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Lesson 7 of 10
Meeting people in Sinhala
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes. 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
- ඔබ කොහොමද?o-BA ko-HO-ma-da
- How are you?
- හොඳින් ඉන්නවාHON-din IN-na-waa
- I'm fine, thanks
- ඔබත් හොඳින්ද?o-BAT HON-din-da
- And you?
- ඔබේ නම මොකක්ද?o-BAY NA-ma mo-KAK-da
- What's your name?
- මගේ නම ...ma-GAY NA-ma
- My name is...
- ඔබ කොහෙන්ද?o-BA ko-HEN-da
- Where are you from?
- මම ...වලින්ma-MA ...-wa-lin
- I'm from...
- මට කැමතියිma-TA kae-ma-TI-yi
- I like it
- හරිම ලස්සනයිHA-ri-ma las-sa-NA-yi
- It's beautiful
- සාදරයෙන් පිළිගනිමුSAA-da-ra-yen pi-li-ga-NI-mu
- Welcome
The formal version using "oba" (you, formal). Use this with elders, strangers, or anyone you want to show respect toward. Sri Lankan society has strong age-based deference built into language.
Literally "I am staying well." The standard positive response. Sri Lankans often follow it with "mama hondin" said warmly even if things are not entirely perfect, as public optimism is culturally valued.
Literally "are you well too?".
Literally "we welcome you warmly". Often paired with ආයුබෝවන් (aa-yu-BOH-wan).