sri-lanka-13-full-pdf-ebook.pdf

Language

SRI LANKAN ENGLISH

Monday tin-gal

Tuesday sevvaay

Wednesday budahn

Thursday viyaalin

Friday vellee

Saturday san-nee

Sunday naayiru

Transport & Directions

When does the next eththanai manikku

... leave/arrive? aduththa ... sellum/varum?

boat padakhu

bus (city) baas naharam/ul-loor

bus (intercity) baas veliyoor

train rayill

I want to get off. naan iranga vendum

I’d like a one-way enakku oru vahly tikket

ticket. veynum

I’d like a return enakku iru vahlay tikket

ticket. veynum

1st class mudalahaam vahuppu

2nd class irandaam vahuppu

bus/trolley stop baas nilayem

luggage lockers porul vaikku-midam

timetable haala attavanay

train station rayill nilayem

I’d like to hire a ... enakku ... vaadakhaikku

vaynum

bicycle sai-kul

car car

Where is it? adhu en-ghe irukkaradhu?

Where is a/the ...? ... en-ghe?

Go straight ahead. neraha sellavum

Turn left. valadhur pakkam

tirumbavum

Turn right. itadhu pakkam

thirumbavum

near aruhil

far tu-rahm

SRI LANKAN ENGLISH

Greetings & Conversation

Go and come. – farewell greeting, similar

to ‘See you later’ (not taken literally)

How? – How are you?

Nothing to do. – Can’t do anything.

What to do? – What can be done about

it? (more of a rhetorical question)

What country? – Where are you from?

paining – hurting

to gift – to give a gift

People

baby/bubba – term used for any child

up to about adolescence

batchmate – university classmate

peon – office helper

uncle/auntie – term of respect for elder

Getting Around

backside – part of the building away

from the street

bajaj – three-wheeler

bus halt – bus stop

coloured lights – traffic lights

down south – the areas south of

Colombo, especially coastal areas

dropping – being dropped off at a place

by a car

get down – to alight (from bus/train/

three-wheeler)

normal bus – not a private bus

outstation – place beyond a person’s

home area

petrol shed – petrol/gas station

pick-up – 4WD utility vehicle

seaside/landside – indicates locations,

usually in relation to Galle Rd

two-wheeler – motorcycle

up and down – return trip

up country/Hill Country – Kandy and

beyond, tea plantation areas

vehicle – car

Food

bite – snack, usually with alcoholic drinks

boutique – a little, hole-in-the-wall shop,

usually selling small, inexpensive items

cool spot – traditional, small shop that

sells cool drinks and snacks

hotel – a small, cheap restaurant that

doesn’t offer accommodation

lunch packet/rice packet – rice/curry

meal wrapped in plastic and newspaper

and taken to office or school for lunch

short eats – snack food

Money

buck – rupee

last price – final price when bargaining

purse – wallet