Writing notes is one of the best ways to fix small English mistakes. Photo by Benoît Deschasaux on Unsplash
If you grew up speaking Thai, English can feel tricky in some surprising places. Thai and English work in very different ways. Thai has no verb endings for time, no "a" or "the", and some words that look the same in a dictionary are used very differently in real life.
The good news? Most mistakes are small and easy to fix once you notice them. Here are 10 common ones we hear in class, with quick fixes you can start using today.
1. "Open the light" and "close the light"
In Thai we say เปิดไฟ (bpə̀ət fai) and ปิดไฟ (bpìt fai), so many people translate this directly. In English, we turn on or switch on the light, and we turn off or switch off the light.
- ❌ Can you open the air?
- ✅ Can you turn on the air conditioner?
The same rule works for the TV, the fan, the computer and the radio. "Open" and "close" are for doors, windows, boxes and shops.
2. "I'm boring" vs "I'm bored"
This one can be funny! If you say "I'm boring", you are telling people that you are not interesting. What you probably mean is that you feel bored.
- Words ending in ed describe how you feel: bored, excited, tired, interested.
- Words ending in ing describe the thing that causes the feeling: a boring movie, an exciting trip.
3. "I very like it"
In Thai, ชอบมาก (châawp mâak) puts "very" right after "like". In English, "very" does not go before a verb. Try these instead:
- ✅ I like it very much.
- ✅ I really like it.
4. Forgetting the past tense
Thai uses time words like เมื่อวาน (mʉ̂a-waan, yesterday) instead of changing the verb. English changes the verb itself.
- ❌ Yesterday I go to Siam.
- ✅ Yesterday I went to Siam.
A simple habit: every time you say "yesterday", "last week" or "ago", check your verb.
5. "Go to shopping"
We say go shopping, go swimming and go running, with no "to". Use "go to" with a place: go to the mall, go to the market, go to work.
6. "Play Facebook"
In Thai we often say เล่นเฟซบุ๊ก (lên Facebook). In English, we use Facebook, check Instagram, or scroll through TikTok. "Play" is for games, sports and music.
7. "Same same"
This phrase is famous in Thailand, but in natural English we say the same, similar or almost the same.
- ✅ These two shirts look the same.
- ✅ Your bag is similar to mine.
8. Missing "a", "an" and "the"
Thai has no articles, so they are easy to forget. A quick guide:
- a / an for one thing you mention for the first time: I have a cat.
- the for something you both already know: The cat is sleeping.
Don't worry about being perfect. People will still understand you, and it gets easier with practice.
9. "He" and "She" mix ups
Thai often uses เขา (khǎo) for both men and women. In English, choose he for a man and she for a woman. Slow down a little when you talk about other people, and this mistake will disappear quickly.
10. Dropping the last sound
Many Thai speakers say "fi" for "five" or "nigh" for "nice", because Thai words do not end with sounds like /v/ or /s/. Ending sounds matter a lot in English, especially for plurals (books, cats) and past tense (worked, played). Practise by saying the word slowly and really finishing it.
Quick tips to fix mistakes faster
- Pick one mistake per week and focus on it.
- Record yourself speaking for one minute and listen back.
- Write short sentences in a notebook every day.
- Ask a teacher or friend to correct you, kindly and often.
Learn English with Bubble Language School
Making mistakes is a normal part of learning, and every mistake you notice is a step forward. At Bubble Language School near BTS On Nut, our teachers help Thai speakers build confident, natural English in group, private, online and hybrid classes, from everyday English to IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC preparation.
Want to know which class suits you? Message us on LINE Official @ibe_education, email admin@bubblelanguageschool.org, call 092 854 5564, or visit bubblelanguageschool.org. We would love to hear from you!