Which languages are spoken in Sri Lanka?
Sinhala and Tamil are Sri Lanka’s official languages, and English is widely used as a link language. Sinhala is spoken by most people in the south, west and centre, and Tamil in the north and east, on many tea estates and across Colombo.
English is common in hotels, transport and tourism, and on many signs. You can travel without a word of Sinhala or Tamil, but a greeting and a thank you change the tone of most conversations.
Road signs are usually in all three languages, but bus destination boards are often in Sinhala or Tamil only. If in doubt, ask the conductor.
How do I say hello and thank you in Sinhala and Tamil?
Ayubowan means “may you live long” and is said with palms pressed together; you will hear it at hotels and temples. Vanakkam is the Tamil greeting, also said with palms together. A smile and a thank you in the local language are noticed and returned.
- Ayubowan: hello and welcome (Sinhala)
- Vanakkam: hello (Tamil)
- Kohomada? How are you? (Sinhala)
- Istuti: thank you (Sinhala)
- Bohoma istuti: thank you very much (Sinhala)
- Nandri: thank you (Tamil)
How do I ask the price in Sinhala and Tamil?
These are the phrases you will use most with tuk-tuk drivers and stall holders. Ask the price, repeat the number back and agree it before the ride or the sale.
If a tuk-tuk has a meter, the meter phrase usually gets a smile and a fair fare. If the driver says no, agree a price before you set off.
- Kiyada? How much? (Sinhala)
- Evvalavu? How much? (Tamil)
- Meter ekata yanna puluwan da? Can we go by the meter? (Sinhala)
What other Sinhala and Tamil words are useful?
Yes, no and OK will get you through most small exchanges. Hari is handy when you agree a price, and methana nawattanna gets a tuk-tuk to pull over where you want. Sri Lankans often say yes with a small side-to-side tilt of the head, which can look like a no to visitors.
- Ow: yes (Sinhala)
- Naha: no (Sinhala)
- Aamaa: yes (Tamil)
- Illai: no (Tamil)
- Hari: OK (Sinhala)
- Methana nawattanna: stop here (Sinhala)
- Wathura: water (Sinhala)
- Thanneer: water (Tamil)
Will the Srilor app play these phrases out loud?
Yes, soon. Audio for every phrase, to play to a driver or shopkeeper, arrives in version 2.1 of the app.
Until then, the phrases are written out in the app’s Guide, which works offline. Try them out loud; a wrong accent rarely matters when you smile.
Questions people ask
How do you say hello in Sri Lanka?
Say ayubowan in Sinhala or vanakkam in Tamil. Both are usually said with palms pressed together.
How do you say thank you in Sinhala?
Istuti, or bohoma istuti for thank you very much. In Tamil, say nandri.
What does ayubowan mean?
It means “may you live long”. It is the everyday Sinhala greeting for hello and welcome, said with palms pressed together.
Do people speak English in Sri Lanka?
Yes, widely in hotels, transport and tourist areas. Away from them, a few words of Sinhala or Tamil help a lot.
Should I use Sinhala or Tamil in Sri Lanka?
Use Sinhala in most of the south, west and centre, and Tamil in the north and east and on many tea estates. If you are unsure, start in English.