Language/Sinhala/Grammar/Nouns-and-Pronouns

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Sinhala → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Unit 2: Basic Grammar → Nouns and Pronouns

Introduction

Welcome to Unit 2 of the "Complete 0 to A1 Sinhala Course"! In this unit, we will explore the fundamental aspects of Sinhala grammar. Building upon the knowledge gained in Unit 1, where we learned the Sinhala alphabet and basic words, we will now delve into the world of nouns and pronouns. Nouns and pronouns are essential components of any language, allowing us to talk about people, places, animals, and things. By understanding how to use them correctly, you will be able to express yourself more effectively in Sinhala. Throughout this lesson, we will cover various topics related to nouns and pronouns, and provide you with ample examples and exercises to reinforce your learning. So, let's get started!

The Basics of Nouns

What are Nouns?

Nouns are words that name people, places, animals, things, or ideas. In Sinhala, as in many other languages, nouns play a crucial role in constructing sentences. They serve as the subject or object of a sentence, as well as describe the relationship between different elements of a sentence. Learning how to use nouns correctly is fundamental to developing your Sinhala language skills.

Gender in Nouns

Unlike some languages that have grammatical gender, Sinhala does not assign gender to nouns. In Sinhala, gender is generally not a consideration when using nouns. However, there are some exceptions where gender is implied or specified, such as when referring to people or animals. We will explore this further in the following sections.

Singular and Plural Nouns

In Sinhala, nouns can be either singular or plural. Singular nouns refer to one person, place, animal, thing, or idea, while plural nouns refer to more than one. To form the plural of a noun, you generally add the suffix "-හරි" ("-hari") to the singular form. Let's look at some examples:

Sinhala	Pronunciation	English Translation
ගිහාන්	gihan	boy
ගිහාන්-හරි	gihan-hari	boys
ගැහුවේ	gahūve	girl
ගැහුවේ-හරි	gahūve-hari	girls
විදිහේ	vidihē	tree
විදිහේ-හරි	vidihē-hari	trees

As you can see from the examples, the suffix "-හරි" ("-hari") is added to the singular form of the noun to indicate the plural. However, it's important to note that not all nouns follow this pattern. Some nouns have irregular plural forms, which we will discuss later in this lesson.

Possessive Nouns

In Sinhala, possessive nouns are formed by adding the suffix "-ගේ" ("-ge") to the noun. This indicates ownership or possession. Let's look at some examples:

Sinhala	Pronunciation	English Translation
මව්ගේ පාන්	māge pān	mother's bread
මව්ගේ පාන්-හරි	māge pān-hari	mother's breads
දොස්තරේ නාන්දු	dōstare nāndu	friend's gift
දොස්තරේ නාන්දු-හරි	dōstare nāndu-hari	friend's gifts

In the examples above, the possessive form is created by adding "-ගේ" ("-ge") to the noun. This suffix indicates that the noun belongs to someone or something. Note that the plural form of possessive nouns is formed by adding the plural suffix "-හරි" ("-hari") to the noun, just like regular plural nouns.

Pronouns

Pronouns are words that are used to replace nouns in a sentence. They help us avoid repetition and make our speech or writing more concise. In Sinhala, pronouns function in a similar way to nouns, but with some differences in form and usage. Let's explore the different types of pronouns in Sinhala.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns are used to refer to specific individuals or groups of people. In Sinhala, personal pronouns have different forms based on whether they are used as the subject or object of a sentence. Let's take a look at the personal pronouns in Sinhala:

Sinhala	Pronunciation	English Translation
මම	mama	I
ඔයා	ōyā	you (singular)
ඔහු	ōhu	he/she/it
අපි	api	we
ඔයාගේ	ōyāge	your (singular)
ඔයාගේ-හරි	ōyāge-hari	your (plural)
ඔහුගේ	ōhugē	his/her/its
අපිගේ	apigē	our
ඔහුගේ-හරි	ōhugē-hari	their

As you can see from the examples, personal pronouns in Sinhala have different forms depending on the context in which they are used. It's important to remember these forms and use the appropriate pronoun based on the subject or object of the sentence.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns are used to point out specific people, places, or things. In Sinhala, there are three types of demonstrative pronouns: "මෙය" ("meya") for "this," "මේ" ("mē") for "this," and "අයියා" ("ayyā") for "that." These pronouns can be used to indicate proximity or distance. Let's look at some examples:

Sinhala	Pronunciation	English Translation
මෙය පාන්	meya pān	this bread
මෙය පාන්-හරි	meya pān-hari	these breads
මේ පාන්	mē pān	this bread
මේ පාන්-හරි	mē pān-hari	these breads
අයියා පාන්	ayyā pān	that bread
අයියා පාන්-හරි	ayyā pān-hari	those breads

In the examples above, the demonstrative pronouns "මෙය" ("meya"), "මේ" ("mē"), and "අයියා" ("ayyā") are used to indicate the proximity or distance of the object being referred to. The suffix "-හරි" ("-hari") is added to the demonstrative pronouns to indicate plural forms.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions about people, places, things, or ideas. In Sinhala, there are several interrogative pronouns that you can use to ask different types of questions. Let's take a look at some examples:

Sinhala	Pronunciation	English Translation
කොහොමද?	kohomada?	What?
කවුරුද?	kavuruda?	Who?
කොහොමට?	kohomata?	How?
කිසිමට?	kisimata?	Why?
කවුරුදුද?	kavurudud?	Whose?
කොහොමවිද?	kohomavida?	Where?
කෙසේද?	kēseda?	How much/many?

