So here’s what I mean by “Take” in this post:
“Take” (verb):
Either to grasp something (e.g. “Take my hand”); or
To remove something or someone from a particular location (e.g. “Take the money from my wallet”); or
To consume something (e.g. “Take medicine”).
Now here’s how we’re going to learn the present, past, and future tense of “take” in Sinhala >>>
Structure Of This Post
1. Present Tense
Simple Present
(i.e. Verbs that express a habit or fact. Something that you’d regularly do)
| take | gan∙nȧ∙va | |
| don’t/doesn’t take | gan∙né nǣ |
Sample Phrases:
- I always take it = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ hæ∙mȧ∙this∙sé∙mȧ gan∙nȧ∙va
- I don’t always take it = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ hæ∙mȧ∙this∙sé∙mȧ gan∙né nǣ
Intermediary Quiz #1 (of 4)
Question 1:
If “dog” is ‘bal∙la’, then how would you say… “The dog always takes it”?
Answer:
bal∙la ḗ∙kȧ hæ∙mȧ∙this∙sé∙mȧ gan∙nȧ∙va
Question 2:
If “ball” is ‘bō∙lȧ∙yȧ’, then how would you say… “The dog doesn’t always take the ball”?
Answer:
bal∙la bō∙lȧ∙yȧ hæ∙mȧ∙this∙sé∙mȧ gan∙né nǣ
Present Continuous
(i.e. Verbs that express the action you’re doing at that specific moment)
| taking | gan∙nȧ∙va1 | |
| not taking | gan∙né nǣ1 |
Notes:
1 In Sinhala, the Present Continuous Verb is IDENTICAL to the Simple Present Tense Verb
Sample Phrases:
- I am taking it once = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ é∙kȧ sæ∙rȧ∙yak gan∙nȧ∙va
- I am not taking it even once = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ é∙kȧ sæ∙rȧ∙yak∙vath gan∙né nǣ
Intermediary Quiz #2 (of 4)
Question 3:
If “cat” is ‘poo∙sa’, then how would you say… “The cat is taking the ball once”?
Answer:
poo∙sa bō∙lȧ∙yȧ é∙kȧ sæ∙rȧ∙yak gan∙nȧ∙va
Question 4:
If “shoe” is ‘sa∙path∙thu∙wȧ’, then how would you say… “The cat is not taking the shoe even once”?
Answer:
poo∙sa sa∙path∙thu∙wȧ é∙kȧ sæ∙rȧ∙yak∙vath gan∙né nǣ
2. Past Tense
Simple Past
| took | gath∙tha | |
| didn’t take | gath∙thé nǣ |
Sample Phrases:
- I took it last month = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ gi∙yȧ maa∙sȧ∙yé gath∙tha
- I didn’t take it last month = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ gi∙yȧ maa∙sȧ∙yé gath∙thé nǣ
Intermediary Quiz #3 (of 4)
Question 5:
If “mouse” is ‘mee∙ya’, then how would you say… “The mouse took the shoe”?
Answer:
mee∙ya sa∙path∙thu∙wȧ gath∙tha
Question 6:
If “piece of cheese” is ‘cheez kǣl∙lȧ’, then how would you say… “The mouse didn’t take the piece of cheese”?
Answer:
mee∙ya cheez kǣl∙lȧ gath∙thé nǣ
3. Future Tense
Future Using Present Continuous
| taking(FUT) | gan∙nȧ∙va 2 | |
| not taking(FUT) | gan∙né nǣ 2 |
Notes:
2 In Sinhala, we often use the Present Continuous Verb to express a future action. It is the context (e.g. “later”, “tomorrow”, “next week”) that will indicate that it’s in the future.
Sample Phrases:
- I am taking(FUT) it next month = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ é∙nȧ maa∙sȧ∙yé gan∙nȧ∙va
- I am not taking(FUT) it next month = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ é∙nȧ maa∙sȧ∙yé gan∙né nǣ
Intermediary Quiz #4 (of 4)
Question 7:
If “horse” is ash∙vȧ∙ya, then how would you say…“The horse is taking(FUT) the piece of cheese next month”?
