Day 40 · Problems & Asking for Help 🚨
1 · Core Words (12)
Udaw [u-da-w]
udaw one 🙏
උදව් ඕන
Help
🙏 Need help
Prashnayak
podi prashnayak
පොඩි ප්රශ්නයක්
Problem
Small problem
Therenawa
therenne næ
තේරෙන්නේ නෑ
Understand
Don’t understand
Maga waraduna
wedagath maga waraduna
වැදගත් මග වැරදුනා
I am lost
important i am lost
Asanipei
rasawath asanipa thathwayak
රසවත් අසනීප තත්ත්වයක්
Sick
interesting sick
Wallet eka
loku wallet ekak
ලොකු වොලට් එකක්
Wallet
big wallet
Phone eka
prayojanawath phone ekak
ප්රයෝජනවත් ෆෝන් එකක්
Phone
useful phone
Police
podi polis niladhariyek
පොඩි පොලිස් නිලධාරියෙක්
Police
small police
Ispiriya
nihanda ispiritalayak
නිහඬ ඉස්පිරිතාලයක්
Hospital
quiet hospital
Karunakara
mama karunakara yanawa
මම කරුණාකර යනවා
Please
I am going please
Pennanna
mata pennawannako
මට පෙන්වන්නකෝ
Show
show me please
Kohenda
mama kohenda yanawa
මම කොහෙන්ද යනවා
Where
I am going where
2 · Typical Phrases (6)
Mata udaw one — I need help
Mata therenne næ — I don’t understand
Mage phone eka næ — My phone is missing
Police ekata yamu — Let’s go to the police
Ispiriya kohenda? — Where is the hospital?
Karunakara udaw karanna — Please help me
3 · Dialogue
A: Samawenna, mata podi udawak one.
(Excuse me, I need a little help.)
B: Ow, mokadda prashnaya?
(Yes, what is the problem?)
A: Mata maga waraduna.
(I am lost.)
B: Kohenda yanna one?
(Where do you need to go?)
A: Ispiriyaṭa yanna one.
(I need to go to the hospital.)
B: Mama oyaṭa pennannam.
(I will show you.)
A: Godak stuti oyata!
(Thank you very much!)
B: Aulak næ, parissamin yanna.
(No problem, go safely.)
(Excuse me, I need a little help.)
B: Ow, mokadda prashnaya?
(Yes, what is the problem?)
A: Mata maga waraduna.
(I am lost.)
B: Kohenda yanna one?
(Where do you need to go?)
A: Ispiriyaṭa yanna one.
(I need to go to the hospital.)
B: Mama oyaṭa pennannam.
(I will show you.)
A: Godak stuti oyata!
(Thank you very much!)
B: Aulak næ, parissamin yanna.
(No problem, go safely.)
4 · Cultural Note 🇱🇰
Sri Lankans are famous for helping strangers. Asking “karunakara udaw karanna” sounds very polite. Even people who don’t speak English will try to help. Often someone will walk with you to show the way. Saying “samawenna” before a question shows respect. Community spirit is stronger than strict rules. Hospitals and police are seen as safe places. Smiling while asking for help opens many doors. Never be shy to ask twice if you didn’t understand. Kindness is a national language beyond Sinhala.