Time and days in Sinhala
Now, later, tomorrow, what time it opens and one moment please. 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
- දැන්DAN
- Now
- පස්සෙPAS-se
- Later
- අදA-da
- Today
- හෙටHE-ta
- Tomorrow
- අද රෑA-da RAE
- Tonight
- කවදාද?ka-wa-DAA-da
- When?
- කීයටද අරින්නේ?KEE-ya-ta-da a-RIN-ne
- What time does it open?
- පොඩ්ඩක් ඉන්නPOD-dak IN-na
- One moment, please
- විනාඩිvi-NAA-di
- Minutes
- පැයPAE-ya
- Hours
Short and urgent. "Dan" commands attention when combined with action words. The nasal ending is characteristic of Sinhala; let it resonate slightly at the end.
The laid-back "passe" signals flexibility in timing. Sri Lankan culture is generally relaxed about punctuality outside of formal business contexts. Embrace the pace and use this word freely.
One of the shortest and most useful Sinhala words. Used constantly in travel contexts: "ada" opens questions about opening hours, bus times, and whether a market is running.
Essential for planning the next day's trip. Sri Lankan time can be flexible, and "heta" sometimes means "sometime soon" rather than strictly the next calendar day. Confirm specifics where needed.
Literally "stay a little".