An extract from my private collection of the most useful words & phrases spoken in Sinhala today

Transcription

1 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha An extract from my private collection of the most useful words & phrases spoken in Sinhala today by Dilshan Jayasinha of The Lazy But Smart Sinhala Blog Copyright 2015 JAY ONLINE (PRIVATE) LIMITED. All Rights Reserved

2 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases by Dilshan Jayasinha of The Lazy But Smart Sinhala Blog Legal Disclaimer: The information contained in this ebook is for informational purposes only. I am not a certified teacher in Sinhala. All information given in this ebook is based purely on my own experience and understanding of the Sinhala language and also based on my goal to simplify it to the reader to the extent of my capability. You should always seek the advice of a certified professional in the Sinhala linguistics field before acting on or expressing something, especially in a professional context, that I have published or recommended. All information appearing in this ebook is the property of JAY ONLINE (PRIVATE) LIMITED. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, shared by or otherwise, published on a website (either through direct copy & paste or manual reproduction), or sold in whole or in part in any form, without the prior written consent of the author. To request for such consent, please send an to copyright@lazybutsmartsinhala.com to discuss it further. By reading this guide, you agree that myself or my company are not responsible for the success or failure of any decisions you take relating to any information presented in this ebook. Copyright 2013 JAY ONLINE (PRIVATE) LIMITED. All Rights Reserved Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to i

3 A MESSAGE FROM YOURS TRULY 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha You re probably going to glance at my photo, think to yourself He looks surprisingly decent, and then skip reading this intro anyway, so I might as well get to the point CONFESSION: There are actually more than a 100 words & phrases in here (closer to 200, I think). I m generous like that (some may even venture to call me awesome ) Obviously, this is not a comprehensive collection of Sinhala phrases. That would be impossible. But even if it were, do you really have time for that? And even if you did, do you really need all that? I would answer a loud no and no for both and I m hoping it s the same for you. So voila! Here s your free copy of an extract of some thoughtfully selected Sinhala phrases that I think is good enough for you to start with. Perfection is overrated. I m a HUGE fan of simplifying things and not overloading the brain with information that is more than necessary. Hope you ll like my lazy but smart approach helpful (and if not, just trash the damn ebook and quit grumbling. You got it for free, after all..) Alright, I let you dive into the chapters now. And how about we meet up again at the end of this book? Enjoy! Dilshan By the way, in case you got this copy without signing up.. you bad bad person Tell you what Once you ve finished, if you think it helped you more than you expected, then go to my blog and sign up to receive more Sinhala freebies. But if you hated it, then no problem, I ll just tell you what I ve said to many ex-girlfriends in the past: Sorry it didn t work out. Let s just go our separate ways And don t forget your toothbrush that s in my bathroom. Deal? Oh, and if you have any questions, feel free to contact me at: dilshan@lazybutsmartsinhala.com. I d be happy to help you out (provided I m in a chatty mood, of course) Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to ii

4 NOW, ABOUT THESE WORDS & PHRASES 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha TYPE OF SINHALA USED I ve used Spoken Sinhala only (Good old fashioned day-to-day conversational Sinhala) SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, and SIMPLIFY! Out of the many different ways of saying a phrase, I have chosen the one I think is a) the most simple to repeat; b) often used and easily understood COMMENT BUBBLES Wherever I feel like I need to open my big fat mouth and tell you something, I ve done it in a comment bubble and grouped them as follows: SYN: DEF: Synonym To give you another word that is equally used Definition To explain a word SHRT: Shortcut To help you remember a word REM: Remember To remind you of something already seen NOTE: Note For pretty much everything else INFORMAL vs. FORMAL YOU In this book, I have used the Sinhala equivalent of the informal you. This can be used even with a stranger in a day-to-day setting. However, I ll also give you the formal you so that it can be used when appropriate. POLITE WORDS I have not mentioned Please and Thank you in most phrases (to avoid repetition), but use them whenever you want. I will show you where to place them in a sentence. BORROWED ENGLISH WORDS Often, for some words in spoken Sinhala, a derivative of the English word is used instead of the authentic Sinhala word for it. In such cases, I ve used the English borrowed word. (e.g., In this book ticket is { ticket -ékȧ} and not the real Sinhala word). Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to iii

5 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha PRONUNCIATION GUIDE FOR THE TRANSLITERATION I HAVE USED GROUP A GROUP E GROUP O a as in up ȧ as in away aa as in arm æ as in apple ǣ as in ant auw as in owl ayi as in eye ang as in uncle é as in end o as in only ḗ as in aim ō as in open ee as in eel oo as in ooze GROUP I GROUP U i as in in u as in put Other special characters dh as in then th as in three ňd as in bundle ňdh as in (same as bundle but with a soft D ) Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to iv

6 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CLICKABLE) 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha THIS BOOK COMES IN 2 SECTIONS: SECTION 1: FREQUENTLY USED SINHALA WORDS YES, NO, AND OKAY POLITE WORDS INTRO TO PERSONAL PRONOUNS WHEN POINTING WH QUESTION WORDS FAMILY HOUSE & HOME COLORS FOOD & DRINKS ANIMALS, BIRDS, & OTHER SPECIES DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS, & YEARS CARDINAL NUMBERS (1-10) ORDINAL NUMBERS (1 ST -10 TH ) ADJECTIVES SECTION 2: COMMON SINHALA PHRASES DEMOLISHING THE LANGUAGE BARRIER SAYING HELLO AND BEING NICE TO PEOPLE STARTING EASY ICE-BREAKER CONVERSATIONS WISHING YOUR LANKAN FRIENDS FINDING A PLACE TO STAY IN SRI LANKA FINDING YOUR WAY IN A CITY LIKE COLOMBO USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT STAYING CONNECTED DURING YOUR TRIP GOING SHOPPING (AND NOT GETTING RIPPED OFF) DEALING WITH (UNLIKELY?) EMERGENCIES GOING TO A DOCTOR WHO ONLY SPEAKS SINHALA GETTING ROMANTIC WITH YOUR LOVE-MUFFIN PREVIEW OF FREE BONUS MATERIAL Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to v

