The verb always comes last
Sinhala builds a sentence as subject → object → verb. English 'I drink water' becomes 'I water drink': මම වතුර බොනවා. For example: “මම බත් කනවා” — I eat rice (word for word: I rice eat). A rule from the Sinhala course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Sinhala builds a sentence as subject → object → verb. English 'I drink water' becomes 'I water drink': මම වතුර බොනවා (mama vatura bonavā).
The practical trick: first gather everything you are talking about, and put the action as the very last word. The negation නෑ (nǣ) stands one place further right — after the verb.
By example
- මම බත් කනවාmama bat kanavāI eat rice (word for word: I rice eat)
- ඇය තේ බොනවාæya tē bonavāShe drinks tea
- මම ගෙදර යනවාmama gedara yanavāI go home
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Sinhala word order?
Sinhala builds a sentence as subject → object → verb. English 'I drink water' becomes 'I water drink': මම වතුර බොනවා.
Why the verb comes last in Sinhala?
The practical trick: first gather everything you are talking about, and put the action as the very last word. The negation නෑ stands one place further right — after the verb.
How to build a sentence in Sinhala?
The practical trick: first gather everything you are talking about, and put the action as the very last word. The negation නෑ stands one place further right — after the verb.
What does it look like in an example sentence Sinhala?
“මම බත් කනවා” (mama bat kanavā) — I eat rice (word for word: I rice eat). A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.