Monday, August 10, 2020

Prepositional Phrases -ekeyi & -vala: Sinhala Grammar #33

 Ayubowan!


The suffix we are learning today refers to something being in or on something. 

This can refer to locations that are not physical (websites, devices, etc.) This suffix is

 only used with loan words. Let’s take a look at an example. 


My friend posted/put our picture on Instagram.

Mage yaluwaa ape pinthura Instagram ekeyi dhǣma.

මගේ යාළුවා අපේ පින්තුර ඉන්ස්ටග්රම් එකෙයි ඩෑම.


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How did you see that post

Koheda dæke eya post eka?

කොහෙද දැක්කේ ඒය පෝස්ට් එක?


(I) saw it on Whatsapp.

Whatsapp ekeyi dhaka.

Whatsapp එකෙයි දැක්කා.


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How do you watch teledramas?

Oyaa kohomada teledrama eka balanne?

ඔයා කොහොමොද ටෙලෙද්රම ඒක බලන්නේ?


I watch (them) on  the computer.

Computer ekeyi balanawa.

චොම්පුටෙර් එකෙයි බලනවා 


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-ekeyi can also be used as a general indicator of location if the location 

is a loan word.


Little brother is in the car.

Mali car ekeyi innawaa.

මාලි කර් එකෙයි ඉන්නවා. 


In my University days/ when I was in University, I lived/ was in the dorms.

University kale, mama dorm ekeyi hittiya.

උනිවෙර්සිට්ය් කාලේ, මම දොර්ම් එකෙයි හිට්ටිය.


One exception to the -ekeyi suffix that I have learned is in regard to actual locations, 

like cities, that do not have a corresponding word in Sinhala. Instead of -ekeyi, we would say -vala:


In New York City, there are a lot of people.

New York City vala godak minisu innawaa.

New York City වල ගොඩක් මිනිසු ඉන්නවා 


That’s all for this lesson! If you have any questions or comments, 

please leave them down below. Make sure to tune in to the next lesson 

on August 17th. Thank you for reading!


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