7 THIS BOOK COMES IN 2 SECTIONS: 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha SECTION 1: FREQUENTLY USED SINHALA WORDS SECTION 2: COMMON SINHALA PHRASES Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 1

8 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha SECTION 1: FREQUENTLY USED SINHALA WORDS Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 2

9 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha SECTION 1: FREQUENTLY USED SINHALA WORDS INTRO TO 4 YES, NO, AND OKAY POLITE WORDS PERSONAL PRONOUNS WHEN POINTING 5 WH QUESTION WORDS ANIMALS, BIRDS, & OTHER SPECIES FOOD & DRINKS COLORS HOUSE & HOME FAMILY ORDINAL DAYS, WEEKS, CARDINAL NUMBERS MONTHS, & YEARS NUMBERS (1-10) (1ST-10TH) ADJECTIVES Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 3

10 1. Yes, No, And Okay 1 1. YES, NO, AND OKAY Yes & No yes owu no nǣ SYN: næ hæ Yes, I am [Dilshan] owu, ma mȧ [Dilshan] No, I am not [Dilshan] nǣ, ma mȧ [Dilshan] né méyi DEF: ma mȧ = I. The phrase literally reads Yes, I Dilshan since in Sinhala, am/are/is are often implied DEF: né méyi = (am/are/is) not Okay (When Giving Approval Or Acceptance) okay haa SYN: ha ri Okay (go ahead) haa Okay, I ll eat (when you re asked to eat) haa, ma mȧ kan nam DEF: kan nam = (I) will eat Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 4

11 2. Polite Words 2 2. POLITE WORDS Thank You thank you sthoo thi Thank you very much bo hō mȧ sthoo thi NOTE: This is how it is usually said (instead of just sthoo thi ) MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND For those of you who take politeness & manners very seriously (don t we all?), check out the following post I did on the blog on that very same topic. Click on the link below: Please please ka ru naa kȧ rȧ la Please give ka ru naa kȧ rȧ la dhén nȧ Please come ka ru naa kȧ rȧ la én nȧ Please go ka ru naa kȧ rȧ la yan nȧ NOTE: Literally means Be kind and. Used only when making a request (e.g. Please give = ka ru naa kȧ rȧ la dhén nȧ). DEF: dhén nȧ = polite command to give DEF: én nȧ = polite command to come DEF: yan nȧ = polite command to go Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 5

12 2. Polite Words I m Sorry / Excuse Me sorry sa maa vén nȧ I m sorry Excuse me sa maa vén nȧ NOTE: We used the same expression sa maa vén nȧ for both I m sorry and Excuse me Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 6

13 3. Intro To Personal Pronouns 3 3. INTRO TO PERSONAL PRONOUNS Personal Pronouns I you (informal) you (formal) he/she they ma mȧ o yaa o bȧ é yaa é yaa la SHORTCUT: Sounds like o yaa ( you ) but with an é instead of o SHORTCUT: Add la to é yaa ( he/she ) to change it to the plural ( they ) I am [Dilshan] ma mȧ [Dilshan] He/She is [Dilshan] é yaa [Dilshan] MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND Here s a blog post I did on personal pronouns: Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 7

14 4. When Pointing 4 4. WHEN POINTING This & That (Objects) this (thing) that (thing) mḗ kȧ ḗ kȧ REMEMBER: mḗ = this and mḗ kȧ = this (thing). From this point forward, for the sake of simplicity, I ll dropping the (thing) and just saying this Q What is this? mḗ kȧ mo kak dhȧ? Q What is that? ḗ kȧ mo kak dhȧ? DEF: mo kak dhȧ? = what?. I will introduce this to you in a later chapter Here & There here mé hé SYN: mé thæ nȧ there é hé SYN: é thæ nȧ Wait here mé hé in nȧ DEF: in nȧ = polite command to wait Wait there é hé in nȧ Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 8

15 4. When Pointing to here mé hé tȧ SYN: mé thȧ nȧ tȧ to there é hé tȧ SYN: é thȧ nȧ tȧ Come (to) here mé hé tȧ én nȧ Go (to) there é hé tȧ yan nȧ NOTE: In Sinhala the equivalent of Come here is literally said as Come to here. The same for Go there which is literally said as Go to there. I am coming (to) here ma mȧ mé hé tȧ é nȧ va I am going (to) there ma mȧ é hé tȧ ya nȧ va DEF: é nȧ va = (am/are/is) coming. ya nȧ va = (am/are/is) going. Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 9

16 5. WH Question Words 5 5. WH QUESTION WORDS Why? why? æyi? Q Why is that? æyi ḗ? Where? where? ko hé dhȧ? SYN: ko thæ nȧ dhȧ? Q Where are you? o yaa ko hé dhȧ? Q Where are you going? o yaa ko hé dhȧ yan né? DEF: yan né comes from the word yan nȧ ( to go ) Who? who? kauw dhȧ? Q Who are you? o yaa kauw dhȧ? Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 10

