It is completely normal for Thai learners to find the English /l/ and /r/ sounds frustrating. In everyday Thai speech, these two sounds are often used interchangeably, or the "r" (ร) is softened into a flap or an "l" (ล) sound.
The Difficulty: When Words Change Meaning
The biggest challenge is that swapping these sounds changes the entire meaning of a word. Here are a few common examples:
Glass (a cup) vs. Grass (the green plant on the ground)
Light (from the sun or a lamp) vs. Right (correct, or a direction)
Play (to have fun) vs. Pray (to speak to a deity)
The Tip: Master Your Tongue Placement
The secret to conquering these sounds is not about listening harder; it is about retraining the muscles in your mouth. Focus on your tongue placement:
For the /l/ sound: Press the tip of your tongue directly against the back of your upper front teeth. Let the air flow out around the sides of your tongue.
For the /r/ sound: Pull your tongue back and curl the tip slightly upward toward the roof of your mouth. Crucially, do not let your tongue touch the roof of your mouth at all. Your lips should also round slightly, almost as if you are preparing to say an "o" sound.
[
{
"original": "Look at the bright light.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "จงมองไปที่แสงที่สว่างไสว",
"translationOptions": ["มอง", "ที่", "สว่างไสว", "แสง"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 2
},
{
"original": "It shines on the right.",
"highlightIndex": 4,
"fullTranslation": "มันส่องประกายอยู่ทางด้านขวา",
"translationOptions": ["มัน", "ส่องประกาย", "ขวา", "ทาง"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 2
},
{
"original": "I see the green grass.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "ฉันเห็นผืนหญ้าสีเขียว",
"translationOptions": ["สีเขียว", "เห็น", "ฉัน", "หญ้า"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "I see the clear glass.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "ฉันเห็นแก้วที่ใสสะอาด",
"translationOptions": ["แก้ว", "เห็น", "ใสสะอาด", "ฉัน"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 2
},
{
"original": "The long road is ahead.",
"highlightIndex": 2,
"fullTranslation": "ถนนที่ยาวไกลอยู่เบื้องหน้า",
"translationOptions": ["ถนน", "ยาวไกล", "เบื้องหน้า", "คือ"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "Don’t make the wrong turn.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "อย่าเลี้ยวผิดทางล่ะ",
"translationOptions": ["เลี้ยว", "อย่า", "ผิด", "ทาง"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 2
},
{
"original": "Please buy a red rose.",
"highlightIndex": 4,
"fullTranslation": "กรุณาซื้อดอกกุหลาบสีแดง",
"translationOptions": ["ดอกกุหลาบ", "ซื้อ", "กรุณา", "สีแดง"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "Please buy a white lily.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "กรุณาซื้อดอกลิลลี่สีขาว",
"translationOptions": ["ดอกลิลลี่", "สีขาว", "ซื้อ", "กรุณา"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 1
},
{
"original": "The rain starts to fall.",
"highlightIndex": 1,
"fullTranslation": "สายฝนเริ่มโปรยปรายลงมา",
"translationOptions": ["เริ่ม", "สายฝน", "โปรยปราย", "ลงมา"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 1
},
{
"original": "The lake looks very full.",
"highlightIndex": 1,
"fullTranslation": "ทะเลสาบดูมีน้ำเต็มเปี่ยม",
"translationOptions": ["ทะเลสาบ", "ดู", "มาก", "เต็มเปี่ยม"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "We go to fly a kite.",
"highlightIndex": 5,
"fullTranslation": "พวกเราไปเล่นว่าวกัน",
"translationOptions": ["พวกเรา", "ไป", "เล่น", "ว่าว"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 3
},
{
"original": "We go to fry some rice.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "พวกเราไปผัดข้าวกัน",
"translationOptions": ["พวกเรา", "ไป", "ข้าว", "ผัด"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 3
},
{
"original": "The leaf falls from the tree.",
