Martial Arts

1. මට එක් දිනකට පමණක් පුහුණුවට එකතු වෙන්න පුළුවන්ද?

   Mata ek dinakata pamanak puhunuwata ekathu wenna puluwanda?

   Can I join the training for just one day?

   Usage

   The basic way to ask about a drop-in session. Gyms in Colombo and Kandy, and Angampora halls ("maduwa"), commonly take travellers for a single trial session

   Grammar Note

   Sinhala puts the subject of an ability sentence in the dative ("mata", to me) rather than the nominative. The final "-da" is the question suffix

2. මට මුලින්ම පුහුණුව බලන්න පුළුවන්ද?

   Mata mulinma puhunuwa balanna puluwanda?

   May I watch the training first?

   Usage

   Use this to check the atmosphere and the teacher before paying. Sri Lankan schools are relaxed about spectators and will usually let you watch for free. Always remove your shoes before stepping onto the training floor

   Grammar Note

   The infinitive in "-nna" plus "puluwanda" forms an ability question. "Mula" (beginning) with "-inma" gives the emphatic "the very first thing"

3. අංගම්පොර පෙන්වන තැනක් තියෙනවද?

   Angampora penwana thanak thiyenawada?

   Is there a place where Angampora is demonstrated?

   Usage

   Angampora is Sri Lanka's indigenous martial art, combining unarmed "angam" with the weapon forms of "ilangam". Banned in the colonial period and nearly lost, it has been revived in recent decades, and demonstrations and taster classes for visitors are held around Colombo

   Grammar Note

   The relative participle "penwana" precedes and modifies the noun "thanak", giving "a place that demonstrates". Sinhala has no relative pronoun; the verb simply stands before the noun

4. මම මුළුමනින්ම අලුත් අයෙක්.

   Mama mulumaninma aluth ayek.

   I am a complete beginner.

   Usage

   Say this up front and the teacher will keep you on basics. Sri Lankan schools post no skill levels and rely on you speaking up; stay quiet and you may be paired with experienced students

   Grammar Note

   Sinhala uses no copula in equational sentences: "mama ... ayek" alone means "I am a person who ...". The suffix "-ma" intensifies the word it attaches to

5. කරුණාකර හෙමින් පටන් ගන්න.

   Karunakara hemin patan ganna.

   Please start slowly and go easy.

   Usage

   The shortest way to ask for lower intensity. The weapon forms of Angampora use cane staves and wooden blades that hurt when they land, and free practice normally waits until you know the basic forms and blocks

   Grammar Note

   The infinitive in "-nna" doubles as a polite request or command. "Patan gannawa" (to begin) is a compound of "patan" (start) and "gannawa" (to take)

6. මගේ දණහිසේ අමාරුවක් තියෙනවා.

   Mage danahise amaruwak thiyenawa.

   I have a problem with my knee.

   Usage

   Say this before training starts — there is no intake form, so speaking up is the only way to flag an injury. Swap "danahisa" (knee) for "urahisa" (shoulder), "konda" (lower back) or "walalukara" (ankle)

   Grammar Note

   "Amaruwa" covers pain, discomfort and difficulty generally; the body part takes the locative "-e" to say the trouble is "in" it. For sharp pain use "ridenawa" (it hurts)

7. මාසික ගාස්තුව කීයද?

   Masika gasthuwa kiyada?

   How much is the monthly fee?

   Usage

   If you are staying a week or more a monthly rate is usually cheaper. Martial arts classes in Colombo run roughly 3,000-10,000 rupees a month. Traditional Angampora schools emphasise the teacher-student bond and may not have a fixed fee at all

   Grammar Note

   "Kiyada" is "kiya" (how many) plus the question suffix "-da" and is the set way to ask a price. "Masika" is a Sanskrit-derived adjective

8. එක් වතාවකට කීයද?

   Ek wathawakata kiyada?

   How much is it per session?

   Usage

   As a traveller this is the practical question to lead with. Expect roughly 500-1,500 rupees a session; tourist-facing Angampora experiences that include a demonstration can cost more. Cash is the norm

   Grammar Note

   The dative suffix "-ta" also expresses a unit rate: "masekata" (per month), "kenekuta" (per person)

9. කාන්තාවන්ට වෙනම පන්තියක් තියෙනවද?

   Kanthawanta wenama panthiyak thiyenawada?

   Is there a separate class for women?

   Usage

   Angampora has a tradition of female practitioners, and women learning the weapon forms is historically accepted. Women's self-defence classes are also growing in Colombo, but policies vary by school, so check in advance

   Grammar Note

   The plural dative is formed with "-nta" ("kanthawa" becomes "kanthawanta"). Adding "-k" to a noun makes it indefinite, "a / some"

10. පන්ති වේලාවන් මොනවද?

