Here’s one more of those posts which I *should’ve* done years ago…
However, I completely forgot about it.
But what’s that saying again?
Better late than saying “Aiyo, what to do? Too late now, no?”.
– Absent minded Sinhala blogger who realized he’s never done months in Sinhala before
PLUS! I have the most adorable 2016 calendar to give away to you >>>
How I’ve Structure This Post
- Months in Sinhala: Straight away show you how similar they sound to the months in English
- Using them in the phrases: Let’s use “January” in common month-related phrases. I’ve split phrases by level of difficulty
- Mini quiz: Finish up with a quick 2-minute quiz to test yourself (or, “yo’ self”…)
ha∙ri la∙mayi, pa∙tan ga∙mu∙dhȧ? (Translation hidden somewhere in this post)
1. Months In Sinhala
| January | ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri | |
| February | pé∙bȧ∙rȧ∙vaa∙ri | |
| March | maar∙thu | |
| April | a∙prḗl | |
| May | mæyi | |
| June | joo∙ni 1 | |
| July | joo∙li | |
| August | a∙gōs∙thu | |
| September | sæp∙thæm∙bȧr | |
| October | ok∙thō∙bȧr | |
| November | no∙væm∙bȧr | |
| December | dhé∙sæm∙bȧr |
Notes:
1 Sometimes pronounced as ‘ju∙ni’
2. Using them in sentences (with “January” as an example”)
Difficulty Level: “So easy that you’re actually insulting my intelligence, Dilshan”
| In January | ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ | |
| By/before January | ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ∙tȧ ka∙lin 2 | |
| After January | ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ∙tȧ pas∙sé 3 |
Notes:
2 ‘ka∙lin’ = “before”
3 ‘pas∙sé’ = “after”
Difficulty Level: “Medium spicy. I’ll probably regret it tomorrow morning but I’ll survive”
| It is in January | ḗ∙kȧ ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ thi∙yé∙nȧ∙va | |
| It is by/before January | ḗ∙kȧ ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ∙tȧ ka∙lin thi∙yé∙nȧ∙va | |
| It is after January | ḗ∙kȧ ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ∙tȧ pas∙sé thi∙yé∙nȧ∙va |
| It was in January | ḗ∙kȧ ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ thib∙ba | |
| It was by/before January | ḗ∙kȧ ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ∙tȧ ka∙lin thib∙ba | |
| It was after January | ḗ∙kȧ ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ∙tȧ pas∙sé thib∙ba |
| I’m coming in January | ma∙mȧ ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ é∙nȧ∙va | |
| I came in January | ma∙mȧ ja∙nȧ∙vaa∙ri vȧ∙lȧ aa∙va |
Translation of ‘ha∙ri la∙mayi, pa∙tan ga∙mu∙dhȧ?’:
“Ok kids, shall we start?”
3. Mini Quiz
1. If “going” = ‘ya∙nȧ∙va’ and “went” = ‘gi∙yaa’, then how would you say:
- “I’m going in December”
- “I went in June”
2. If “working” = ‘væ∙dȧ kȧ∙rȧ∙nȧ∙va’ and “worked” = ‘væ∙dȧ kȧ∙laa’, then how would you say:
- “I’m working in September”
- “I worked in March”
Give me your answers in the comments. One of the correct answers, which I’ll randomly pick, will get something special from me. See “Bonus” section below.
Lazy But Smart Sinhala 2016 Calendar in erm… Sinhala
I’ve done a 2016 calendar in Sinhala. Made it from scratch like a big boy.
If you’d like to receive it then let me know in a comment below.
BUT ONLY ONE OF YOU…
… will be the lucky winner who’ll also get the unique version with my fat face on it.
To win it, answer the above quiz correctly in the comments below and I’ll put your name in the bowl.
Also tell me what other month related phrases can you think of? I’ve reached my thinking limit for the week.
2016 Sinhala Calendar Teaser
Tell me below if you want me to send it… And if you want a shot at winning the very rare collector’s item of the version with my annoying face on it, then answer the quiz.
Thanks for this, Dilshan, and belated congratulations on your wedding to the beautiful Mrs Smart. My Sri Lankan friends usually pronounce October as ‘Octomber’. Have you heard of this before?