"highlightIndex": 1,
"fullTranslation": "ใบไม้ร่วงหล่นจากต้น",
"translationOptions": ["ต้น", "ร่วงหล่น", "ใบไม้", "จาก"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 2
},
{
"original": "The root grows in the soil.",
"highlightIndex": 1,
"fullTranslation": "รากไม้เติบโตอยู่ในดิน",
"translationOptions": ["รากไม้", "เติบโต", "ดิน", "ใน"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "He is a loyal friend.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "เขาเป็นเพื่อนที่ซื่อสัตย์",
"translationOptions": ["เพื่อน", "เขา", "เป็น", "ซื่อสัตย์"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 3
},
{
"original": "He is a royal prince.",
"highlightIndex": 4,
"fullTranslation": "เขาเป็นเจ้าชายผู้สูงศักดิ์",
"translationOptions": ["เจ้าชาย", "เป็น", "เขา", "สูงศักดิ์"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "She likes the low price.",
"highlightIndex": 4,
"fullTranslation": "เธอชอบสินค้าราคาต่ำ",
"translationOptions": ["ราคา", "ชอบ", "เธอ", "ต่ำ"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "She likes to row the boat.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "เธอชอบพายเรือ",
"translationOptions": ["เรือ", "ชอบ", "เธอ", "พาย"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 3
},
{
"original": "Play in the morning light.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "เล่นท่ามกลางแสงยามเช้า",
"translationOptions": ["เล่น", "ยามเช้า", "แสง", "ท่ามกลาง"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 1
},
{
"original": "Pray for a happy life.",
"highlightIndex": 0,
"fullTranslation": "อธิษฐานขอให้มีชีวิตที่มีความสุข",
"translationOptions": ["อธิษฐาน", "ความสุข", "ชีวิต", "ขอให้"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "Fill the blue bowl.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "เติมให้เต็มชามสีน้ำเงิน",
"translationOptions": ["ชาม", "สีน้ำเงิน", "เติม", "เต็ม"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "Feel the cold breeze.",
"highlightIndex": 0,
"fullTranslation": "สัมผัสถึงลมเย็นๆ",
"translationOptions": ["ลม", "เย็นๆ", "สัมผัส", "ถึง"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 2
},
{
"original": "A flock of birds flies by.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "ฝูงนกบินผ่านไป",
"translationOptions": ["ฝูง", "ผ่านไป", "บิน", "นก"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 3
},
{
"original": "A piece of fruit is ripe.",
"highlightIndex": 5,
"fullTranslation": "ผลไม้ลูกหนึ่งสุกแล้ว",
"translationOptions": ["ผลไม้", "สุก", "แล้ว", "ลูกหนึ่ง"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 1
},
{
"original": "Larry is very late.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "แลร์รี่มาสายมาก",
"translationOptions": ["มา", "สาย", "มาก", "แลร์รี่"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 1
},
{
"original": "Jerry is very fast.",
"highlightIndex": 3,
"fullTranslation": "เจอร์รี่เร็วมาก",
"translationOptions": ["เจอร์รี่", "มาก", "เป็น", "เร็ว"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 3
},
{
"original": "Listen to the lovely song.",
"highlightIndex": 4,
"fullTranslation": "ฟังเพลงที่ไพเราะ",
"translationOptions": ["ฟัง", "ไพเราะ", "เพลง", "ที่"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 2
},
{
"original": "Read the real story.",
"highlightIndex": 2,
"fullTranslation": "อ่านเรื่องราวที่เกิดขึ้นจริง",
"translationOptions": ["อ่าน", "เรื่องราว", "จริง", "เกิดขึ้น"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 2
},
{
"original": "Learn to speak it clear.",
"highlightIndex": 2,
"fullTranslation": "เรียนรู้ที่จะพูดให้ชัดเจน",
"translationOptions": ["พูด", "เรียนรู้", "ชัดเจน", "ที่จะ"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 0
},
{
"original": "Relax and have no fear.",
"highlightIndex": 0,
"fullTranslation": "ผ่อนคลายและไม่ต้องกลัว",
"translationOptions": ["กลัว", "ไม่ต้อง", "และ", "ผ่อนคลาย"],
"correctTranslationIndex": 3
}
]
