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Thai · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 20

อาหารFood

aa-hǎan

Food and taste. Food: เนื้อ, ไก่, ปลา, ผัก, ไข่, ผลไม้. The key point: the ADJECTIVE goes AFTER the noun — "ปลาอร่อย" (fish-delicious = the fish is delicious), not "อร่อยปลา". And you use no "เป็น" before an adjective: "ผมหิว" (I'm hungry), "อาหารเผ็ด" (spicy food). English speakers often put the adjective first ("อร่อยปลา" ✗ → "ปลาอร่อย" ✓). New words: เนื้อ, ไก่, ปลา, ผัก, ไข่, ผลไม้, อร่อย, เผ็ด, หิว, อิ่ม. Culture corner: Eating Thai — shared dishes, fork-and-spoon, and "เผ็ดไหม".

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อร่อยปลา? ปลาอร่อย?

  1. Somchaiเจมส์Jamesอาaaหารhǎanนี้níiเป็นpenยังyaŋไงngaiบ้างbâaŋJames, how is this food?
  2. Jamesอร่อยà-rɔ̀iปลาplaa!Delicious fish! (slip: the adjective goes after the noun — say "ปลาอร่อย")
  3. Somchaiคำkhamคุณkhunsàpศัพท์yùuอยู่lǎŋหลังkrápครับplaa—"ปลาàอร่อยrɔ̀i"The adjective goes after — "ปลาอร่อย".
  4. Jamesอ๋อɔ̌ɔปลาplaaอร่อยà-rɔ̀i!ผักphàkก็kɔ̂อร่อยà-rɔ̀iผมphǒmหิวhǐwมากmâakOh, the fish is delicious! The veg too. I'm very hungry.

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อร่อยมาก!— So delicious!

  1. MaleeสมชายsǒmchaaiหิวhǐwไหมmǎiคะkháSomchai, are you hungry?
  2. SomchaiหิวhǐwครับkrápเราraoกินkinอะàไรraiดีdiiYes, I am. What shall we eat?
  3. Maleeร้านráanนี้níiมีmiiก๋วยkǔaiเตี๋ยวtǐaoกับkàpข้าวkhâaoผัดphàtทั้งtháŋสองsɔ̌ɔŋอย่างyàaŋอร่อยà-rɔ̀iThis place has noodles and fried rice. Both are delicious.
  4. Somchaiผมphǒmกินkinก๋วยkǔaiเตี๋ยวtǐaoปลาplaaที่นี่thîinîiอร่อยà-rɔ̀iมากmâakI'll have noodles. The fish here is very delicious.

Vocabulary

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เนื้อnʉ́a

nounmeat, beef

ไก่kài

nounchicken

ปลาplaa

nounfish

ผักphàk

nounvegetable

ไข่khài

nounegg

ผลไม้phǒn-lá-máai

nounfruit

อร่อยà-rɔ̀i

adjectivedelicious (after the noun)

เผ็ดphèt

adjectivespicy

หิวhǐw

adjectivehungry

อิ่มìm

adjectivefull (not hungry)

Grammar

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Adjective after the noun (no "เป็น")

Explanation

In Thai, the ADJECTIVE comes "AFTER" the noun it describes: "ปลาอร่อย" (fish delicious = ปลาอร่อย), "อาหารเผ็ด" (spicy food), "ผลไม้หวาน" (sweet fruit). English speakers often put the adjective first like "delicious fish" → "อร่อยปลา" ✗ → "ปลาอร่อย" ✓. And when the adjective is the predicate, you need no "เป็น": "ปลาอร่อย" (the fish is delicious), "ผมหิว" (I'm hungry). Add "มาก" (very) at the end: "อร่อยมาก". Ask about feeling: "หิวไหม" — "หิว / อิ่มแล้ว".

Examples

  • อาหารนี้อร่อยมากThis food is very delicious.
  • ผมหิว ผมกินข้าวI'm hungry. I'll eat rice.
  • ปลาอร่อย ผักก็อร่อยThe fish is delicious, the vegetables too.
  • อาหารเผ็ดไหม — เผ็ดนิดหน่อยIs the food spicy? — A little spicy.

Culture

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กินแบบไทย: จานกลาง ช้อนส้อม และ "เผ็ดไหม"Eating Thai: shared dishes, fork-and-spoon, and "เผ็ดไหม"

Food is the heart of Thai society. Thai people eat rice together, share several dishes, use a fork and spoon, and often ask each other "เผ็ดไหม" (is it spicy?). Eating is a matter of sharing and generosity.

Shared dishes in the middle

At home or in a restaurant, several dishes — fish, chicken, stir-fries, curries — are placed in the middle of the table for everyone to share. Each person has their own plate of steamed rice and spoons a little of each dish onto the rice, a bit at a time, not a big pile at once. Ordering several dishes to share is normal and better than one plate each. The more people, the more variety you can order.

Fork and spoon

Most Thai food is eaten with a fork and spoon, not chopsticks. Hold the spoon in your right hand, the fork in your left. The spoon is the main tool — you bring it to your mouth; the fork only pushes food onto the spoon and does not go into your mouth. Chopsticks are used only for ก๋วยเตี๋ยว (noodle dishes). A knife is almost never used, because the food is already cut into bite-size pieces.

"How spicy?"

Thai food is famous for its heat. Vendors often ask "เผ็ดไหม" (spicy?) or "how spicy do you want it?". You can answer "ไม่เผ็ด" (not spicy), "เผ็ดน้อย" (a little spicy), or "เผ็ดมาก" (very spicy). If you are not used to chilli, it is safer to say "เผ็ดน้อยนะ" first. On the table there are usually condiments — fish sauce, chilli, sugar, vinegar — to adjust the taste yourself. Thai people love to see a guest eat their fill and be happy. When you are full, say "อิ่มแล้ว ขอบคุณ" (I'm full, thank you) with a smile.

In short: share the dishes in the middle, eat with a fork and spoon, and don't be afraid to say "a little spicy". Eating Thai is about sharing and warmth. Enjoy your meal — let's eat!

Script & tones

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วรรณยุกต์ในคำเรื่องอาหาร— Tones in the Food Words

Read the food words aloud, keeping the tones:

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