, Chiang Mai born and bred, are arguing about which city is better to live in, and whose khao soi is the best. They want your opinion.
After this unit
- I can say what I think and give a reason.
- I can agree, disagree politely, or say that I'm not sure or that it depends.
- I can compare city and country life: convenience, traffic, nature, safety.
- I can link my ideas with but, so, as for and especially.
The 6 lessons
Each lesson takes 5-10 minutes. Read it here, then practise it in the app: free, no sign-up.
- Lesson 1 · Words I think… because… 7 min · free
- Lesson 2 · Words City or country? 7 min · free
- Lesson 3 · Pattern Opinions and reasons: คิดว่า, เพราะ, ก็เลย 8 min · free
- Lesson 4 · Conversation Conversation 8 min · free
- Lesson 5 · Speaking Speaking 8 min · free
- Lesson 6 · Checkpoint Checkpoint 8 min · free
Words and phrases in Unit 22
Tap the speaker to hear each one. Tap any Thai word to see what it means.
I think… because…
Lesson page- คิด kít
to think verb
Opinions start with คิดว่าkít wâa (think that). Ask for one with คิดว่ายังไงkít wâa yang-ngai: literally 'think how?'
- ว่า wâa
that (after think, say, hope: think that …) conjunction
It links a verb to what you think or say: คิดว่าkít wâa (think that). Casually, Thais drop the verb: ผมว่าpǒm wâa or ฉันว่าchǎn wâa means 'I reckon'. You know it from แปลว่าbplae wâa and เรียกว่าrîak wâa.
- เพราะ práw
because conjunction
เพราะว่าpráw wâa means the same. It answers a ทำไมtam-mai (why) question, and เพราะอะไรpráw à-rai (because of what?) is another way to ask why.
- ก็เลย gâw-loei
so, that's why conjunction
The result comes after it: ฝนตกก็เลยไม่ไปfǒn dtòk gâw-loei mâi bpai (it rained, so I didn't go). It's the mirror image of เพราะpráw.
- แต่ dtàe
but conjunction
Low and short, with an unaspirated dt: no puff of air.
- เห็นด้วย hěn-dûay
to agree verb
Disagree gently with ไม่ค่อยเห็นด้วยmâi kâwy hěn-dûay (I don't really agree): a flat ไม่เห็นด้วยmâi hěn-dûay sounds blunt.
- ไม่แน่ใจ mâi nâe-jai
not sure; I'm not sure phrase
Also a gentle way to doubt what someone said: ไม่แน่ใจนะmâi nâe-jai ná (I'm not so sure about that).
- แล้วแต่ láew-dtàe
it depends (on); up to (you) phrase
Thais say it a lot to stay easygoing and let others choose: แล้วแต่คุณláew-dtàe kun (up to you), แล้วแต่คนláew-dtàe kon (it depends on the person).
- สำหรับ sǎm-ràp
for; as far as … is concerned (for me = in my view) preposition
At the start of an opinion, สำหรับผมsǎm-ràp pǒm or สำหรับฉันsǎm-ràp chǎn means 'for me, in my view'.
- ส่วนตัว sùan-dtua
personally; private adverb
At the start of an opinion it means 'personally'; after a noun it means 'private': ห้องส่วนตัวhâwng sùan-dtua (a private room).
- โดยเฉพาะ dooi-chà-páw
especially adverb
- น่าสนใจ nâa-sǒn-jai
interesting adjective
น่าnâa + verb means 'worth …ing': น่าสนใจnâa-sǒn-jai (interesting), น่ารักnâa-rák (lovely), and น่าอยู่nâa-yùu in the next lesson (nice to live in).
- เบื่อ bùea
bored; fed up (with), sick of adjective
What you're sick of comes straight after it: เบื่อรถติดbùea rót dtìt (sick of the traffic).
City or country?
Lesson page- ชีวิต chii-wít
life noun
- ต่างจังหวัด dtàang-jang-wàt
the provinces, upcountry (anywhere outside Bangkok) noun
To people in Bangkok, everywhere else is ต่างจังหวัดdtàang-jang-wàt, even a big city like Chiang Mai.
- วุ่นวาย wûn-waai
hectic, chaotic adjective
- สะดวก sà-dùak
convenient adjective
Also the polite way to ask whether a time or place suits someone: สะดวกไหมsà-dùak mǎi (does that work for you?).
- เงียบ ngîap
quiet adjective
Falling tone, starting with ng as at the end of 'sing'. เงียบดีngîap dii means 'nice and quiet'.
- น่าอยู่ nâa-yùu
nice to live in, liveable adjective
- ปลอดภัย bplàwt-pai
safe adjective
The opposite of อันตรายan-dtà-raai (dangerous).
