Adjectives

1. ලොකු

   loku

   Big

   Usage

   For stating a size — clothes or rooms

2. පොඩි

   podi

   Small

   Usage

   The opposite of big — for asking for a smaller size

3. බර

   bara

   Heavy

   Usage

   For the weight of luggage, and as a lead-in to asking for help

4. සැහැල්ලු

   sahallu

   Light (weight)

   Usage

   Light in weight — a different word from light meaning bright

5. මිල අධිකයි

   mila adhikayi

   Expensive

   Usage

   High in price — the opening move when haggling

6. ලාභයි

   laabhayi

   Cheap

   Usage

   The opposite of expensive — for asking for something cheaper

7. උණු

   unu

   Hot

   Usage

   Hot to the touch — kept separate from hot weather

   Grammar Note

   උණු (unu) is hot food or drink; for hot weather Sinhala uses රස්නෙයි (rasneyi).

8. සීතල

   seethala

   Cold

   Usage

   Cold to the touch — kept separate from cold weather

   Grammar Note

   සීතල (seethala) describes cold objects; for the weather use the predicate form සීතලයි ("it is cold").

9. අලුත්

   aluth

   New

   Usage

   Brand new — also used when asking for a replacement

10. පරණ

    parana

    Old (thing)

    Usage

    Old as in worn — never the word to use about a person

    Grammar Note

    පරණ (parana) is for objects; for people use වයසක (vayasaka).

11. තරුණ

    tharuna

    Young

    Usage

    About a person's age — a small-talk staple

12. වයසක

    vayasaka

    Old (person)

    Usage

    Elderly, about people — a different word from old things

13. පිරිසිදු

    pirisidu

    Clean

    Usage

    For praising cleanliness, and for praising a view

14. කුණු

    kunu

    Dirty

    Usage

    Unclean — the reason you give when asking for a change of room or dishes

15. හොඳයි

    hondayi

    Good

    Usage

    A positive verdict, also usable to signal agreement

16. නරකයි

    narakayi

    Bad

    Usage

    A negative verdict — also used of health and weather

17. ළඟයි

    langayi

    Near

    Usage

    Close by — for checking whether you can walk

18. දුරයි

    durayi

    Far

    Usage

    Far away — your cue to look for transport

19. කලින්

    kalin

    Early

    Usage

    Early in time — for first departures and opening hours

    Grammar Note

    කලින් (kalin) is early in time; fast in speed is වේගයෙන් (vegayen).

20. පරක්කු

    parakku

    Late

    Usage

    Late in time — for last departures and closing hours

    Grammar Note

    පරක්කු (parakku) is late in time; slow in speed is හෙමින් (hemin).

21. ගොඩක්

    godak

    Many

    Usage

    A large amount or number — also used to describe crowds

22. ටිකයි

    tikayi

    Few

    Usage

    A small amount or number — for asking for less of something

23. රස්නෙයි

    rasneyi

    Hot (weather)

    Usage

    Hot weather — learn it separately from hot objects

    Grammar Note

    The predicate for hot weather: අද රස්නෙයි ("it is hot today").

24. සීතලයි

    seethalayi

    Cold (weather)

    Usage

    Cold weather — learn it separately from cold objects

    Grammar Note

    The predicate for cold weather: අද සීතලයි ("it is cold today").

25. හුරුබුහුටියි

    huru-buhutiyi

    Cute

    Usage

    A versatile compliment for people, animals, or things

26. සුරූපියි

    suroopiyi

    Good-looking

    Usage

    Mainly used to compliment someone's or something's appearance

27. රසයි

    rasayi

    Delicious

    Usage

    The most common compliment to give during a meal

28. අපූරුයි

    apooruyi

    Amazing

    Usage

    Expresses surprise or admiration

29. විනෝදයි

    vinodayi

    Fun

    Usage

    Used to share how enjoyable an experience was

30. තව

    thava

    More

    Usage

    Asks for more or another helping — show it while pointing at the dish

31. ටිකක් විතරයි

    ṭikak vitharayi

    Just a little

    Usage

    Asks for a small amount — also works for how much chilli or sugar goes in

32. බාගයක්

    bāgayak

    Half

    Usage

    Asks for half — useful when buying by weight at a market or splitting a portion

33. ඔක්කොම

    okkoma

    All of it

    Usage

    Spoken word for "all of it" or "the whole lot" — for shopping and paying

34. ඇති

    æthi

    That is enough

    Usage

    Stops someone serving more — "that's enough"

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