Business & Work

1. ව්‍යාපාරික හමුවීමක් ඉල්ලා සිටිනවා

   Vyā-pā-ri-ka ha-mu-vī-mak il-lā si-ti-na-vā

   I would like to request a business meeting

   Usage

   Used to formally request a business meeting

   Grammar Note

   "Illā siṭinaā" is a polite compound verb meaning "requesting (continuously)". Formal registers use "illā siṭī".

2. ඔබේ ව්‍යාපාර කාඩ් එකක් දෙන්න පුළුවන්ද?

   O-bē vyā-pā-ra kāḍ e-kak den-na pu-lu-van-da?

   Could I have your business card?

   Usage

   Used to politely request a business card

   Grammar Note

   "Vyāpāra kāḍ" is a Sinhala-English hybrid. In Sri Lankan business contexts, Sinhala and English are frequently mixed.

3. ගිවිසුම කියවන්න ඕනෑ

   Gi-vi-su-ma ki-ya-van-na ō-nǣ

   I need to read the contract

   Usage

   Used to express the need to review a contract before signing

   Grammar Note

   "Ōnǣ" expresses need or desire. Combined with an infinitive it means "need to / must", similar to modal constructions in other South Asian languages.

4. මිල ගාණ ගැන සාකච්ඡා කරමු

   Mi-la gā-ṇa gæ-na sā-kach-chā ka-ra-mu

   Let's discuss the price

   Usage

   Used to open price negotiations in a business context

   Grammar Note

   "Karamu" is the first person plural volitional form meaning "let's do". "Sākacchā" is Sanskrit-derived meaning "discussion".

5. ගෙවීම් කොහොමද?

   Ge-vīm ko-ho-ma-da?

   How is the payment?

   Usage

   Used to ask about payment terms or methods

   Grammar Note

   "Gevīma" is the nominal form of "to pay" (gevanavā). "Kohomada" asks "how/in what way".

6. ලේඛනයේ දෝෂ ඇත

   Lē-kha-na-yē dō-sha æ-ta

   There are errors in the document

   Usage

   Used to point out errors in a document

   Grammar Note

   "Lēkhanaya" = document; "-yē" is the locative ending ("in the document"). "Æta" is the formal/literary existential verb "there is/are" (colloquial: "tiyenavā").

7. අපේ සමාගම ගැන කෙටි හැදින්වීමක් දෙන්නද?

   A-pē sa-mā-ga-ma gæ-na ke-ti hæ-din-vī-mak den-na-da?

   May I give a brief introduction about our company?

   Usage

   Used to request permission to introduce one's company

   Grammar Note

   "Samāgama" is Sanskrit-derived meaning "company/assembly". Sri Lankan business culture is hierarchical; showing respect to seniors is essential.

8. ඉදිරිපත් කිරීම කාලසටහනට අනුව ද?

   I-di-ri-path ki-rī-ma kā-la-sa-ta-ha-na-ta a-nu-va da?

   Is the presentation on schedule?

   Usage

   Used to check if a presentation is proceeding as planned

   Grammar Note

   "Idiripat kirīma" literally means "putting forward" — the native term for presentation. "[noun]-ṭa anuva" = according to. A question requires the final particle "da". Register shifts significantly with context in Sinhala.

9. ලිපිනය ලියා දෙන්නද?

   Li-pi-na-ya li-yā den-na-da?

   Could you write down the address?

   Usage

   Used to ask someone to write down their address or contact information

   Grammar Note

   "Liyā denaā" is a benefactive compound verb meaning "write and give (to someone)". Benefactive compound verbs are common in Sinhala.

10. ගිවිසුම ඊ-මේල් කරන්නද?

    Gi-vi-su-ma ī-mēl ka-ran-na-da?

    Could you email the contract?

    Usage

    Used to request that a document be sent via email

    Grammar Note

    "E-mail karanavā" — English loanword + Sinhala verb "karanavā" (to do). This pattern of [English noun + karanavā] is very productive in modern Sinhala.

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