17 5. WH Question Words What? what? (for one thing) mo kak dhȧ? NOTE: You might often hear this being pronounced as mo kadh dhȧ. Q What is this? mḗ kȧ mo kak dhȧ? Q What is that? ḗ kȧ mo kak dhȧ? Q What do you want? o yaa tȧ mo kak dhȧ o né? When? when (which day)? ka vȧ dha dhȧ? Q When are you coming? o yaa én né ka vȧ dha dhȧ? Q When are you going? o yaa yan né ka vȧ dha dhȧ? DEF: én né comes from the word én nȧ ( to come ) DEF: yan né comes from the word yan nȧ ( to go ) when (what time)? kee yȧ tȧ dhȧ? Q When are you coming? o yaa én né kee yȧ tȧ dhȧ? Q When are you going? o yaa yan né kee yȧ tȧ dhȧ? Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 11

18 5. WH Question Words Which? which one (thing)? koyi é kȧ dhȧ? DEF: é kȧ = one. So, literally this is Which one? Q Which one do you want? o yaa tȧ ō né koyi é kȧ dhȧ? which one (person)? koyi ék ké naa dhȧ? DEF: ék ké naa = one person. So, literally this is Which (one) person? Q Which one is your child? o yaa gé la mȧ ya koyi ék ké naa dhȧ? DEF: la mȧ ya = child How? how? ko ho mȧ dhȧ? Q How are you? o yaa ko ho mȧ dhȧ? Q How do I do this? ma mȧ mḗ kȧ kȧ ran né ko ho mȧ dhȧ? Q How does this work? mḗ kȧ væ dȧ kȧ ran né ko ho mȧ dhȧ? NOTE: ko ho mȧ dhȧ? is also an informal greeting in Sinhala (meaning how are you? ) that we ll see in a later chapter DEF: kȧ ran né comes from the word kȧ ran nȧ ( to do ) DEF: væ dȧ = work (noun); væ dȧ kȧ ran né comes from the word væ dȧ kȧ ran nȧ ( to do work or to work ) Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 12

19 5. WH Question Words Want to hear the pronunciation of the words & phrases in this book? Click Here Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 13

20 6. Family 6 6. FAMILY Family Members father mother son daughter husband wife boyfriend girlfriend thaath tha am ma pu thaa dhu wȧ ma hath thȧ ya nō na bōyi frénd ( boyfriend ) gȧl frénd ( girlfriend ) NOTE: In some families the children call their father ap pach chi instead of thaath tha Q Have you met my father? o yaa tȧ ma gé thi yé nȧ va dhȧ? thaath tha vȧ ham bȧ vé laa DEF: ham bȧ vé nȧ va = am/are/is meeting (present); ham bȧ vé laa thi yé nȧ va = have met (past) Q Is this your father? mḗ o yaa gé thaath tha dhȧ? This is my father mḗ ma gé thaath tha Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 14

21 7. House & Home 7 7. HOUSE & HOME House house gḗ Q Is this your house? mḗ o yaa gé gḗ dhȧ? This is my house mḗ ma gé gḗ Rooms In A House room bedroom toilet bathroom living room / sitting room kitchen kaa mȧ rȧ yȧ ni dhaa gan nȧ kaa mȧ rȧ yȧ toyi lȧt ( toilet ) é kȧ naa nȧ kaa mȧ rȧ yȧ saa lȧ yȧ kus si yȧ DEF: ni dhaa gan nȧ va = sleeping ; ni dhaa gan nȧ = adjective of sleeping SYN: toyi lȧt ( toilet ) é kȧ = væ si ki li yȧ = toilet Q Where is the room? kaa mȧ rȧ yȧ thi yén né ko hé dhȧ? Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 15

22 8. Colors 8 8. COLORS List Of Colors red black blue green orange pink white yellow ra thu ka lu nil ko lȧ thæmbi li rō sȧ su dhu ka ha DEF: ko lȧ also means (tree) leaves which are green color DEF: thæmbi li is also the word for king coconut - which is orange color DEF: rō sȧ also means rose (flower) DEF: ka ha also means turmeric (spice) which is yellow color Q Which color is this? mḗ kȧ koyi paa tȧ dhȧ? This is red mḗ kȧ ra thu paa tayi This is dark red mḗ kȧ tha dhȧ ra thu paa tayi This is light red mḗ kȧ laa ra thu paa tayi REMEMBER: koyi = mo nȧ = which DEF: paa tayi = is (the) color Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 16

23 9. Food & Drinks 9 9. FOOD & DRINKS Food & Drinks food drinks kǣ mȧ bee mȧ I want food ma tȧ kǣ mȧ ō né I don t want food ma tȧ kǣ mȧ é paa Hungry & Thirsty (am/is/are) hungry (am/is/are) not hungry (am/is/are) thirsty (am/is/are) not thirsty ba dȧ gi niyi ba dȧ gi ni nǣ thi ba hayi thi ba ha nǣ I m hungry ma tȧ ba dȧ gi niyi I m not hungry ma tȧ ba dȧ gi ni nǣ NOTE: When saying I am hungry we use ma tȧ ( to/for me ) instead of ma mȧ ( I ) Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 17

