Cafe and restaurant in Sinhala
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen. Play the ten Sinhala words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Sinhala phrases in this lesson
- දෙදෙනෙකුට මේසයක්de-DE-ne-ku-ta MEY-sa-yak
- A table for two
- මෙනුව කරුණාකරme-NU-wa ka-ru-NAA-ka-ra
- The menu, please
- මොනවද හොඳ?MO-na-wa-da HON-da
- What do you recommend?
- මම ... කන්නේ නෑma-MA ... KAN-ne NAE
- I don't eat...
- මට ...ට ඇලර්ජියිma-TA ...-ta AE-lar-ji-yi
- I'm allergic to...
- මස්MAS
- Meat
- කුකුළු මස්ku-KU-lu MAS
- Chicken
- මාළුMAA-lu
- Fish
- මේක හරිම රසයිMEY-ka HA-rim RA-sai
- It's delicious
- චියර්ස්!CHEERS
- Cheers
Essential for sit-down restaurants. In busy local eateries tables are often shared without asking, which is entirely normal. At tourist restaurants, a host will usually greet you first.
Many local "rice and curry" spots have no written menu; the day's curry selection is simply announced or shown in pots at the counter. At those places, just look at what others are eating and point.
Literally "what is good?". Rice and curry is the national meal.
Telling a Sri Lankan cook their food is delicious is one of the best things you can do as a traveler. Expect genuine delight and possibly an extra serving. "Rasai" alone, said with closed eyes, also works beautifully.
The English word is used universally for toasting, even in Sinhala-speaking company. At more traditional gatherings, simply raising your glass with a smile achieves the same effect.