21 Sinhala Phrases You ABSOLUTELY Must Know!

If you’ve already seen this video on Youtube, then skip over to the text version below. More details, more explanation.

Video Version: 21 Sinhala Phrases

In this post, I’ve put together 21 Sinhala phrases that I think that you, the person wanting to learn Sinhala, absolutely must know.

As you may have figured out by now, I’m someone who’s a “maximum return, minimum effort” kind of guy.

So, I sat down and thought of the typical phrases or questions I might want to know in a language, at least, as a start.

I came up with this list and have put them into 9 categories to make it easier to sort through them.

Text Version: 21 Sinhala Phrases

Meeting & Greeting

1 – “How are you?”

ko∙ho∙mȧ∙dhȧ?

(ko∙ho∙mȧ∙dhȧ? = Literally, “how?”; It’s an informal way of greeting someone)

2 – “My name is [Dilshan]”

ma∙gé   na∙mȧ   [Dilshan]

(ma∙gé = “my”; na∙mȧ = “name”)

3 – “What is your name?”

o∙yaa∙gé   na∙mȧ   mo∙kak∙dhȧ?

(o∙yaa∙gé = “your”; na∙mȧ = “name”; mo∙kak∙dhȧ? = “what?”)

4 – “Where are you from?”

o∙yaa   ko∙hén∙dhȧ?

(o∙yaa = “you”; ko∙hén∙dhȧ? = “from where?”)

Food & Drinks

5 – “I’m hungry”

ma∙tȧ   ba∙dȧ   gi∙niyi

(ma∙tȧ = “for me”; ba∙dȧ gi∙niyi = “(am/are/is) hungry”)

6 – “I want (some) water”

ma∙tȧ   va∙thu∙rȧ   ō∙né

(ma∙tȧ ō∙né = “I want”; va∙thu∙rȧ = “water”)

Frequently Used Words

7(a) – “Yes”

owu

7(b) – “No”

nǣ

7(c) – “This”

mḗ∙kȧ

7(d) – “That”

ḗ∙kȧ

Health & Emergency

8 – “I don’t feel well”

ma∙tȧ   sa∙nee∙pȧ   nǣ

(ma∙tȧ nǣ = “I don’t have”; sa∙nee∙pȧ = “wellness”)

9 – “I want/need a doctor”

ma∙tȧ   dhos∙thȧ∙rȧ   ké∙nék∙vȧ   ō∙né

(ma∙tȧ ō∙né = “I want/need”; dhos∙thȧ∙rȧ ké∙nék∙vȧ = “a doctor”)

10 – “Help me!”

ma∙tȧ   u∙dhauw   kȧ∙ran∙nȧ!

[ma∙tȧ = “to me”; u∙dhauw kȧ∙ran∙nȧ! = “do help!” or “help!” (imperative)]

Language Related

11 – “Do you speak English?”

o∙yaa   in∙gree∙si   ka∙thaa   kȧ∙rȧ∙nȧ∙va∙dhȧ?

(o∙yaa ka∙thaa kȧ∙rȧ∙nȧ∙va∙dhȧ? = “Do you speak?”; in∙gree∙si = “English”)

12 – “I don’t understand”

ma∙tȧ   thḗ∙rén∙né   nǣ

(ma∙tȧ = “for me”; thḗ∙rén∙né nǣ = “don’t understand”)

Shopping

13 – “How much?”

kee∙yȧ∙dhȧ?

14 – “(It’s) too expensive”

ga∙nang   væ∙diyi

(ga∙nang = “expensive”; væ∙diyi = “(is/are) too much”)

Traveling

15 – “Let’s go”

ya∙mu

16 – “I want to go here”

ma∙tȧ   mé∙hé∙tȧ   yan∙nȧ   ō∙né

(ma∙tȧ ō∙né = “I want”; mé∙hé∙tȧ = “to here / to this place”; yan∙nȧ = “to go”)

17 – “Are there any rooms (available)?”

kaa∙mȧ∙rȧ   thi∙yé∙nȧ∙va∙dhȧ?

(kaa∙mȧ∙rȧ = “rooms”; thi∙yé∙nȧ∙va∙dhȧ? = “are there?”)

Polite Words

18(a) – “Please”

ka∙ru∙naa   kȧ∙rȧ∙la

18(b) – “Sorry / Excuse me”

sa∙maa   vén∙nȧ

18(c) – “Thank you (very much)”

bo∙hō∙mȧ   sthoo∙thi

18(d) – “No, thank you (very much)”

é∙paa,   bo∙hō∙mȧ   sthoo∙thi

Special Expressions

19 – “Happy birthday”

su∙bȧ   u∙pan   dhi∙nȧ∙yak   vḗ∙va!

(su∙bȧ = “happy/prosperous”; u∙pan dhi∙nȧ∙yak = “a birthday”; vḗ∙va! = (word used to express a wish. Equivalent to saying “May you have…”)

20 – “I love you”

ma∙mȧ   o∙yaa∙tȧ   aa∙dhȧ∙réyi

(ma∙mȧ = “I”; o∙yaa∙tȧ = “to/towards you”; aa∙dhȧ∙réyi = “(am) loving”)

As I’ve mentioned in another post, below is a line which I’ll always try to find out before visiting another country

Ultra-Emergency Expression!

21 – “Where is the toilet?”

væ∙si∙ki∙li∙yȧ   thi∙yén∙né   ko∙hé∙dhȧ?

(væ∙si∙ki∙li∙yȧ = “toilet”; thi∙yén∙né ko∙hé∙dhȧ = “where is it?”)

If you had to choose your own list of 21 Sinhala Phrases, which phrases would you remove from my list and what would you replace them with? Do let me know in the comments below.