Guide: How to Say “Wait” in Sinhala

Greetings! If you are eager to learn how to say “wait” in Sinhala, you have come to the right place. Sinhala, commonly known as Sinhalese, is the native language of Sri Lanka. In this guide, we will explore both formal and informal ways to express “wait” in Sinhala, along with some tips and examples. Let’s dive in!

Formal Ways to Say “Wait” in Sinhala

If you want to convey a polite and formal message of “wait,” here are a few expressions you can use:

1. ආපසු (āpasu)
Pronunciation: ah-pah-soo

This is the most common way to say “wait” in formal settings. It can be used in various situations to ask someone to wait patiently.

2. හරියට (hariyata)
Pronunciation: hah-ree-yah-ta

Another formal expression often used to ask someone to wait is “hariyata.” This word carries a sense of respect towards the listener.

Informal Ways to Say “Wait” in Sinhala

When you are in a casual setting or speaking with friends, you may prefer to use more informal expressions. Here are a couple of options:

1. හරියට (hariyata)
Pronunciation: hah-ree-yah-ta

Yes, “hariyata” can be used in formal and informal situations. It’s a versatile word that works well to convey the idea of waiting informally too.

2. බෙහෙත් (behet)
Pronunciation: beh-heht

This is a more casual and colloquial way of asking someone to wait.

Other Tips and Examples

Here are some additional tips and examples to help you understand the usage of the above expressions:

• When using the word “āpasu,” it is common in Sinhala culture to add the respective person’s title or name after the word. For example, “āpasu, sir” or “āpasu, madam.”
• If you want to be more polite, you can add the word “කරන්න (karanna)” at the end of any of the expressions. For instance, “hariyata karanna” means “please wait.”
• To indicate urgency, you may use the phrase “රාතාරුරු වෙනස් වෙමින් (rātharuru venas wemin)” which means “need to wait urgently.”

Examples:

– Could you wait for a moment, please? | ආපසු, youකරන්න (āpasu, yakaarann)?

– Just wait a bit longer. | බොහෝ කාලය වැඩිකරන්න (bohō kalaya vedikaran)?

Remember, language learning is a gradual process, so keep practicing and don’t hesitate to ask natives for help along the way. Embracing the local culture will help you master any language more effectively.

That’s it for our guide on how to say “wait” in Sinhala. We hope you found it helpful! Best of luck with your language learning journey!

Warm regards,

Your Language Guide