- ธรรมชาติ tam-má-châat
nature; natural noun
The spelling hides a few sounds: read it tam-má-châat.
- ภูเขา puu-kǎo
mountain noun
In the North a mountain is also a ดอยdawy: ดอยสุเทพdawy-sù-têep is the mountain above Chiang Mai.
- ข้อดี kâw-dii
advantage, good point noun
- ข้อเสีย kâw-sǐa
disadvantage, drawback noun
- ส่วน sùan
as for, while (contrast: and Fon, on the other hand …) conjunction
It switches to the other side of a contrast: กฤษชอบกรุงเทพส่วนฝนชอบเชียงใหม่grìt châwp grung-têep sùan fǒn châwp chiang-mài (Krit likes Bangkok, while Fon likes Chiang Mai).
Grammar: Opinions and reasons: คิดว่า, เพราะ, ก็เลย
- คิด kítว่า wâaเชียงใหม่ chiang-màiน่าอยู่ nâa-yùuกว่า gwàa
I think Chiang Mai is nicer to live in.
- ผม pǒmว่า wâaร้าน ráanนี้ níiอร่อย à-ràwyกว่า gwàa
I reckon this place is tastier.
Men ผมว่าร้านนี้อร่อยกว่า Women ฉันว่าร้านนี้อร่อยกว่า
- สำหรับ sǎm-ràpผม pǒmข้าวซอย kâao-sawyร้าน ráanนี้ níiอร่อย à-ràwyที่สุด tîi-sùt
For me, this place does the best khao soi.
Men สำหรับผมข้าวซอยร้านนี้อร่อยที่สุด Women สำหรับฉันข้าวซอยร้านนี้อร่อยที่สุด
Dialogue: Bangkok or Chiang Mai?
A rainy afternoon at Krit's co-working café in Nimman. Krit grew up in Bangkok, Fon was born and raised in Chiang Mai, and they've been arguing about which city is better to live in. Now they want your opinion.
12 lines · tap a line to hear it
-
Kritกฤษ
กรุงเทพ grung-têepสะดวก sà-dùakกว่า gwàaเยอะ yóeครับ krápมี miiรถไฟฟ้า rót-fai-fáaร้าน ráanเปิด bpòetถึง tǔengดึก dùekBangkok is way more convenient. There's the skytrain, and the shops stay open late.
-
Fonฝน
แต่ dtàeเชียงใหม่ chiang-màiน่าอยู่ nâa-yùuกว่า gwàaนะ náคะ káเงียบ ngîapกว่า gwàaมี miiภูเขา puu-kǎoด้วย dûayBut Chiang Mai is nicer to live in. It's quieter, and there are mountains too.
-
Kritกฤษ
คุณ kunคิด kítว่า wâaยังไง yang-ngaiครับ krápWhat do you think?
-
You
ผม pǒmคิด kítว่า wâaเชียงใหม่ chiang-màiน่าอยู่ nâa-yùuกว่า gwàaเพราะ práwใกล้ glâiธรรมชาติ tam-má-châatI think Chiang Mai is nicer to live in, because it's close to nature.
Men ผมคิดว่าเชียงใหม่น่าอยู่กว่าเพราะใกล้ธรรมชาติ Women ฉันคิดว่าเชียงใหม่น่าอยู่กว่าเพราะใกล้ธรรมชาติ
Culture note: Disagreeing the Thai way
Thais enjoy a friendly debate, as long as it stays light. Smile, laugh it off (online a laugh is typed 555, because five is hâa), and when a topic gets heated, step back with แล้วแต่láew-dtàe (it depends) or ก็ได้gâw dâi (fine, that works too).
Soften what you say: ไม่ค่อยเห็นด้วยmâi kâwy hěn-dûay instead of ไม่เห็นด้วยmâi hěn-dûay, ไม่แน่ใจนะmâi nâe-jai ná instead of 'you're wrong', and a final นะná on almost everything.
Take care with elders and bosses. Contradicting them in front of others makes them lose face, and you look rude too. If you really disagree, say so later, one to one, and put it as a question or a suggestion. Everyone keeps their face, and the conversation stays fun.
AI role-play: Bangkok or Chiang Mai?
At the end of the unit you talk with Krit, an AI character who answers in natural Thai and helps when you get stuck.
The scene
Krit is sure Bangkok beats Chiang Mai. Give your opinion with reasons and see if you can change his mind, politely.
Krit starts
I reckon Bangkok beats Chiang Mai. What do you think?
Your goals
- 1Say which city you prefer and why
- 2Agree with one of Krit's points and politely disagree with another
- 3Name one advantage and one disadvantage of each city
- 4Say what you did as a result of something (…, so …)