24 9. Food & Drinks Main Food Items rice beef bread chicken eggs fish fruits meat mutton (goat meat) pork seafood vegetables bath ha rak mas paan ku kul mas bith thȧ rȧ maa lu pa lȧ thu ru mas é lu mas oo ru mas mu hu dhu kǣ mȧ e lȧ vȧ lu DEF: ha rȧ ka = bull ; ha rak = of the bull ; mas = meat DEF: ku ku la = chicken (bird); ku kul = of the chicken ; mas = meat DEF: é lu wa = goat ; é lu = of the goat. Note that in Sri Lanka mutton generally refers to goat meat (and not sheep meat) DEF: oo ru = (of the) pig DEF: mu hu dhu = of the sea ; kǣ mȧ = food I want to eat rice ma tȧ bath kan nȧ ō né I don t eat rice ma mȧ bath kan né nǣ I don t want to eat rice ma tȧ bath kan nȧ ō né nǣ Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 18

25 9. Food & Drinks Main Drink Items tea Sri Lankan tea coffee milk water bottled water fruit juice alcohol arrack beer thḗ lan kaa vé thḗ kō pi ki ri va thu rȧ bō thal va thu rȧ pa lȧ thu ru bee mȧ li kȧr ( liquor ) a rak ku bi yȧr ( beer ) NOTE: When speaking casually we usually drop the Sri in Sri Lanka. Also note that lan kaa vé = of Lanka DEF: bō thȧ lȧ yȧ = the bottle. bō thal = of the bottle I want to drink tea ma tȧ thḗ bon nȧ ō né I don t drink tea ma mȧ thḗ bon né nǣ I don t want to drink tea ma tȧ thḗ bon nȧ ō né nǣ Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 19

26 10. Animals, Birds, & Other Species ANIMALS, BIRDS, & OTHER SPECIES Groups Of Species animal bird fish insect reptile serpent This animal is very beautiful Q What is this animal called in Sinhala? sa thaa ku rul la maa lu wa kru mi ya u rȧ gȧ ya sar pȧ ya mḗ sa thaa ha ri las sȧ nayi mḗ sa thaa tȧ sin hȧ lén ki yan né mo kak dhȧ? REMEMBER: Although we previously saw that ha ri = okay note that it can also mean very as it does in this phrase. So remember: hari = okay AS WELL AS very. DEF: sin hȧ lén = in Sinhala MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND Here s the post on animals written by you know who : Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 20

27 10. Animals, Birds, & Other Species Want to see the words & phrases in this book written in the isxy, alphabet? (and also get a free Click Here Sinhala script guide?) Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 21

28 11. Days, Weeks, Months, & Years 11 Day 11. DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS, & YEARS day dha vȧ sȧ Q Which day is it today? a dhȧ dha vȧ sȧ mo kak dhȧ? Adverbials Related To Days today yesterday tomorrow day before yesterday day after tomorrow a dhȧ ee yé hé tȧ pé rḗ dha a nidh dha Q On which day is it? ḗ kȧ thi yén né ka vȧ dha dhȧ? Q On which day was it? ḗ kȧ thib bé ka vȧ dha dhȧ? It is today It was today ḗ kȧ a dhȧ thi yé nȧ va ḗ kȧ a dhȧ thib ba Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 22

29 11. Days, Weeks, Months, & Years Time Of Day morning noon / afternoon evening night last morning this morning tomorrow morning u dhḗ dha val ha vȧ sȧ rǣ ee yé u dhḗ a dhȧ u dhḗ hé tȧ u dhḗ SYN: hæn dhǣ vȧ NOTE: Lit. yesterday morning NOTE: Lit. today morning Q When is it? ḗ kȧ thi yén né koyi vé laa vé dhȧ? Q When was it? ḗ kȧ thib bé koyi vé laa vé dhȧ? It is in the morning It was in the morning ḗ kȧ u dhḗ thi yé nȧ va ḗ kȧ u dhḗ thib ba Expressions Of Time now earlier / before later / after dhæn ka lin pas sé SYN: is sél la Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 23

30 11. Days, Weeks, Months, & Years I m coming now ma mȧ dhæn é nȧ va I m going now ma mȧ dhæn ya nȧ va Days Of The Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday saňdhu dha aňgȧ ha ru waa dha ba dhaa dha bra has pȧ thin dha si ku raa dha sé nȧ su raa dha i ri dha DEF: saňdhȧ/haňdhȧ = The moon DEF: aňgȧ ha ru = Mars DEF: bu dhȧ = Mercury DEF: bra has pȧ thi = Jupiter DEF: si ku ru = Venus DEF: sé nȧ su ru = Saturn DEF: i rȧ = The sun Q On which day is it? ḗ kȧ thi yén né ka vȧ dha dhȧ? It is on Monday It is before Monday It is after Monday ḗ kȧ saňdhu dha thi yé nȧ va ḗ kȧ saňdhu dha tȧ ka lin thi yé nȧ va ḗ kȧ saňdhu dha tȧ pas sé thi yé nȧ va Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 24

31 11. Days, Weeks, Months, & Years Weeks, Months, & Years week sa thi yȧ SYN: su maa nȧ yȧ month maa sȧ yȧ year auw rudh dhȧ This week mḗ sa thi yȧ Last week gi yȧ sa thi yȧ Next week é nȧ sa thi yȧ DEF: gi yȧ = (the one) gone by ; as in, the week gone by DEF: é nȧ = (the one) coming ; as in, the week coming. Also another common way of saying it is la bȧ nȧ sa thi yȧ = the week we will receive Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 25

32 11. Days, Weeks, Months, & Years Months Of The Year January February March April May June July August September October November December ja nȧ vaa ri pé bȧ rȧ vaa ri maar thu a prḗl mæyi joo ni joo li a gōs thu sæp thæm bȧr ok thō bȧr no væm bȧr dhé sæm bȧr SYN: su maa nȧ yȧ It is in January ḗ kȧ ja nȧ vaa ri vȧ lȧ thi yé nȧ va It is 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 Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 26

