What language do Buddhist monks speak in Sri Lanka.

The Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka generally speak Sinhala as their primary language, and they chant ancient scriptures entirely in Pali, a dead liturgical language. However, education is highly valued in the monastic community. The vast majority of younger monks and chief monks at prominent temples speak excellent, fluent English. You absolutely do not need to learn Sinhala to communicate. If you approach them respectfully, they will happily converse with you in English about temple history and Buddhist philosophy.