I didn't recognize your voice

[Pailin]

Another phone question....

"I didn't recognize your voice"

I was once told to say... ไม่รู้จักคุณ would you all agree with that or offer other suggestions. I don't feel comfortable when I use that one because I'm afraid they are going to think I said, "I don't know you" ie, "I don't remember you".

[Mel]

I didn't recognize your voice

ขอโทษค่ะ จำเสียง(คุณ)ไม่ได้

You are right, ไม่รู้จักคุณ = I don't know you

[Pailin]

Thanks mel!

Would using จำ imply that I couldn't remember their voice? I run across situations a lot where, of course I remember someone's voice, but maybe they sound differently on the phone and I didn't realize that voice was the same as my friend, etc.

[Mel]

'recognize' translated as รู้จัก จำได้ (know, remember), ยอมรับ (accept, acknowledge), สำนึก (perceive), เห็นคุณค่า (appreciate, respect), ตระหนัก (realize)

If you don't recognize your friend's voice which sounds differently on the phone, you can use this phrase:

จำเสียงคุณไม่ได้ เสียงคุณในโทรศัพท์ไม่เหมือนตัวจริงเท่าไหร่

[Pailin]

What a handy dictionary you are!

[mjmates]

How about " นึกถึงเสียงคุณไม่ได้ " as in English, I cant place (recall) your voice, as opposed to I can't remember?

[Mel]

In this case, we don’t say นึกถึงเสียงคุณไม่ได้, it’s confusing. Sometimes we cannot translate word by word due to the nature of Thai language, similar meanings according to dictionary but differences in usage.

นึก means คิด – think, consider
นึกถึง means ระลึกถึง, คิดถึง - think of, miss someone, call to mind
นึกไม่ถึง means คาดไม่ถึง, ไม่คิดว่าจะเป็นเช่นนั้น – unexpected
ฉันนึกถึง(คิดถึง) คุณตลอดเวลา
คนแก่ชอบนึกถึง (คิดถึง, ระลึกถึง) เหตุการณ์ในอดีต

จำได้ means ระลึกได้, นึกได้, นึกออก - remember, recall, recognize
จำเสียงคุณ(ไม่)ได้
นึกไม่ออกว่าเสียงใคร
นึกไม่ออกว่าเป็นเสียงคุณ
เพิ่งจะนึกได้ว่าเป็นเสียงคุณ

We don’t use นึกถึง and ระลึก in this case.

ระลึก – recall, bear in mind, commemorate
ถึง – (preposition) about, to, until
ได้ – (suffix) able
เขาระลึกชาติได้

[Mike]

I think this is an area where English is a bit more nuanced than Thai.

If you say "I didn't recognise your voice" in English, it's implying you didn't at first but do now recognise it. Saying จำเสียงไม่ได้ in Thai doesn't really have the same clarity, it could be saying it was just initially you didn't recognise them or that you still don't know who they are. Of course the context usually makes it clear anyway, but if not you can say something like ตอนแรกจำเสียงไม่ได้ (at first, I didn't recognise your voice) instead to make it less ambiguous.

[Mel]

Example of phone conversation: you don’t recognize your friend’s voice.

Receiver: สวัสดีด่ะ
Caller: สวัสดีค่ะ ขอพูดกับคุณเล็กค่ะ
Receiver (เล็ก): เล็กพูดค่ะ
Caller: เล็กเป็นไงบ้าง สบายดีไหม

Lek (เล็ก) doesn’t know who the caller is.

Receiver (เล็ก): ขอโทษค่ะ เล็กกำลังพูดอยู่กับใครค่ะ
Caller: แดงพูดนะ
or (แดงค่ะ)

Receiver (เล็ก): อ้าว แดงเหรอ ขอโทษนะที่จำเสียงแดงไม่ได้
or (ตอนแรกจำไม่ได้ว่าเสียงใคร… แดงนี่เอง)

Caller (แดง): แดงก็จำเสียงเล็กตอนรับสายไม่ได้เหมือนกัน

[nam phyyng]

I find it much more difficult speaking in Thai over the phone than face-to-face. I think there is a kind of "subliminal" communication between two people via eye contact, that transcends language difficulties.

I still remember the tremendous feeling of accomplishment when I booked a hotel room over the phone (discussing price, length of stay and start date etc) solely in Thai. The "proof of the pudding" was when I arrived at the hotel on the appointed day and found everything in order.
Yes!! High Fives all around!