කොහොමද?
Kohomada?
To say "how are you?" in Sinhala, use කොහොමද? (Kohomada?)
The phrase කොහොමද? is the standard and most common way to ask someone about their current well-being or general state. Although it literally translates to "How?", it functions as the primary way to ask "How are you?" in both casual and semi-formal settings.
What does it mean word for word?
The word කොහොමද? is a combination of කොහොම (kohoma), meaning "how" and the interrogative suffix -ද (-da), which marks the word as a question.
How do you pronounce it?
Kohomada?
Did you know?
- Depending on the tone, කොහොමද? can shift from a friendly greeting to an accusatory 'How did this happen?' or 'What is the meaning of this?'
- Sinhala has a separate, more deeply emotional way of asking about one's state that focuses on the 'heart' or 'mind' rather than the general 'how' of කොහොමද?
- It is common to repeat the phrase quickly, කොහොමද කොහොමද?, when seeing a close friend after a long time to express excitement.
Examples in context
- කොහොමද?kohomada?How are you?
Example conversation
Two friends meeting unexpectedly on the street.
- කවින්ද්යා Kavindyaරොෂාන්, කොහොමද?Roshan, kohomada?Roshan, how are you?
- රොෂාන් Roshanමට හොඳයි, කවින්ද්යා.Maṭa hōndayi, Kavindya.I am good, Kavindya.
- කවින්ද්යා Kavindyaඔයා මොකද කරන්නේ?Oyā moka-da karannē?What are you doing?
- රොෂාන් Roshanමම වැඩට යනවා.Mama vädaṭa yanavā.I am going to work.