33 CARDINAL NUMBERS (1-10) 12. Cardinal Numbers (1-10) Specifying A Quantity Of THINGS 1 (thing) é kak 2 (thing) dhé kak 3 (thing) thu nak 4 (thing) ha thȧ rak 5 (thing) pa hak 6 (thing) ha yak 7 (thing) ha thak 8 (thing) a tak 9 (thing) na mȧ yak 10 (thing) dha ha yak Q How many are there? (things) There is 1 There are 2 There are 3 kee yak thi yé nȧ va dhȧ? é kak thi yé nȧ va dhé kak thi yé nȧ va thu nak thi yé nȧ va Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 27

34 ORDINAL NUMBERS (1 ST -10 TH ) 13. Ordinal Numbers (1st-10th) Specifying The Position In A Series first (1 st ) second (2 nd ) third (3 rd ) fourth (4 th ) fifth (5 th ) sixth (6 th ) seventh (7 th ) eighth (8 th ) ninth (9 th ) tenth (10 th ) pa lȧ vé ni dhé vé ni thun vé ni ha thȧ rȧ vé ni pas vé ni ha yȧ vé ni hath vé ni a tȧ vé ni na mȧ vé ni dha ha vé ni NOTE: These words apply to both inanimate things and living beings This is the first one mḗ pa lȧ vé ni é kȧ This is the first time mḗ pa lȧ vé ni sæ rḗ Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 28

35 14. Adjectives ADJECTIVES List Of Adjectives (am/are/is) tall (am/are/is) beautiful / good-looking (am/are/is) big (am/are/is) fat (am/are/is) old (am/are/is) small (am/are/is) thin (am/are/is) young (am/are/is) bad (am/are/is) good u sayi las sȧ nayi lo kuyi ma ha thayi va yȧ sȧ kayi po diyi két tuyi tha ru nayi na rȧ kayi hoňdhayi The man is tall mi ni ha u sayi The woman is tall gæ hæ ni u sayi Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 29

36 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha Want to get 1400 additional Sinhala words & phrases? Click Here Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 30

37 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha SECTION 2: COMMON SINHALA PHRASES Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 31

38 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha SECTION 2: COMMON SINHALA PHRASES DEMOLISHING SAYING HELLO STARTING EASY WISHING YOUR THE LANGUAGE AND BEING NICE ICE-BREAKER LANKAN FRIENDS BARRIER TO PEOPLE CONVERSATIONS 19 FINDING A PLACE TO STAY IN SRI LANKA 24 DEALING WITH (UNLIKELY?) 23 GOING SHOPPING (AND NOT GETTING 22 STAYING CONNECTED 21 EMERGENCIES RIPPED OFF) DURING YOUR TRIP USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT 20 FINDING YOUR WAY IN A CITY LIKE COLOMBO 25 GOING TO A 26 GETTING DOCTOR WHO ONLY SPEAKS SINHALA ROMANTIC WITH YOUR LOVE-MUFFIN Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 32

39 15. Demolishing The Language Barrier DEMOLISHING THE LANGUAGE BARRIER Asking If Someone Speaks English Q Do you speak English? o yaa in gree si ka thaa kȧ rȧ nȧ va dhȧ? Q Does anyone speak English? kauw ru ha ri in gree si ka thaa kȧ rȧ nȧ va dhȧ? Saying That You Speak (or Don t Speak) Sinhala I speak Sinhala ma mȧ sin hȧ lȧ ka thaa kȧ rȧ nȧ va I understand Sinhala ma tȧ sin hȧ lȧ thḗ ré nȧ va a little Sinhala sin hȧ lȧ pod dak I don t speak Sinhala ma mȧ sin hȧ lȧ ka thaa kȧ ran né nǣ MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND Here s a video tutorial ( The Language you Speak ) I show you how to tell people which languages you speak as well as ask someone if they speak a specific language: Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 33

40 15. Demolishing The Language Barrier When You Don t Understand Q Do you understand? o yaa tȧ thḗ ré nȧ va dhȧ? I understand don t understand understood ma tȧ thḗ ré nȧ va thḗ rén né nǣ thḗ ru na Q Can you speak a little more slowly? o yaa tȧ tha wȧ pod dak hé min ka thaa kȧ ran nȧ pu lu wan dhȧ? say that again write it in English ḗ kȧ aayith ki yan nȧ ḗ kȧ in gree si yén li yȧ la dhén nȧ DEF: aayith = again ; so this literally reads Could you say that again? DEF: li yȧ la dhén nȧ = write and give Learning Sinhala I m learning Sinhala ma mȧ sin hȧ lȧ i gé nȧ gan nȧ va I learn Sinhala from Dilshan ma mȧ sin hȧ lȧ i gé nȧ gan né Dilshan gén Hey, you can t blame a brother for trying to self-promote, now can you? Q How do you say [ ] in Sinhala? [ ] sin hȧ lén ki yan né ko ho mȧ dhȧ? Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 34