These interrogative pronouns can be used to form a variety of questions in Sinhala. By using these pronouns, you can gather specific information or seek clarification in conversations.

Regional Variations and Cultural Insights

Sinhala is the official language of Sri Lanka, and it is spoken by the majority of the population. However, there are some regional variations in the usage and understanding of nouns and pronouns. These variations can be influenced by the different dialects and accents found throughout the country. For example, in some regions, certain words may be pronounced differently or have alternative meanings. It's important to be aware of these regional variations when communicating with native Sinhala speakers from different parts of Sri Lanka.

In addition to regional variations, the usage of nouns and pronouns in Sinhala can also be influenced by historical and cultural factors. Sinhala culture is deeply rooted in the country's history, traditions, and beliefs. For example, Sinhala society places a strong emphasis on respect and hierarchy. This is reflected in the language, where different pronouns and forms of address are used to show respect to elders, authority figures, or people of higher social status. It's important to be mindful of these cultural nuances when using nouns and pronouns in Sinhala, as it can greatly impact the way you are perceived and the level of politeness in your communication.

Exercises

Now that we have covered the basics of nouns and pronouns in Sinhala, it's time to put your knowledge into practice! Complete the following exercises to reinforce what you have learned:

1. Write the plural form of the following nouns:

• කවුරු ("kavuru") - tree
• මාර්ගය ("mārgaya") - road
• මල්ලියා ("malliyā") - flower

2. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate pronoun:

• මම ___ සිටියි. (mama ___ sītiyi) - I am from here.
• ඔහු ___ ලස්සන ගුවන් දැන්වීමට යමෙක් ද? (ōhu ___ lassana guwan dēnawīmati yamēka da?) - Does he/she need anyone to help?
• අපි ___ පිහිටුවා. (api ___ pihituvā) - We will leave now.

3. Translate the following sentences into Sinhala:

• This is my house.
• Where is the nearest hospital?
• Whose book is this?

Solutions

1. Plural forms of the given nouns:

• කවුරු-හරි ("kavuru-hari") - trees
• මාර්ගය-හරි ("mārgaya-hari") - roads
• මල්ලියා-හරි ("malliyā-hari") - flowers

2. Appropriate pronouns to fill in the blanks:

• මම මෙයි. (mama meyī) - I am from here.
• ඔහුට යමෙක් අවශ්‍යයි ද? (ōhutu yamēka avashtrayi da?) - Does he/she need anyone to help?
• අපිට මේවා පිහිටුවා. (apitu mēvā pihituvā) - We will leave now.

3. Sinhala translations of the given sentences:

• මේ මගේ නිවසේ ඇති. (mē mage nivāsē ēthi) - This is my house.
• අවසන් රෝහලේ කොහොමද? (avasant rōhlayi kohomada?) - Where is the nearest hospital?
• මේ සිටින්නේ කවුරුද? (mē sītinne kavuruda?) - Whose book is this?

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have completed Unit 2 of the "Complete 0 to A1 Sinhala Course," where we explored the fascinating world of nouns and pronouns in Sinhala. By mastering the use of nouns and pronouns, you have taken an important step towards becoming proficient in the Sinhala language. In this lesson, we covered the basics of nouns, including gender, singular and plural forms, and possessive nouns. We also delved into the different types of pronouns, such as personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, and interrogative pronouns. Additionally, we discussed regional variations and cultural insights related to nouns and pronouns in Sinhala. Now, armed with this knowledge, you can confidently express yourself and engage in meaningful conversations in Sinhala. Keep practicing, and soon you will be ready to move on to Unit 3, where we will explore verbs and tenses. Well done!

Table of Contents - Sinhala Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Unit 1: Introduction

• Greetings and Introductions
• Numbers and Counting

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Unit 2: Basic Grammar

• Sinhala Alphabet
• Nouns and Pronouns
• Verbs and Tenses

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Unit 3: Sinhala Culture

• Festivals and Celebrations
• Sinhala Cuisine

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Unit 4: Daily Life

• Family and Relationships
• Transportation and Directions

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Unit 5: Advanced Grammar

• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Conditional and Subjunctive
• Passive Voice

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Unit 6: Sinhala Society

• Sinhala Folklore and Legends
• Traditional Arts and Crafts

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Unit 7: Holidays and Travel

• Booking and Checking In
• Tourist Attractions and Activities

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Unit 8: Conversational Sinhala

• Expressions and Idioms
• Sinhala Slang and Colloquialisms

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Unit 9: Sinhala History

• Ancient Civilization of Sri Lanka
• European Colonization and Independence

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Unit 10: Proficiency Test Preparation

• Listening and Reading Comprehension
• Speaking and Writing Production

Sources

• Sinhala language - Wikipedia

Other Lessons

• Passive Voice
• Adjectives
• How to Use Be
• Questions
• Give your Opinion
• Sinhala Alphabet
• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Negation
• Sinhala Slang and Colloquialisms

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