    Panthi welawan monawada?

    What are the class times?

    Usage

    Sri Lankan schools run early morning (around 06:00-08:00) and evening (around 17:00-19:00) sessions to avoid the heat. Most places close on Poya day, the monthly full-moon holiday, so always check that week's schedule

    Grammar Note

    "Monawada" asks "what" about plural things; for a single item you would use "mokakda". Plurals are formed by changing the ending: "welawa" becomes "welawan"

11. උපකරණ කුලියට ගන්න පුළුවන්ද?

    Upakarana kuliyata ganna puluwanda?

    Can I rent the equipment?

    Usage

    Angampora schools will usually lend you their own staves ("polla") and wooden blades. Boxing and karate classes lend gloves, but hand wraps and uniforms are almost always sold rather than rented for hygiene reasons

    Grammar Note

    "Kuliya" (rent) with the dative "-ta" forms the adverbial "on rent", and combined with "gannawa" (to take) it means "to rent"

12. මේ ක්‍රමය මට කියලා දෙන්න පුළුවන්ද?

    Me kramaya mata kiyala denna puluwanda?

    Could you teach me this technique?

    Usage

    The teacher is addressed as "gurunanse", and traditional Angampora places great weight on respect for the master. Many schools bow with palms together at the start and end of practice. Thank him with "sthuthiyi" afterwards

    Grammar Note

    "Kiyala denawa" literally means "to tell and give" and is the most common colloquial way to say "to teach". In writing you would use "uganwanawa"

13. මෙතන නාන්න පහසුකම් තියෙනවද?

    Methana nanna pahasukam thiyenawada?

    Are there washing facilities here?

    Usage

    Sri Lankan gyms increasingly have showers, but traditional schools may offer only a well or a bucket wash. Towels are your own responsibility, and the heat and humidity mean you will sweat heavily, so bring a change of clothes and water

    Grammar Note

    The infinitive "nanna" doubles as a purpose modifier, giving "facilities for bathing". The same frame works for asking about any other amenity

14. අංගම්පොර ප්‍රදර්ශනයක් කවදාද තියෙන්නේ?

    Angampora pradarshanayak kawadada thiyenne?

    When is there an Angampora demonstration?

    Usage

    Angampora demonstrations turn up at cultural festivals, hotel events and school open days, typically featuring fire-staff routines and group forms. Always ask before taking photographs

    Grammar Note

    A distinctive feature of Sinhala is that in a sentence containing a question word the verb shifts to the focus form in "-nne": "thiyenawa" becomes "thiyenne"

15. අත් උස්සලා තියාගන්න, විරුද්ධ අයගේ ඇස් දිහා බලන්න.

    Ath ussala thiyaganna, wiruddha ayage as diha balanna.

    Keep your hands up, look at your opponent's eyes.

    Usage

    Said by the teacher. One of the most frequent cues during practice. Angampora trains you to read the eyes and the shift of weight rather than the limbs — drop your gaze and you misread the next strike

    Grammar Note

    Linking verbs with "-la" gives the sense of "do X and then". "Thiyaganawa" is "thiyanawa" (to place) plus "gannawa" (to take), adding the sense of keeping something for oneself

16. මුළු බලයෙන්ම ගහන්න, බය වෙන්න එපා.

    Mulu balayenma gahanna, baya wenna epa.

    Strike with all your strength, do not be afraid.

    Usage

    Said by the teacher. The standard call when they want full commitment in pad or staff drills. A hesitant, half-power blow is more likely to hurt your own wrist, so you are pushed to commit

    Grammar Note

    A prohibition is formed by putting "epa" after the infinitive ("baya wenna epa" = do not be afraid). The suffix "-yen" is the instrumental, "by means of"

17. විනාඩි පහක් විවේක ගෙන වතුර බොන්න.

    Winadi pahak wiweka gena wathura bonna.

    Take a five-minute break and drink some water.

    Usage

    Said by the teacher. Sri Lanka is hot and humid and many schools have no air conditioning, so frequent water breaks are built in. Bring your own bottle; some places hand out king coconut ("thambili") during the pause

    Grammar Note

    In Sinhala the numeral follows the noun ("winadi pahak" = minutes five). "Gena" is the conjunctive form of "gannawa" (to take), linking to the next verb as "having done X"

18. අද මෙච්චරයි. හොඳට කළා!

    Ada mecharayi. Hondata kala!

    That is it for today. Well done!

    Usage

    The teacher's closing line. At traditional schools students bow with palms together and reply "sthuthiyi gurunanse". Tipping is not expected, though some people offer something after a private lesson

    Grammar Note

    The final "-yi" is an assertive suffix; attached to "mechchara" (this much) it marks the session as closed. "Hondata" is the adverbial form of "honda" (good)

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