41 16. Saying Hello And Being Nice To People SAYING HELLO AND BEING NICE TO PEOPLE Informal Greetings Hello! hé lo ( Hello ) NOTE: Some might say it as ha lō Q How are you? ko ho mȧ dhȧ? Fine hoňdhin in nȧ va MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND To watch my video tutorial on Greetings & Responses click on the following link: REMEMBER: We saw earlier that ko ho mȧ dhȧ? = How? NOTE: Lit. (I am) being fine. You could also just say hoňdhayi which implies It is fine (for me) Formal Greetings (Traditional formal greeting) aa yu bō wan! DEF: Literally means May your life span be long. Isn t that super nice? Good morning! su bȧ u dhǣ sȧ nak! afternoon dha vaa lȧ yak evening sæn dhǣ vak night raath ri yak NOTE: Good morning, etc. are generally not used in normal conversation, so you might never use it. I put it only because so many of you often ask me how to say it. Saying Good-bye Good-bye gi hil la én nam DEF: Lit. I shall leave and return Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 35

42 17. Starting Easy Ice-Breaker Conversations STARTING EASY ICE-BREAKER CONVERSATIONS Name Q What is your name? o yaa gé na mȧ mo kak dhȧ? My name is [Dilshan] ma gé na mȧ [Dilshan] family name vaa sȧ ga mȧ NOTE: Lit. your name, what? (the is is implied) NOTE: Lit. my name, Dilshan (the am is implied) Q Who are you? o yaa kauw dhȧ? Country Q Where are you from? o yaa ko hén dhȧ? Q Which country are you from? I am from Sri Lanka from America from Australia from England from India o yaa koyi ra tén dhȧ? ma mȧ shree lan kaa vén æ mȧ ri kaa vén os trḗ li yaa vén én gȧ lan thȧ yén in dhi yaa vén Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 36

43 17. Starting Easy Ice-Breaker Conversations MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND Your country is not on the list? Relax, you ll probably find it in a post I did on the topic (click on the link below). If it s not there, leave a comment and I ll get back to you: Age Q How old are you? o yaa gé va yȧ sȧ kee yȧ dhȧ? Q When is your birthday? o yaa gé u pan dhi nȧ yȧ ka vȧ dha dhȧ? MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND If you re interested, in the following video tutorial ( Your age in Sinhala ) I explain the construction of the Sinhala phrases for What is your age? and My age is : Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 37

44 18. Wishing Your Lankan Friends WISHING YOUR LANKAN FRIENDS For Their Birthdays Happy birthday! su bȧ u pan dhi nȧ yak vḗ va! MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND Before you run off to wish that Sri Lankan friend of yours, you might want to get the pronunciation right. Click on the link to listen to me say it and also learn more birthday-related phrases: For Special Holidays Happy new year! su bȧ a luth auw rudh dhak vḗ va! Happy Sinhalese & Tamil New Year s Day Merry Christmas! su bȧ nath thȧ lak vḗ va! su bȧ sin hȧ la haa dhé mȧ lȧ a luth auw rudh dhak vḗ va! MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND holidays: I ve done not one, not two, but THREE blog posts related to special For Christmas wishes: For a COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE to the Sinhalese & Tamil New Year (as you can see, I m quite proud of it, hence the large-caps): For Valentines wishes: Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 38

45 18. Wishing Your Lankan Friends For Their Upcoming Travels Have a safe trip! pa rés sȧ min gi hil la én nȧ! Bon voyage / Have a nice trip! su bȧ ga mȧ nak! NOTE: Lit. Go carefully/safely and return For When They re Feeling Ill Get well soon! ik mȧ nin sa nee pȧ vén nȧ! For Good Luck Good luck! / All the best! ja yȧ vḗ va! Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 39

46 18. Wishing Your Lankan Friends Want to see Lazy But Smart Summaries at the end of chapters? Click Here Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 40

47 19. Finding A Place To Stay in Sri Lanka FINDING A PLACE TO STAY IN SRI LANKA Looking For A Place To Stay I m looking for a place to stay a hotel ma mȧ na vȧ thin nȧ thæ nak ho yȧ nȧ va hō tȧ lȧ yak Q Do you have a room? kaa mȧ rȧ yak thi yé nȧ va dhȧ? Q Can you give me a room? rooms ma tȧ kaa mȧ rȧ yak dhén nȧ pu lu wan dhȧ? kaa mȧ rȧ Q How much for a room? kaa mȧ rȧ yȧ kȧ tȧ kee yȧ dhȧ? Making Room-Related Requests I want a different room ma tȧ vé nȧ kaa mȧ rȧ yak ō né Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 41

48 20. Finding Your Way In A City Like Colombo FINDING YOUR WAY IN A CITY LIKE COLOMBO Locating A Place Q Where is the hospital? is pi ri thaa lȧ yȧ thi yén né ko hé dhȧ? Q Where is the closest hospital? laňgȧ mȧ is pi ri thaa lȧ yȧ thi yén né ko hé dhȧ? beach city center restaurant shopping center supermarket beech ( beach ) é kȧ tauw mȧ rés to rȧnt ( restaurant ) é kȧ sho ping sén tȧr ( shopping center ) é kȧ su pȧr maa kȧt ( supermarket ) é kȧ SYN: væl lȧ Q Can you show me how to get there? é hé tȧ ya nȧ hæ ti ma tȧ pén nan nȧ pu lu wan dhȧ? Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 42

49 20. Finding Your Way In A City Like Colombo The Directions You Might Get Turn right dha ku nȧ tȧ hæ rén nȧ left va mȧ tȧ back aa pa hu DEF: dha ku nȧ = right ; dha ku nȧ tȧ = to the right DEF: left va mȧ = left ; va mȧ tȧ = to the Go there é hé tȧ yan nȧ straight straight all the way ké lin ké lin mȧ On the right side dha ku nu pæth thé It is on the right side ḗ kȧ thi yén né dha ku nu pæth thé left vam It is located inside ḗ kȧ thi yén né æ thu lé outside nearby near the intersection / junction é li yé laňgȧ han dhi yȧ laňgȧ Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 43

