Greetings and politeness in Sinhala
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. 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 11 Sinhala phrases in this lesson
- ආයුබෝවන්aa-yu-BOH-wan
- Hello
- සුබ උදෑසනක්SU-ba u-DAY-sa-nak
- Good morning
- සුබ සැන්දෑවක්SU-ba SAN-dae-wak
- Good evening
- ගිහින් එන්නම්gi-HIN en-NAM
- Goodbye
- පස්සේ හම්බවෙමුpas-SAY ham-ba-WE-mu
- See you
- කරුණාකරka-ru-NAA-ka-ra
- Please
- ස්තූතියිSTOO-ti-yi
- Thank you
- කමක් නෑKA-mak NAA
- You're welcome
- කණගාටුයිka-na-GAA-tu-yi
- Sorry
- සමාවෙන්නsa-MAA-wen-na
- Excuse me
- ඔබව හමුවීම සතුටක්o-ba-WA ha-mu-WEE-ma sa-TU-tak
- Nice to meet you
The classic Sinhala greeting, literally "may you live long." Said with a slight head wobble and hands pressed together, it works in any situation. Use it at temples, shops, and homes alike.
Literally "auspicious morning." Sri Lankans are early risers, and this is a warm opener at guesthouses and markets before 10 a.m. The "bha" is soft, almost like a "b" followed by a breath.
Formal. In daily life ආයුබෝවන් (aa-yu-BOH-wan) covers the evening.
Literally "I will go and come back," reflecting the Sri Lankan assumption that meetings will happen again. It is warmer than the ceremonial ආයුබෝවන්, which does hello and goodbye both, and locals will appreciate it greatly.
Literally "let's meet later", the friendly goodbye.
Literally "with kindness/compassion," reflecting the Buddhist ethos of the island. Place it at the start of a request. Sri Lankans rarely omit it, and using it signals respect.
The everyday thank-you for small favors, change at a shop, or a cup of tea. The opening "st" cluster is unusual for English speakers; practice blending it quickly.
Literally "no problem" or "it does not matter," this is the natural response to thanks in everyday speech. Warm and dismissive in the friendliest sense, it signals genuine hospitality.
Literally "I am sorrowful", the real apology.
Used to get attention, apologize for bumping into someone, or pass through a crowd. The double "n" at the end is characteristic of polite Sinhala imperative forms.
Literally "meeting you is a joy".