Is it Normal to Forget Words while Speaking

Have you ever been speaking Thai and suddenly forgotten the word you need? It happens to everyone, even native speakers! In this lesson, you’ll learn the difference between three useful expressions for those moments, plus a handy trick Thai people use when a word slips their mind: describing the object with ที่ (thîi) followed by what it does.

Then it’s game time! Listen to descriptions of 20 everyday objects and see how many you can guess before the answer is revealed. Give yourself one point for each correct answer. Can you get all 20?

Thai Vocabulary:
ลืม (lʉʉm) – To forget
คิดไม่ออก (kít mâi òk) – Can’t think of / can’t come up with (an idea)
นึกไม่ออก (nʉ́k mâi òk) – Can’t recall (something you already know)
ที่ทาปาก (thîi thaa bpàak) – Lipstick (literally “the thing for painting lips”)

Forgetting words is a normal part of speaking any language. With this strategy, you’ll always have a way to keep the conversation going!