Why I'm Building Learn Sinhala

Growing up in Colombo

Growing up in Colombo, I never really learned Sinhala. I went to an English speaking school, and most of the Sinhala I picked up was purely functional. I could speak enough broken Sinhala to get around in a tuk tuk or buy something from a shop - but having a real conversation? That was always a struggle.

Later, when I went abroad to study, I would hear Sri Lankan people speaking Sinhala in public, and all I wanted was to speak to them. However, I felt too ashamed by how little confidence I had in speaking my own language.

So I asked myself: Do other people struggle with this and do they want to learn how to speak and read Sinhala?.

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Who wants to learn Sinhala?

In Colombo and other urban parts of Sri Lanka, it’s common to grow up in English-speaking households and schools. Many locals can understand Sinhala in conversation, but we never learn the grammar or structure that allows us to speak it confidently or read it well.

At the same time, Sri Lanka is attracting more tourists and expats than ever before. But many of them tell me the same thing: “Sinhala feels hard to learn.” The structure is unfamiliar, the script intimidating, and most resources feel outdated or overwhelming.

Whether you're a local reconnecting with your roots or an expat trying to navigate daily life, it's clear that learning Sinhala shouldn't feel so frustrating.

Why does it get so confusing?

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Photo by Thilina Alagiyawanna on Pexels

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Spoken Sinhala vs. Written Sinhala: Why Learning Sinhala gets confusing

One of the first things new learners discover is that spoken Sinhala and written Sinhala are quite different - so much so that they can feel like two separate languages. Written Sinhala tends to follow strict grammar rules, uses more formal vocabulary, and is what you’ll find in newspapers, books, and official documents. Spoken Sinhala, on the other hand, is far more relaxed, informal, and fluid. It’s what people actually use in everyday life: at home, in markets, on the street, and with friends.

The good news? You don’t need to learn written Sinhala to start having conversations. If your goal is to speak with locals, understand everyday interactions, and connect on a personal level, focusing on spoken Sinhala is not only enough—it’s the best place to start. You’ll be able to express yourself naturally and understand how people really talk, not just how sentences are constructed in textbooks.

Unfortunately, most Sinhala learning tools don’t make this distinction clear. They dive straight into written Sinhala - with its complex grammar, formal vocabulary, and unfamiliar script. This leaves learners overwhelmed before they ever learn how to hold a simple conversation.

These tools often feel too academic, outdated, or geared more toward passing a language exam than actually speaking to someone on the street. They’re not designed for real-world communication, and they don’t reflect how people actually use Sinhala in daily life. This disconnect is one of the biggest reasons learners give up early or feel like they’re not making progress.

That’s exactly why I started building learn-sinhala.com - a gamified, practical alternative that puts real conversations first.

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What is learn-sinhala.com?

With the help of native speakers and a lot of useful learning resources (which I’ll share in a future article), I am building learn-sinhala.com a site to make learning sinhala engaging and fun.

Whether you're starting from scratch or trying to brush up on what you already know, Learn Sinhala is designed to meet you where you are. I want the core rules of Sinhala to be completely free on platform is completely free and accessible online, so anyone can jump in and begin learning at their own pace. You'll build a strong foundation in spoken Sinhala—the form of the language people actually use in daily conversation. From understanding everyday vocabulary and phrases to holding basic conversations, the goal is to help you speak Sinhala confidently in real-world situations.

But there's more to language than just talking. You'll also learn to read Sinhala by gradually mastering the alphabet and script, all through a clear, step-by-step approach. To keep things motivating, the learning experience is gamified—you'll earn experience points, climb leaderboards, and take fun quizzes that help the material stick. Whether you're buying groceries, making new friends, or just saying hello to a neighbour, Learn Sinhala is built to help you connect with people in a respectful and meaningful way.

Whether you're visiting Sri Lanka for the first time or planning a longer stay, this tool will help you integrate and connect.

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Join the Journey

I’m building this site from the ground up, and I’d love to receive help from others along the way. Please share your contact details using the email signup form on the homepage.

I’ll be sharing progress updates, Sinhala learning tips, and previews of the platform as it develops.

If you've ever searched for answers to questions like:

• Is Sinhala easy to learn?
• How can I learn Sinhala for free?
• Can I learn Sinhala step by step?

Then this platform is for you.

Thanks for being here!