This lesson is for intermediate to advance Thai level.

Though ใ (mai muan) and ไ (mai ma-lai) both create the sound “-ai” in Thai, there are only twenty words that use ใ (mai muan).

As a kid, this is how we memorize it in school. It is a poem that has all the words spelled with Mai Muan ใ

I have also provide a word for word translation of the poem since translating poetry is not my expertise.

ผู้ใหญ่หาผ้าใหม่

(the head of the village)(look for)(cloth)(new)

ให้สะใภ้ใช้คล้องคอ

(for)(daughter in law)(use)(hang, to wrap around)(neck)

ใฝ่ใจเอาใส่ห่อ

(desire)(take)(to put in)(wrap)

มิหลงใหลใครขอดู

(not)(yield)(anybody)(ask)(to look at)

จะใคร่ลงเรือใบ

(will)(want)(go on board)(sailing boat)

ดูน้ำใสและปลาปู

(watch, look at)(water)(clear)(and)(fish)(crab)

สิ่งใดอยู่ในตู้

(something)(is located)(in)(cabinet)

มิใช่อยู่ใต้ตั่งเตียง

(is not)(located in)(under)(bed)

บ้าใบ้ถือใยบัว

(mad and mute person)(hold)(lotus fiber)

หูตามัวมาใกล้เคียง

(ear)(eye)(blurred)(come)(close)

เล่าท่องอย่าละเลี่ยง

(recite)(don’t)(neglect)

ยี่สิบม้วนจำจงดี

(20)(mai muan)(to remember)(well)