Tips from a Linguist
When people with an interest in languages hear one they don’t understand, they often start listening for patterns—repeated words, familiar gestures, tone of voice. That’s exactly what I did when I first arrived in Thailand.
I kept hearing certain phrases pop up in conversation—“Arai gor dai” and “Mai pen rai.” I had no idea what they meant at the time, but they usually came after what I guessed was a question—often marked by a rising tone at the end of a sentence (though, as I learned from my Kiwi friends, that’s not always a reliable clue!).
What caught my attention were the reactions that followed: a shrug, a weak smile, maybe a slightly exasperated look from the person asking the question. I took a guess—“I don’t mind” or “I don’t care”, perhaps?
It wasn’t until months later that I discovered the actual meanings. “Arai gor dai” loosely means “It’s up to you,” and “Mai pen rai” is the ever-present Thai expression for “It doesn’t matter” or “That’s OK.”
It just goes to show how much you can pick up by simply watching and listening. As my dear old Dad used to say, “You learn nothing with your mouth open.”
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