Do you have big boobs for my cereal?
Today I left my new convenience store a little confused.
Had I just asked the lady working there if she had large breasts? or had I correctly asked whether she had any large bottles of milk?
She’s smiled and given me my expected replies, and then I realized that being a middle aged Thai lady who did not have such dairy products she’d have replied no to either questions.
Unfortunately (and I did know this) the word for both milk and boob in Thai is ‘nom’. To determine between the two in conversation depends partly on context … generally men in the touristy areas of Bangkok will not be requiring a lactose intake when they are holding a beer in one hand and inspecting ‘noms’ with the other.
I should really have used the classified ‘bottle of’ to make it clear exactly what I was looking for … “kun mee nom cuat yai, mai khrap” (do you have a large bottle of milk).
I got a smile from the lady. I’ll probably be known in my village as the funny farang who speaks silly sentences, but I’d say this is still better than being known as the funny farang who doesn’t speak.
Whatever … I was pleased I at least recognized my mistake afterwards, and you can bet that I won’t make it again.
I’m fortunately not the only person to make these kinds of mistakes and I remember reading delightfully that the translation for ‘pubic hair’ and for ‘feather’ are very similar. I read gleefully as this gentleman recounts entering a shop and asks to purchase a luxury pillow.