Actually I hesitated between the version of October you mentioned and the version I used. I’ve heard both being used in spoken Sinhala and so I went with the one that needs less of a mental adjustment for you guys. Thanks for the comment, it was a good one. And thanks for the kind wishes.
Thanks for pointing this out. I have a friend who says Octomber and I had thought it was just him.
Haha, no it’s not just your friend, I believe both Okthobar and Okthombar can be said. Actually John, (I’m thinking out aloud here) if you think about it in terms of sequence (september november, december), doesn’t it make more sense that even in English it should’ve been Octomber? :) Ha, I didn’t think of that before.
Actually Octember would be even better!! My English mother tongue is soon confusing!
I hear you, buddy
Ok here goes
Mama vaeda karanava saepthaembar vala
Mama vaedakalaa maarthu vala
Mama yanava dhesaembar vala
Mama giyaa jooni vala
How is that?
I would love love love a calendar. Will it have the pita days on it as well?
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday
Thanks Tracey. Shall reveal the correct answer soon. But will send you the regular calendar now. It doesn’t have Poya days (not pita) or any holidays. Had to keep it global :)
Dam autocorrect. Lol
I know! My name is still corrected to “Dishpan”…
And about your answers, the words are correct (yay!), but I would stick to the same word order that I used in the post – it sounds more authentic. See below:
mamȧ dhésaembȧr vȧlȧ yanȧva
mamȧ jooni vȧlȧ giyaa
mamȧ sæpthaembȧr vȧlȧ vædȧ kȧrȧnȧva
mamȧ maarthu vȧlȧ vædȧ kȧlaa
Congrats.
Mama dhe saem ber vala yanava. 2. Mama juni vala giya. And 1. Mama saep thaem ber vala vaeda ka ra na va and 2. Mama marthu vala vaeda da ka la?
Thanks Ziyaan. Let you know soon about your answer.
I’m over the moon to say
mama agosthu vala enava
Already planning our next trip to Sri Lanka :-)
Yay!
Sorry for the last da got repeated twice. So it should be mama marthu vala vaeda da kala?
There’s something wrong with that sentence. Small error.
Sigh…. I hate my phone. Mama marthu vala vae da kala?
Oh sorry, I replied your earlier comment too soon. I can’t reveal it’s correct since I’m waiting for the answers of others too but I’ll tell you that I am smiling proudly…
So, yes, just to reconfirm, you’re totally correct.
Mama dhé sæm bàr vàlà yanàva.
Mama joo li gi yaa.
Mama sæm tæm bar và là væ da ka ra na va.
Mama maar thu và là væ da kà law.
I hope this is correct. Thanks for your great work.
Hi Khema, thanks. You’ve got 3 out of 4 correct. Want to give it another shot?
Isn’t there another way to say the months too? For example, january = duruthu ? (I only remember this because of duruthu perahera)
Oh wow, I didn’t expect any of my Tribesters to know that but yes, you’re right. That’s based on the lunar calendar. You really don’t have to know it as like you said it’s used primarily to name the full-moon poya days (and related festivities). As someone who studied Buddhism in school, we had to learn all 12 months and I still remember them! You’ve given me a chance to show off:
Jan – dhuruthu
Feb – navam
Mar – mædhin
Apr – bak
May – vésak
Jun – poson
Jul – æsȧlȧ
Aug – nikini
Sep – binȧrȧ
Oct – vap
Nov – il
Dec – uňdhuvap
Hehe thanks,
And good to know that it’s normally not used in normal language :-)
Could you also say which verb patan gamude is? (the present tense please)
I don’t think its a compound verb from ganneva (= take) which has gammude as the suggestive form (two m’s versus your 1).
If it is, what does patan mean?
Hi Wesley, interesting observation. Present tense would be ‘patan gannȧva’ and yes, it is a compound verb using ‘gannȧva’. Good question as to what “patan” means, I really don’t know the answer. I don’t even know if it has a meaning, but now you’ve got me thinking.
No, the suggestive form for ‘gannȧva’ is gamudhȧ (1 ‘m’). You’d pronounce it as ‘ga∙mu∙dhȧ?’
Does that make sense?
