Day 35 · Transport & Bus 🚏
1 · Core Words (12)
Bus eka [bas e-ka]
mage bus eka
මගේ බස් එක
Bus
My bus
Ticket eka
ticket ekak 🎫
ටිකට් එකක්
Ticket
🎫 One ticket
Nawathuma
ilang nawathuma
ඊළඟ නවතුම
Stop
Next stop
Yanna
dan yamu
දැන් යමු
Go
let's go now
Enna
mehata ennako
මෙහෙට එන්නකෝ
Come
come here please
Koheda
mama koheda yanawa
මම කොහෙද යනවා
Where
I am going where
Kochchara wela
kochchara welawak yanawada?
කොච්චර වෙලාවක් යනවද?
How long
how long does it take?
Bus maru
methana bus eka maru karanna
මෙතන බස් එක මාරු කරන්න
Change bus
change the bus here
Seat eka
aluth seat eka
අලුත් සීට් එක
Seat
new seat
Nagaraya
karyabahula nagaraya
කාර්යබහුල නගරය
Town
busy town
Ikman
mama ikman yanawa
මම ඉක්මන් යනවා
Fast
I am going fast
Hemin
mama hemin yanawa
මම හෙමින් යනවා
Slow
I am going slow
2 · Typical Phrases (6)
Me bus eka Galle yanawada? — Does this bus go to Galle?
Ticket ekak keeyada? — How much is a ticket?
Ilanga nawathuma koheda? — Where is the next stop?
Bus maru karanna oneda? — Need to change bus?
Kochchara wela yanawada? — How long does it take?
Mata seat ekak thiyenawada? — Is there a seat for me?
3 · Dialogue
A: Me bus eka Kandy yanawada?
(Does this bus go to Kandy?)
B: Ow, Kandy yanawa.
(Yes, it goes to Kandy.)
A: Ticket ekak keeyada?
(How much is one ticket?)
B: Rupiyal panseeyai.
(Five hundred rupees.)
A: Kochchara wela yanawada?
(How long will it take?)
B: Peya thunak withara.
(About three hours.)
A: Seat ekak thiyenawada?
(Is there a seat?)
B: Ow, issaraha seat thiyenawa.
(Yes, there are seats in front.)
(Does this bus go to Kandy?)
B: Ow, Kandy yanawa.
(Yes, it goes to Kandy.)
A: Ticket ekak keeyada?
(How much is one ticket?)
B: Rupiyal panseeyai.
(Five hundred rupees.)
A: Kochchara wela yanawada?
(How long will it take?)
B: Peya thunak withara.
(About three hours.)
A: Seat ekak thiyenawada?
(Is there a seat?)
B: Ow, issaraha seat thiyenawa.
(Yes, there are seats in front.)
4 · Cultural Note 🇱🇰
Buses are the lifeline of Sri Lankan travel. Conductors usually help foreigners kindly. Tickets are often paid inside the bus. Asking locals is better than Google maps. Names of towns are shouted loudly at stops. Giving seat to elders is a strong custom. Music in buses is part of the journey. Knowing a few Sinhala phrases saves time. Long trips feel like a social event. Transport connects all cultures of the island.