This upper-intermediate listening exercise tells the story of someone who has been terrified of heights for their entire life, then finally decides to face that fear head-on by signing up for a rock climbing class. It is a short passage, but it packs in some genuinely useful vocabulary around emotions, physical reactions, and perseverance.
You will also pick up a grammar structure you hear constantly in everyday Thai: “ตั้งแต่” (Dtâng-dtàe), meaning “since.” Watch the video first without reading, then come back and work through the script below.
Watch the Video
Romanization (Script from the Audio)
Dtâng-dtàe lûuk-phîi-lûuk-náwng kháwng chán bpen dèk, kháo glua kwaam-súung mâak.
Bpii-thîi-láew, kháo dtàd-sín-jai chà-ná kwaam-glua níi dooi khâo-rûam Class bpiin-kháo.
Mêua kháo lawng tham sáwng-sáam khráng râek, kháo khrîad láe glua mâak. Chán hén kháo ngèua-àwk tháng dtua.
Kháo gèuab yawm-pháe láai-khráng, dtàe phûak-rao láe Coach bpiin-kháo hai gam-lang-jai kháo dtà-làwd-way-laa tham-hâi kháo rúu-sèuk mân-jai khêun.
Chûang-sùd-tháai kháwng Class, kháo mâi dâi khâe chà-ná khwaam-glua dtàe kháo dâi rúu wâa gaan-bpiin-kháo gâw mâi dâi yâe dûay!
English Translation
“Since my cousin was a child, they were very afraid of heights.”
“Last year, they decided to conquer this fear by joining a rock climbing class.”
“When they tried the first two or three times, they were nervous and very scared. I could see them sweating all over.”
“They almost gave up many times, but we and the climbing coach encouraged them throughout, which made them feel more confident.”
“By the end of the class, they had not only conquered their fear but also discovered that rock climbing was not so bad after all!”
Vocabulary Focus
| Thai | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ลูกพี่ลูกน้อง | lûuk-phîi-lûuk-náwng | cousin |
| ความสูง | kwaam-súung | height |
| ตัดสินใจ | dtàd-sín-jai | to decide |
| เหงื่อออก | ngèua-àwk | to sweat |
| มั่นใจ | mân-jai | confident |
| ยอมแพ้ | yawm-pháe | to give up |
ลูกพี่ลูกน้อง
lûuk-phîi-lûuk-náwng
cousin
ความสูง
kwaam-súung
height
ตัดสินใจ
dtàd-sín-jai
to decide
เหงื่อออก
ngèua-àwk
to sweat
มั่นใจ
mân-jai
confident
ยอมแพ้
yawm-pháe
to give up
Vocabulary in Context
ลูกพี่ลูกน้องของฉันอยู่กรุงเทพฯ
(Lûuk-phîi-lûuk-náwng kháwng chán yùu Grung-thêep.)
My cousin lives in Bangkok.
ฉันไม่กลัวความสูง
(Chán mâi glua kwaam-súung.)
I'm not afraid of heights.
เขาตัดสินใจย้ายไปต่างประเทศ
(Kháo dtàd-sín-jai yáai bpai dtàang-bprà-thêet.)
He decided to move abroad.
ฉันเหงื่อออกเพราะอากาศร้อน
(Chán ngèua-àwk prór aa-gàat rórn.)
I'm sweating because it's hot.
เธอพูดภาษาไทยได้มั่นใจมาก
(Thoe phûut phaa-sáa-Thai dâi mân-jai mâak.)
She speaks Thai very confidently.
เขาไม่ยอมแพ้แม้ว่าจะยาก
(Kháo mâi yawm-pháe máae wâa jà yâak.)
He doesn't give up even when it's hard.
Grammar Focus: ตั้งแต่ (Dtâng-dtàe) – “Since”
ตั้งแต่ marks the starting point of an action or situation. It works like “since” or “from” in English.
Structure: ตั้งแต่ + [time or situation] + [action/situation]
ตั้งแต่ฉันเป็นเด็ก ฉันชอบอ่านหนังสือ
(Dtâng-dtàe chán bpen dèk, chán chôrp àan náng-súe.)
Since I was a child, I've loved reading.
ตั้งแต่เขาย้ายมาที่นี่ เขาก็มีเพื่อนเยอะขึ้น
(Dtâng-dtàe kháo yáai maa thîi-nîi, kháo gôr mii phûean yér khêun.)
Since he moved here, he has made more friends.
ตั้งแต่เริ่มปีใหม่ ฉันออกกำลังกายทุกวัน
(Dtâng-dtàe rêrhm bpii-mài, chán àwk-gam-lang-gaai thúk-wan.)
Since the new year began, I've been exercising every day.
ตั้งแต่เราเรียนภาษาไทย เราสนุกมาก
(Dtâng-dtàe rao riian phaa-sáa Thai, rao sà-nùk mâak.)
Since we started learning Thai, we've had a lot of fun.
ตั้งแต่เขาเจอครูคนนี้ เขารู้สึกมั่นใจขึ้น
(Dtâng-dtàe kháo jer khruu khon-níi, kháo rúu-sèuk mân-jai khêun.)
Since he met this teacher, he has felt more confident.
Practice Tips
- Watch the YouTube video once without reading anything below. Focus on the rhythm and see which words you can pick out.
- On a second watch, follow along with the romanization. Pause after each sentence if you need extra time.
- Cover the English translation and try to piece together the meaning from context and the vocabulary list alone.
- Build three of your own sentences using ตั้งแต่. Talking about real events from your life makes the structure stick faster than memorizing textbook examples.
Want more structured listening at every level? Nariss's video courses include hours of real Thai audio with full scripts and exercises. Or keep practicing with the next story: Thai Listening Practice: A Kind Stranger.