Hi yes makes sense :-) I initially thought that it would have been a different verb since I I incorrectly thought, due to the single m or double m in gamude, that it was again one of those special cases that we all love in sinhala language ;)
like malle versus male etc ;)
thx for explanation!
Hi! please send the calendar because i sometimes forget the date, and the month too.
“Why won’t you buy one?”, you ask?
Because:
1. I’m Indian (You would know that we like stuff free!) ;-)
2. I am learning Sinhala and trying to practice month names!
Cheers from India!!
answers:
1.
1. mama dhaesambar vala yanava.
2. mama jooni vala giya.
2.
1. mama saepthaembar vala vaeda karanav
2. mama maarthu vala vaeda kalaa
You’re 100% correct, my Indian friend who wants to learn Sinhala month names (but doesn’t want to pay :))… Thanks for the amusing comment. Sending you the calendar now.
Mama 2016 aprel wala Sinhala avurudhu walata sri lankawata yanava.
Pasugiya aprel wala mama sri lankawata giyaa.
Yea Dilshan, I would prefer a regular calendar. Thanks.
Elizabeth T.
Elizabeth, I’m impressed! Well done. Let me make some minor corrections:
Sinhala avurudhdhȧtȧ (not Sinhala avurudhu walata)
pasugiya is absolutely correct although when speaking you’d usually just say giyȧ.
Sending you the calendar now.
Hello Dilshan
Thanks for correcting me in my somewhat poor Sinhala. Now I know the usual phrases to use when speaking, though I wonder if I would ever get to speak Sinhala ever again. However, I thank you for the compliments.
Thanks for the 2016 calendar which I presume it’s on the way.
Bye for now
Elizabeth T
I emailed it already. Could you please check and let me know?
I sure will thanks
Hi DIlshan! Thank you for the post! The names of the months sound very familiar ;)
I came up with this:
mama dhesaembar vali yanava
mama jooni vali giyaa
mama saepthaembar vali vaeda karanava
mama maarthu vali vaeda kalaa
Keep up the good work!
I don’t know thy I kept typing vali instead of gala. Shame on me
vala. that’s what I meant.
Yeah, autocorrect is not very Sinhala friendly…
You’ve got 4 out of 4 correct (but from you, one of my star students, I never expected anything lesser than that)…
Thank you for your hard work to help us understand and use yr language. How abt phrases like monthly wage. Monthly reports. Monthly payments. Monthly emails…Every month. At the beginning /middle/end of month.
Yes I would like to receive yr 2016 calendar.
Great suggestion. I was actually going to do a separate post (which I still will) on general words such as months, weeks, years, hours, etc. I’ll include your suggestions into that post but for now, I’ll briefly talk about it here too:
The proper way of saying “monthly” is ‘maa∙si∙kȧ’. So that means:
monthly wages = maa∙si∙kȧ vætup
monthly reports = maa∙si∙kȧ vaar∙thaa
monthly payments = maa∙si∙kȧ gé∙veem
monthly emails = maa∙si∙kȧ ee∙mḗl
However, note that this sounds a little too ‘formal’ for spoken Sinhala. I’ll have to think about how we would say the above lines when speaking casually.
Thanks for a great question. Also, sending you the calendar now.
Hi Dilshan,
My son has just returned to the U.K. so I’m feeling a bit sad at the moment.
I’ve just drunk a couple of glasses of vino which I hardly ever do so if I get this right it will be a miracle.
1) Mama yanava Dhesaember vala.
2) Mama giyaa Jooni vala.
3) Mama vaeda karanava Saepthaember vala.
4) Mama vaeda kalaa Maarthu.
Well there we are. Right or wrong?
I hope you and Mrs Smart had a good day.
Patty
Oh! Yes please, I would love to have a calendar.
“In vino veritas”! :)
You’ve got all the words correct (yay!), but I would stick to the same word order that I used in the post – it sounds more authentic. See below:
mamȧ dhésaembȧr vȧlȧ yanȧva
mamȧ jooni vȧlȧ giyaa
mamȧ sæpthaembȧr vȧlȧ vædȧ kȧrȧnȧva
mamȧ maarthu vȧlȧ vædȧ kȧlaa
See what I mean? Sorry to hear that your son has gone back. I can imagine that you’re missing him.