Answer:
ash∙vȧ∙ya cheez kǣl∙lȧ é∙nȧ maa∙sȧ∙yé gan∙nȧ∙va
Question 8:
If “hay” is ‘pi∙dhu∙ru’, then how would you say… “The horse is not taking(FUT) the hay next month”?
Answer:
ash∙vȧ∙ya pi∙dhu∙ru é∙nȧ maa∙sȧ∙yé gan∙né nǣ
And that’s all folks! Probably the easiest article you read today, right?
Let me make it even easier… Here’s a Lazy But Smart summary for you:
All You Need To Remember:
- In spoken Sinhala, the Simple Present, Present Continuous, and Future Tense are IDENTICAL
- “take”, “taking”, and “taking(FUT)” = gan∙nȧ∙va
- “don’t/doesn’t take”, “not taking”, and “not taking(FUT)” = gan∙né nǣ
- The Past Tense of “Take” in Sinhala is:
- “took” = gath∙tha
- “didn’t take” = gath∙thé nǣ
- The verb form in Sinhala doesn’t change based on who is doing the action! (You’ll see this again in the Final Quiz below):
4. Final Quiz!
Now Try It Without Looking…
(The same 8 questions as before but this time try to answer it by yourself BEFORE you “Click to View the Answer”, ok?)
And voila! You now know the basics of the verb “take” in Sinhala.
Hi Dilham, thanks again for a fabulous post. I have recommended your course to two of my countrymen and they’re enjoying it… Please come back to me on the email I sent you re wanting to buy your verb ebook… Thx a million, Benjamin
Thanks for recommending me Benjamin. About your request, I’m afraid I don’t have favorable answer to give you. Shall email you about it.
Dilshan, can we use the word “nitharama” which I already learned, in place of “haema this sema” for “always”?
Yes, if you want to say “always” instead of “often”, then you can simply replace ‘nitharama’ with ‘haemathisséma’. Good question.
Thanks for the post. I have a question: The word sereyak I know but do you have to always put sereyak + vath for a negative? Is there anything else to know about the ‘vath’ and does it apply to any other words? (i.e. do you put it on the end of any other words in negative/certain contexts?) Thank you!
I love love love the question. I hate hate hate myself for not seeing it until now. Very sorry about that.
‘vath’ is equivalent to saying “even”. For example:
• I am not taking it once = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ é∙kȧ sæ∙rȧ∙yak gan∙né nǣ
• I am not taking it EVEN once = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ é∙kȧ sæ∙rȧ∙yak∙vath gan∙né nǣ
And yes, it does apply to other words too. For example,
• I am not taking one thing = ma∙mȧ é∙kȧ dhé∙yak gan∙né nǣ
• I am not taking EVEN one thing = ma∙mȧ é∙kȧ dhé∙yak∙vath gan∙né nǣ
As you can see, ‘vath’ can be used for almost any instance when you want to say “even”.
Does that make sense, Charlotte? Apologies again.
I found some verbs that are made with gannava. Are they correct?
Miladi gannava = to buy
Igena gannava = to learn
Hi Riccardo, sorry about the delay. I didn’t see yours and Charlottes question above until just now.
i∙gé∙na gan∙nȧ∙va = “(is/am/are) learning” or “learns”
“to learn” (the infinitive) would be ‘i∙gé∙na gan∙nȧ’
mi∙lȧ∙dhi gan∙nȧ∙va = “(is/am/are) buy” or “buys”
BUT
it is not often used in usual speaking. Instead I would suggest the following:
sal∙li vȧ∙lȧ∙tȧ gan∙nȧ∙va = “(is/am/are) buy” or “buys”
“to buy” (the infinitive) would be ‘sal∙li vȧ∙lȧ∙tȧ gan∙nȧ’
Does that answer your question?
Hi Dilshan,
Sadhu for another very well done post. Am very glad to have stumbled across this site. Was just hoping to check in with a quick question…
In the phrase, ‘I am taking it once = ma∙mȧ ḗ∙kȧ é∙kȧ sæ∙rȧ∙yak gan∙nȧ∙va’…
What’s the difference between ‘ḗ∙kȧ’ and ‘é∙kȧ’? Was also hoping to check and see why both might be in the sentence, since ‘it’ only occurs once in the English?
AB,
ḗ∙kȧ = that
é∙kȧ = one