Useful Sinhala Phrases for Tourists Visiting Sri Lanka
Planning a trip to Sri Lanka? Learning a few basic Sinhala phrases can make your experience far more enriching. While English is widely spoken in cities and tourist areas, locals always appreciate it when travellers make an effort to speak the native language.
In this guide, we’ll introduce you to essential Sinhala phrases for tourists. From greetings to dining to getting around. These simple expressions will help you navigate Sri Lanka with more confidence and connect with locals on a deeper level.
📝 TL;DR – Most Useful Sinhala Phrases for Tourists
- Āyubowan – Hello
- Mekə kochchərədə? – How much is this?
- Maṭə udav kərannə – Help me
- Maṭə doctor kenek ōnē – I need a doctor
- Bohomə sthūthi – Thank you very much
These cover greetings, shopping, and emergencies—must-know Sinhala phrases for any traveler in Sri Lanka.
Understanding Sinhala: Script, Formality, and Everyday Use
Sinhala, the primary language spoken in Sri Lanka, is a unique and historically rich language with its own distinct script, descended from the ancient Brahmi script. Unlike the Latin alphabet, the Sinhala script is curvilinear and syllabic, making it visually striking and structurally different from many Western writing systems.
One of the most important aspects for learners to understand is the stark difference between formal and colloquial Sinhala. Formal Sinhala, often used in news broadcasts, legal documents, and literature, follows strict grammatical rules and vocabulary that are rarely spoken in day-to-day conversation. In contrast, colloquial Sinhala - the version most Sri Lankans use in daily life - is far more relaxed, idiomatic, and influenced by regional slang and tone.
This difference can be confusing for newcomers, especially when relying on tools like Google Translate, which almost always produces translations in formal Sinhala. As a result, what it suggests often sounds overly stiff, awkward, or even unintelligible in casual settings. Tourists and language learners might find that while a Google-translated phrase is technically correct, it’s not how people actually talk. Understanding and practicing colloquial Sinhala is key to communicating naturally, building connections with locals, and navigating the country more confidently.
Basic Sinhala Phrases for Tourists: Greetings
| English | Sinhala (Colloquial) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | ආයුබෝවන් | Āyubowan |
| Good morning | සුභ උදෑසනක් | Subə udǣsənak |
| Good night | සුභ රාත්‍රියක් | Subə rātriyak |
| How are you? | කොහොමද? | Kohomədə? |
| I’m good, thanks | හොඳයි, ස්තුති | Hondai, sthūthi |
| Bye / See you | ගිහිං එන්නම් | Gihin ennam |
Tip: Āyubowan is the most culturally respectful greeting - use it when meeting someone for the first time.
Useful Sinhala Phrases for Tourists: Shopping & Dining
| English | Sinhala (Colloquial) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | මෙක කොච්චරද? | Mekə kochchərədə? |
| I like this | මට මෙක කැමතියි | Maṭə mekə kæmətiyi |
| That’s too expensive | අයියෝ, ගාන වැඩියි | Aiyyo, gānə væḍiyi |
| Do you have veg food? | එළවළු කෑම තියෙනවද? | Eləvəlu kæmə thiyenəvadə? |
| Give me some water | වතුර ටිකක් දෙන්නකෝ | Vaturə ṭikak dennəkō |
| Thank you very much | බොහොම ස්තුති | Bohoma sthūthi |
Sinhala Phrases for Tourists Needing Directions
| English | Sinhala (Colloquial) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Where’s the bathroom? | ටොය්ලට් එක කොහෙද? | Toilet eka kohedə? |
| Where’s the bus? | බස් එක කොහෙද? | Bus ekə kohedə? |
| Turn left | වමට හැරෙන්න | Vaməṭə hærennə |
| Turn right | දකුණට හැරෙන්න | Dakunəṭə hærennə |
| Go straight | කෙලින්ම යන්න. | kelinmə yannə |
Emergency Sinhala Phrases for Tourists
| English | Sinhala (Colloquial) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help me | මට උදව් කරන්න | Maṭə udav kərannə |
| I need a doctor | මට ඩොක්ටර් කෙනෙක් ඕනෙ | Maṭə doctor kenek ōnē |
| I’m not feeling well | මට හොඳ නෑ | Maṭə hondə nǣ |
| Call the police | පොලිසියට call එකක් දාන්න | Polisiyəṭə call ekak dānnə |
Common Questions Tourists Ask in Sinhala
| English | Sinhala (Colloquial) | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Do you know English? | ඔයාට English දනෙද? | Oyāṭə English danēdə? |
| Can you help me? | ඔයා මට උදව් කරන්න පුලුවන්ද? | oyā maṭə udav karannə puluvandə? |
| What is this? | මෙක මොකක්ද? | Mekə mokakdə? |
| Can I take a photo? | මට පින්තූරයක් ගන්න පුළුවන්ද? | Maṭə pinthūrəyak gannə puluwandə? |
Pronunciation Tips for Sinhala
Sinhala is phonetic, meaning words are usually pronounced as they are written. Here are a few pronunciation tips:
- “ā” is pronounced like "ah" in art
- “ə” is pronounced like “ea” in earth
- “æ” is pronounced like “a” in map
- “ǣ” is pronounced like “a” in map but stretched out
- “ṭ” is harder than in t in English
- Stress is usually on the first syllable
You don’t have to sound perfect - just trying these sinhala phrases will go a long way!
Learn a Little, Gain a Lot
Mastering a few sinhala phrases for tourists will make your trip to Sri Lanka more enjoyable, more immersive, and more memorable. Locals are warm, welcoming, and appreciative when visitors show an interest in their culture and language.
Before your flight, bookmark this list or jot a few phrases down. Better yet, practice them aloud!
Whether you're exploring tea plantations in Ella, wandering temples in Kandy, or relaxing on the beaches of Mirissa - these sinhala phrases will help you travel smarter, safer, and more connected.
Learn These Phrases the Fun Way
Want to learn how to pronounce these phrases correctly and remember them easily? Once our site launches, you’ll be able to learn these sinhala phrases for tourists through fun, gamified quizzes. You will also be able to learn how to read the Sinhala script, which will make learning how to correctly pronounce these phrases even easier.
Sign up now to be the first to access our language platform when it goes live!
👉 Join the waitlist and start your journey to speaking Sinhala with confidence.
About the Author
I'm the creator behind Learn‑Sinhala.com. Raised in an English-medium school in Colombo, I could get by in Sinhala, but I lacked the confidence for real conversations. After completing a B.Sc in Psychology and an M.Sc in Computer Science at the University of Bath, I decided to build a free and engaging app to help others learn Sinhala more easily. Through this blog, I share the story and the tech behind the scenes — all to make Sinhala learning fun, accessible, and culturally meaningful.