Answer is
1- Mama septhember masse vaeda karanava
2- mama maarathu masse vaeda kalaa
Hey Supriya…. What happened to the other 2 answers?
1. If “going” = ‘ya∙nȧ∙va’ and “went” = ‘gi∙yaa’, then how would you say:
“I’m going in December”: Mama Dhesaembar vala yanava.
“I went in June”: Mama Jooni gala giyaa.
2. If “working” = ‘væ∙dȧ kȧ∙rȧ∙nȧ∙va’ and “worked” = ‘væ∙dȧ kȧ∙laa’, then how would you say:
“I’m working in September”: Mama Saepthaembar vala vaeda.
“I worked in March”: Mama Maarthu vala vaeda kalaa.
Are there any tricks here, otherwise seems straight forward.
Thanks,
Steve and Happy Holidays to you and all you love!!
Whoops, caught my mistakes!! So much for being straight forward!!!
If “working” = ‘væ∙dȧ kȧ∙rȧ∙nȧ∙va’ and “worked” = ‘væ∙dȧ kȧ∙laa’, then how would you say:
“I’m working in September” : Mama Saepthaembar vala vaeda karanava.
“I worked in March” : Mama Maarthu vala vaeda kalaa!
At least a better try!!
Thanks,
Well done, Steve. Great that you spotted your errors by yourself.
In terms of tricks for the phrasing I suppose it’ll be mainly to do with the verbs, which is something I hope to tackle soon in a series of upcoming posts. Glad you asked the question. Reassures me that I’m on the right track.
Mata kaelaendaraya one.
Please!
By the way, is it true that I should not use karunaa karalaa when I use mate … one?
It’s not that you shouldn’t, it’s just that not many people use the sinhala equivalent for “please”. I on the other extensively use it when speaking to people I’m not familiar with.
Well I know I’m a bit late with this post. I saw it come in Sunday and have been running around preparing for Christmas for my 3 kids and planning a surprise trip for my 10 year wedding anniversary in just a few weeks. Bought plane tickets and booked the hotel and not telling the hubs where we are going till we get to the airport…. wouldn’t tell him till we got there but haven’t figured out how to keep him from hearing all the flight announcements… anyways back to Sinhala…
I LOVE the quiz idea!!! Here are the answers although I know you’ve already revealed the correct ones I wanted to give it a try for practice anyways.
mama dhesaembar vala yanava
mama jooni vala giyaa
mama saepthaembar vala vaeda karanava
mama maarthu vala vaeda kalaa
I would absolutely LOVE a Sinhala calendar! I just made personalized calendars for all the parents and grandparents with pictures of my kids (no better christmas present for a grandparent than pics of the grandkids) and this made me think I should make myself one using all the Sinhala months!
Thanks as always for the wonderful post and they get better and better each time! !
Wow, you’re busy bee aren’t you. Love the idea for the anniversary surprise. Maybe industrial-strenght ear plugs for your husband to not let him hear the announcements? Or ipod earphones on maximum volume…
Your answers are correct. Yay.
Sending you the calendar pdf now. Have a great holiday season.
Hello Dilshan
I have still not got your calendar. sorry
Elizabeth T
.
Hi Elizabeth, that’s strange. I emailed it on on the 14th. Re-sending it to you now.
Thanks for the calendar. I see that the months are in Sinhala.
Thanks anyway for your trouble in sending again.
I take this opportunity to send my Seasonal Greetings to you & your wife &
Best of luck for your future endeavours in the coming New Year.
Elizabeth T
Second post… Starting to get addicted to this learning malarkey!
mama dhesaembar vali yanava
mama jooni vali giyaa
mama saepthaembar vali vaeda karanava
mama maarthu vali vaeda kalaa
Fingers crossed?
I’d love a calendar, preferably with your glorious face on it, though a standard one would more than suffice, if at all possible? Can’t wait until I get some sort of fluency in Sinhala!
Well done, buddy. But just note that the word is ‘vȧlȧ’ and not ‘vali’.
Sending you the calendar now.
hello sir this is very useful of our learning
Thanks Mufak.