Day 77 · Book Discussion 📚
1 · Core Words (12)
2 · Typical Phrases (6)
Mama poth kiyawanna kemathi — I like to read books
Oyage kemathi potha mokadda? — What is your favorite book?
E kathawa harima rasawath — That story is very interesting
Mama potha iwara kala — I finished the book
Theruma tikak amarui — The meaning is a bit difficult
Poth geyen pothak naya gaththa — I borrowed a book from the library
3 · Dialogue (8)
B: Ow, mama hema dawase poth kiyawanawa. — Yes, I read books every day.
A: Oyage kemathi liyanna kawuda? — Who is your favorite writer?
B: Mama Martin Wickramasinghe-ta kemathi. — I like Martin Wickramasinghe.
A: E pothe kathawa kohomada? — How is the story of that book?
B: Harima rasawath saha hondai. — Very interesting and good.
A: Mama e potha naya ganna one. — I want to borrow that book.
B: Mama oyaṭa genath dennang. — I will bring it for you.
4 · Cultural Note
Reading culture has deep roots in Sri Lanka. School children often discuss books in Sinhala class. Writers like Martin Wickramasinghe and Gunadasa Amarasekara are famous. Libraries exist even in small towns and villages. Book fairs, especially the Colombo International Book Fair, are huge events. People gift books for birthdays and New Year. Many buses have small racks where passengers read on long trips. Discussing a book is a polite and intelligent conversation topic. Older people love to tell stories from novels they read long ago. A home with many books is considered a respected home.