50 21. Using Public Transport USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT Going In A Taxi or Tuk-Tuk Before Your Journey Q Where can I get a taxi? ma tȧ tæk si yak gan nȧ pu lu wan ko hén dhȧ? a tuk-tuk / threewheeler three wee lȧr ( three wheeler ) é kak Q How much is it to go to [ ]? [ ] tȧ yan nȧ kee yȧ dhȧ? (It s) too expensive! gaa nȧ vǣ diyi! DEF: Lit. The fare is too much Q Does this have a meter? mḗ ké mee tȧ rȧ yak thi yé nȧ va dhȧ? I want to go to [ ] ma tȧ [ ] tȧ yan nȧ ō né NOTE: I personally only take tuk-tuks with meters in them. No ambiguity about the fare at the end of the journey I want to go here ma tȧ mé hé tȧ yan nȧ ō né I don t want to go here ma tȧ mé hé tȧ yan nȧ ō né nǣ NOTE: To be said while showing a written address or a map there é hé tȧ Let s go ya mu SYN: yang Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 44

51 21. Using Public Transport During Your Journey Turn right dha ku nȧ tȧ hæ rén nȧ left back va mȧ tȧ aa pa hu Go slowly hé min yan nȧ fast/quickly carefully straight straight all the way hayi yén pa rés sȧ min ké lin ké lin mȧ Wait here mé hé in nȧ there a little / a moment for me (to return) é hé pod dak ma mȧ é nȧ kan At The End Of Your Journey Q How much is the fare? gaa nȧ kee yȧ dhȧ? DEF: gaa nȧ = the fare Keep the change/balance i thu ru sal li thi yaa gan nȧ Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 45

52 21. Using Public Transport Going In A Bus, Train, Or Plane Finding The Bus Stop, Train Station, Or Airport Q Where is the bus stop/halt? the train station the airport bas hōlt ( bus halt ) é kȧ thi yén né ko hé dhȧ? kōch chi stḗ shȧ mȧ é yaa pōt ( airport ) é kȧ Asking The Schedule & Buying Tickets Q Q What time is the next bus? What time is the last bus? train flight ee laňgȧ bas ( bus ) é kȧ thi yén né kee yȧ tȧ dhȧ? an thi mȧ bas ( bus ) é kȧ thi yén né kee yȧ tȧ dhȧ? kōch chi yȧ flayit ( flight ) é kȧ Q Where does this bus go to? train flight mḗ bas ( bus ) é kȧ yan né ko hé tȧ dhȧ? kōch chi yȧ flayit ( flight ) é kȧ Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 46

53 21. Using Public Transport I want a ticket ma tȧ ti kȧt ( ticket ) é kak ō né a one-way ticket a return ticket / round-trip yan nȧ vi thȧ rak ti kȧt ( ticket ) é kak yan nayi én nayi ti kȧt ( ticket ) é kak NOTE: Lit: A ticket to go and come Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 47

54 22. Staying Connected During Your Trip 222. STAYING CONNECTED DURING YOUR TRIP & Internet Q From where can I check my ? access the internet ma tȧ ma gé ee mḗl ( ) ba laa gan nȧ pu lu wan ko hén dhȧ? in tȧ nét ( internet ) é kȧ paa vich chi kȧ ran nȧ Q Is there WIFI here? mé hé vayi fayi ( WIFI) thi yé nȧ vadhȧ? Mobile Phones My mobile phone has no signal/reception no more charge/battery ma gé mo bayil ( mobile ) é kḗ sig nȧl ( signal ) nǣ chaaj ( charge ) é kȧ i vȧ rayi Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 48

55 22. Staying Connected During Your Trip Interested in Bonus Chapters? Click Here Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 49

56 23. Going Shopping (And Not Getting Ripped Off) GOING SHOPPING (AND NOT GETTING RIPPED OFF) Asking The Price Q How much is this? mḗ kȧ kee yȧ dhȧ? Bargaining This is too expensive mḗ kȧ ga nan vǣ diyi Q What s your lowest price? a du mȧ gaa nȧ kee yȧ dhȧ? NOTE: A common way of starting the bargaining discussion in Sri Lanka Purchasing Something I ll take/buy this ma mȧ mḗ kȧ gan nam I want one ma tȧ é kak ō né Refusing An Offer I don t want this ma tȧ mḗ kȧ é paa I m just looking ma mȧ ni kan ba lȧ nȧ va vi thȧ rayi Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 50

57 24. Dealing With (Unlikely?) Emergencies DEALING WITH (UNLIKELY?) EMERGENCIES Asking People For Help Help me! ma tȧ u dhauw kȧ ran nȧ! Q Can I use your phone? ma tȧ o yaa gé fōn ( phone ) é kȧ paa vich chi kȧ ran na pu lu wan dhȧ? NOTE: Hope you won t have to use any of these but still, they re important to at least know. Calling For Specialized Assistance Call the police! po lis si yȧ tȧ ka thaa kȧ ran nȧ! a doctor an ambulance the fire department dhos thȧ rȧ ké né ku tȧ ambulance é kȧ kȧ tȧ fa yȧ bri gḗd ( fire brigade ) é kȧ tȧ the hospital iss pi ri thaa lȧ yȧ tȧ Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 51

