Language Guide: Sinhala & Tamil
Sinhala — the most important phrases
Sinhalese is spoken by about 75% of the population. The script is one of the most beautiful in the world — round, flowing letters that resemble waves. Here are the most important expressions in phonetic transcription:
Greeting & Politeness
| German | Sinhalese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | ආයුබෝවන් | Ayubowan |
| Good morning | සුබ උදෑසනක් | Suba Udäsanak |
| Thank you | ස්තූතියි | Stuthi |
| Thank you very much | බොහොම ස්තූතියි | Bohoma Stuthi |
| Please | කරුණාකරලා | Karunaakaralaa |
| Yes | ඔව් | Ow |
| No | නැහැ | Nähä |
| Sorry | සමාවෙන්න | Samawenna |
| Goodbye | ගිහින් එන්නම් | Gihin Ennam |
Practical
| German | Sinhalese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How much does this cost? | මේක කීයද? | Meka kiiyada? |
| Too expensive! | වැඩියි! | Wädiyi! |
| Where is ...? | ... කොහෙද? | ... koheda? |
| Water | වතුර | Watura |
| Food | කෑම | Käma |
| Delicious! | රසයි! | Rasayi! |
| Bill please | බිල දෙන්න | Bill denna |
| Help! | උදව්! | Udaw! |
| I don't understand | මට තේරෙන්නේ නැහැ | Mata therennee nähä |
| Beautiful/Good | ලස්සනයි/හොඳයි | Lassanayi/Hondayi |
Numbers
| Number | Sinhalese | Number | Sinhalese |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eka | 6 | Haya |
| 2 | Deka | 7 | Hata |
| 3 | Thuna | 8 | Ata |
| 4 | Hathara | 9 | Navaya |
| 5 | Paha | 10 | Dahaya |
Tipp
The word "Ayubowan" (literally: "may you live long") is spoken with hands joined — like the Indian Namaste greeting. Use it when entering temples, hotels, and restaurants — the reaction is always a beaming smile.
Tamil — the most important phrases
Tamil is spoken by about 25% of the population — mainly in the north (Jaffna), east (Trincomalee, Batticaloa), and on the tea plantations in the highlands. A few words in Tamil are especially appreciated in these regions.
Greeting & Politeness
| German | Tamil | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | வணக்கம் | Vanakkam |
| Thank you | நன்றி | Nandri |
| Please | தயவுசெய்து | Thayawu seidhu |
| Yes | ஆமா | Aamaa |
| No | இல்லை | Illai |
| Sorry | மன்னிக்கவும் | Mannikkawum |
| Goodbye | போய் வருகிறேன் | Poi warugiren |
Practical
| German | Tamil | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How much does this cost? | இது எவ்வளவு? | Idhu evvalawu? |
| Too expensive! | ரொம்ப விலை! | Romba wilai! |
| Water | தண்ணீர் | Thannir |
| Food | சாப்பாடு | Saappaadu |
| Delicious! | சுவையா! | Suwaiyaa! |
| Help! | உதவி! | Udhawi! |
Tipp
Knowing a few words of Tamil in Jaffna and the east coast makes a huge difference. The Tamil population often feels culturally like a minority — when a foreign tourist speaks their language, the joy is particularly great.
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