Thai listening practice upper-intermediate level : Time management

Sà-wàd-dii khâ! Welcome back to my blog! Today, we’re diving into some practical Thai vocabulary and expressions that are perfect for talking about time management and daily routines. Picture this: you’ve got a busy day ahead, with lots of tasks to finish, but somehow the hours just slip away. You feel stressed and start wondering if there's even enough time to complete everything.

In today’s blog, you’ll learn six essential Thai words and one key grammar focus that will help you discuss time management in Thai. I’ll guide you through practical examples to help you use these phrases naturally and confidently in your own daily stories.

To make learning easier, we provide a phonetic version of the story, helping you focus on pronunciation and comprehension which includes .... 

✅ Phonetic script for accurate pronunciation.
✅ Thai script for learners familiar with reading.
✅ English translation to ensure you understand every word.
✅ New vocabulary focus, so you can expand your knowledge effortlessly.
✅ Comprehension questions to test and solidify your learning.

If you’re ready to go beyond this introduction and dive deeper into the full learning experience, you can get 20 scriptspacked with all these features by contacting me at [email protected]

Script from the audio (Thai, phonetic and English version)

Sǎm-ràb chán, gaan-jàd-gaan-way-laa bpen sìng thîi sǎm-khan mâak khà.

Chán mák-jà tham baang-yàang mâi than way-laa, rěue rúu-sèuk khrîad rěue rúu-sèuk wâa mii way-laa mâi phaw sǎm-ràb tham thúk-yàang nai nèung wan.

Dtàe-mêua-way-laa-phàan-bpai, chán rêrm rian gìao-gàb gaan-jàd-gaan-way-laa khǎwng dtua-eng hâi dii khêun khà.

Chán khǐan Diary wâa dtâwng tham arai bâang nai nèung wan, fang duu tham-ma-daa dtàe man chûay hâi chán hěn wâa arai sǎm-khan thîi sùd. 

Arai dtâwng tham gàwn, rěue arai thîi tham thii-lǎng dâi. Wí-thii níi chûay hâi chán Focus gàb sìng thîi sǎm-khan láe mâi wâwk-wâek gàb sìng èuun chên, lên tho-rà-sàp jon leum way-laa.

New vocabulary

• การจัดการเวลา (gaan-jàd-gaan-way-laa) - "time management"
  This term refers to the skill or process of managing one's time effectively.

• สำคัญ (sǎm-khan) - "important"
  Used to emphasize significance or priority in Thai. For example, “สำคัญมาก” (sǎm-khan mâak) means "very important."

• เครียด (khrîad) - "stressed"
  This word describes feeling anxious or under pressure.

• เขียนไดอารี่ (khǐan Diary) - "write a diary"
  Writing a diary or keeping a journal can be an effective tool for organizing thoughts and tasks.

• ธรรมดา (tham-ma-daa) - "ordinary" or "basic"
  Often used to describe something simple or straightforward, like basic tasks or routines.

• โฟกัส (Focus) - "focus"
  Adopted from English, this term is commonly used in Thai to express the idea of concentrating on important tasks.

These words will appear in today’s listening exercise, helping you understand the context better and practice using them in sentences.

Grammar focus

In this blog, we’ll explore the usage of “สำหรับฉัน” (sǎm-ràb chán) for expressing personal significance and the placement of “สำคัญ” (sǎm-khan) for emphasizing importance.

Example Sentence : 
สำหรับฉัน การจัดการเวลาเป็นสิ่งที่สำคัญสำหรับฉันมากค่ะ
Sǎm-ràb chán, gaan-jàd-gaan-way-laa bpen sìng thîi sǎm-khan mâak khà.
For me, time management is a very important thing.

สำหรับฉัน (sǎm-ràb chán) - "For me"
This phrase personalizes a statement, making it clear that the sentence reflects the speaker's opinion or experience.

• "สำหรับ" (sǎm-ràb) indicates "for," followed by "ฉัน" (chán), which means "I" or "me."
• เป็นสิ่งที่สำคัญ (bpen sìng thîi sǎm-khan) - "is a very important thing"
  The phrase "เป็นสิ่งที่" (bpen sìng thîi) can be translated as "is a thing that."

• It's commonly followed by an adjective like "สำคัญ" (sǎm-khan), allowing the speaker to add emphasis to what they value most.
  Examples:

สำหรับฉัน การเขียนไดอารี่เป็นสิ่งที่ช่วยให้ฉันโฟกัสค่ะ
Sǎm-ràb chán, gaan-khǐan Diary bpen sìng thîi chûay hâi chán Focus khà.
For me, writing a diary is something that helps me focus.

สำหรับฉัน การวางแผนเป็นสิ่งสำคัญมากค่ะ
Sǎm-ràb chán, gaan-waang-phǎen bpen sìng sǎm-khan mâak khà.
For me, planning is very important.

By using phrases like "สำหรับฉัน" and focusing on important daily routines, learners can begin to express personal priorities and goals in Thai effectively. This foundation in grammar and vocabulary will empower you to communicate confidently about time management and productivity in your Thai learning journey.

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