A journey through language, culture, and the heart
Sri Lanka is one of the most chosen destinations by our participants to live their volunteer experience with Cooperating Volunteers, because this country leaves you speechless from the very first moment. Not only because of its endless green landscapes, the trains that snake between mountains and the beaches that look as if they were painted with calm, but also because of the warmth of its people and the musicality of its language.
Every word in Sinhala —and also in Tamil— is an invitation to look at the world from a different place: more serene, more human, more authentic.
We believe that learning some words before taking your trip helps you get closer to the community, show respect, and learn.
Today we want to share with you the most beautiful words from Sri Lanka that you will surely hear during your trip.
ආයුබෝවන් (Ayubowan)
“May you have a long and healthy life.”
It is not simply “hello”. It is a blessing.
Ayubowan is one of the most representative words of Sri Lanka. It is said with a slight bow of the head and hands together, as if every encounter were a gift.
When a participant hears “ayubowan” for the first time, something changes: they understand that they are entering a country where kindness is not improvised, it is practiced.
ස්තුතියි (Stutiyi)
It means “thank you”.
But giving thanks in Sri Lanka is never just a word. It is a sincere gesture that comes from the heart.
Our volunteers use it every day: when receiving the smile of a child, a plate cooked with love, or the help of a project companion.
Stutiyi is, in the end, the summary of the experience: the volunteer experience is made of small acts of gratitude that build huge memories and generate enormous impacts.
සාමය (Saamayá)
“Peace.”
Sri Lanka is synonymous with calm.
From Buddhist temples to the wet rice fields at dawn, everything seems to breathe at the rhythm of the word saamayá.
Participants feel it when working with the community, when dedicating time to the little ones, or when they simply lose themselves among the sounds of birds and landscapes during their free time.
It is a word you take back home. And one that is hard to pronounce without closing your eyes a little.
ප්රේමය (Premaya)
“Love.”
Not romantic love, but the love given without expecting anything in return. The love that supports, embraces, cares, and we believe has a lot to do with what you will be doing there.
The love found in every family that welcomes you, in every gesture of hospitality, and in every child who takes your hand without asking permission. Premaya is, perhaps, the word that best defines the essence of volunteering.
සතුට (Sathuta)
“Joy.”
Sri Lanka has the magical ability to find joy in the simplest things: a shared local breakfast, an improvised dance, a tuk-tuk ride full of laughter, a wave that splashes you without warning.
Many people agree that there they discover a different way of being happy, simpler and deeper.
හිතවත්කම (Hitawathkama)
“Kindness, affection.”
It is a long word, but its meaning is very easy to understand when you set foot in Sri Lanka. Kindness is part of the country’s identity, you will see it as soon as you arrive.
You notice it in the way people help you, how they ask if you need anything, how they look at you with a mix of respect and curiosity. Hitawathkama is that warm feeling that accompanies you throughout the trip.
நன்றி (Nanri)
“Thank you”, in Tamil.
Sri Lanka is a country of cultural and linguistic diversity. In the areas where Tamil is spoken, nanri represents respect, connection, and gratitude. Many volunteers are surprised to hear the same word of thanks in two different languages… but both equally sincere.
When you travel to Sri Lanka as a volunteer, you don’t just learn words: you learn a different way of communicating. You discover that every greeting has intention. That every thank you has soul. That every gesture has a story.
The language —just like the volunteer experience— teaches you that there are ways to connect with other people that go far beyond words.
And perhaps for that reason, Sri Lanka leaves such a mark: because it shows you that the world is kinder than we think.