58 24. Dealing With (Unlikely?) Emergencies Dealing With A Thief Thief! ho rék! Stop him/her! é yaa vȧ na vath than nȧ! I don t have money with me ma mȧ gaa vȧ sal li nǣ Losing Your Way I m lost ma mȧ a tha rȧ mang vé laa Dealing With Someone Bothering You Please go away! ka ru naa kȧ rȧ la mé hén yan nȧ! Please leave me alone! ka ru naa kȧ rȧ la ma tȧ ma gé paa du wé in nȧ dhén nȧ! Other Emergency Expressions Fire! gin nak! Be careful! / Watch out! ba laa gé nȧ! Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 52

59 25. Going To A Doctor Who Only Speaks Sinhala GOING TO A DOCTOR WHO ONLY SPEAKS SINHALA Finding A Doctor (Or Dentist) I urgently need/want a doctor! an ambulance a dentist ma tȧ va haa mȧ dhos thȧ rȧ ké nék vȧ ō né! æm byu lȧns ( ambulance ) é kak dhath dhos thȧ rȧ ké nék vȧ Typical Doctor Questions Q What happened? mo kak dhȧ vu nḗ? NOTE: I personally believe that most doctors in cities will speak English but I did this section just in case Q What s the problem? mo kak dhȧ a maa ru wȧ? Q Where does it hurt? ko hé dhȧ ri dhén né? DEF: a maa ru wȧ = difficulty Q What is your blood type? o yaa gé lḗ var gȧ yȧ mo kak dhȧ? NOTE: In Sinhala we use the same standard blood types (A+, O-, AB+, etc.) Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 53

60 25. Going To A Doctor Who Only Speaks Sinhala Common Problems My body hurts ma gé æňgȧ ri dhé nȧ va arm a thȧ SYN: baa hu wȧ back pi tȧ chest pa pu wȧ head o lu wȧ knee dha nȧ hi sȧ leg ka ku lȧ I m feeling ill ma tȧ sa nee pȧ nǣ DEF: sa nee pȧ nǣ = not well cold feverish hot tired see thȧ layi u nȧ va gḗ ras néyi ma han siyi Specific Medical Situations I m having a heart attack I m having a (brain) stroke ma tȧ haat ȧ tæk ( heart attack ) é kak é nȧ va ma tȧ strōk ( stroke ) é kak é nȧ va Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 54

61 26. Getting Romantic With Your Love-Muffin GETTING ROMANTIC WITH YOUR LOVE-MUFFIN Love-Dovey Phrases I love you ma mȧ o yaa tȧ aa dhȧ réyi I like you ma mȧ o yaa tȧ kæ mȧ thiyi I miss you ma tȧ o yaa næ thu wȧ paa luyi SYN: kæ mȧ thiyi = aa sayi = like/likes Giving Compliments To Your Sweetheart You are very goodlooking / beautiful o yaa ha ri las sȧ nayi NOTE: Applies to both male & female handsome kind ka dȧ va sam ka ru naa van thayi NOTE: Applies only to a male MEANWHILE IN LAZY BUT SMART LAND To discover even more lovey-dovey phrases that you can use on your poor unsuspecting Sri Lankan sweetheart, click on the following link: Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 55

62 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha So, what did you think?.. Amazing? Not bad? or Sucked big time? Wait, don t answer that.. I just hope this ebook made you think Hey, this learning Sinhala thing could actually be fun. That s it! I personally had a great time creating it. But before I say see you soon, could I please ask you to do the following? 1. Tell me why you want to learn Sinhala? Is it a spouse or partner you want to impress? The dreaded parents-in-law? Are your parents Sri Lankan but you were born elsewhere? Are you moving there? Just going on vacation?... I d love to hear your story. 2. Tell me what you would like me to write about on the blog? Something that will immediately be useful to you. 3. And finally if you know someone who might find my blog useful, could you please give your friend(s) my website address Send your responses to dilshan@lazybutsmartsinhala.com (click on the link). I read every message that is sent to me so don t feel like you ll be wasting your time. If you haven t done already, please sign up for the mailing list at my blog. I hope to send you more free Sinhala learning tips and resources soon. I also launch some paid products and right after telling my family, I want you to be the next person to hear about it. Thanks for your support and I look forward to talking to you real soon, Dilshan And don t forget to check your in the coming days for more FREE BONUS MATERIAL. Preview on next page >>>> Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 56

63 PREVIEW OF FREE BONUS MATERIAL 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha (SO EXPECT THEM IN YOUR IN THE COMING DAYS & WEEKS) Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 57

64 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha Want to get extended Sinhala word tables spanning over one-hundred (100) pages? Click Here Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 58

65 100 Lazy But Smart Sinhala Words & Phrases Dilshan Jayasinha IMPORTANT: The information contained in this ebook is for informational purposes only. I am not a certified teacher in Sinhala. All information given in this ebook is based purely on my own experience and understanding of the Sinhala language and also based on my goal to simplify it to the reader to the extent of my capability. You should always seek the advice of a certified professional in the Sinhala linguistics field before acting on or expressing something, especially in a professional context, that I have published or recommended. All information appearing in this ebook is the property of JAY ONLINE (PRIVATE) LIMITED. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, shared by or otherwise, published on a website (either through direct copy & paste or manual reproduction), or sold in whole or in part in any form, without the prior written consent of the author. To request for such consent, please send an to copyright@lazybutsmartsinhala.com to discuss it further. By reading this guide, you agree that myself or my company are not responsible for the success or failure of any decisions you take relating to any information presented in this ebook. Go to Table of Contents Go to The Previous Page You Were On Go to 59