Maldivian grammar

Notes

• The verb always comes last📐The verb always comes lastDivehi builds a sentence as subject → object → verb. "I eat rice" comes out as "I rice eat": އަހަރެން ބަތް ކަނީ (aharen baiy kanee).
• No gender, no articles📐No gender, no articlesNouns have no gender, and there are no articles. އޭނާ (eynaa) means both "he" and "she".
• 📐The question particles -ތަ and -ތޯTo make a question, a particle is glued to a word: -ތަ in ordinary speech, -ތޯ when you are polite.
• Three levels of politeness📐Three levels of politenessIn Divehi the choice of the word for "you" is a social decision, not grammar. - ކަލޭ (kaley) — only with peers and…
• Present tense in -ނީ (-nee)📐Present tense in -ނީ (-nee)The form in -ނީ says what is happening now or in general: ދަނީ (dhanee) (go), ކަނީ (kanee) (eat), ބޮނީ (bonee) (drink), އުޅެނީ (ulhenee) (live).
• 📐Bigger, smaller and "than"To say "more expensive", first name the thing you compare with. It takes the ending -އަށްވުރެ ("than"), and the quality…
• 📐Where, where to, where from: endings instead of prepositionsTo say "in the kitchen" or "into the room", no preposition is needed: Divehi has none. An ending is glued to the word…
• 📐The plural that is usually not thereThe plural in Divehi is optional. When it is already clear that there are many things, the word stays as it is…
• Yesterday: the past tense📐Yesterday: the past tenseTo talk about yesterday, the verb changes its whole tail, not just the ending. ދަނީ (dhanee) ("go") gives ދިޔަ (dhiya) ("went"), ބޮނީ (bonee)…
• 📐Request, command and the polite -ތޯAt a bank window and in a doctor's waiting room Divehi sounds different from the market. The difference rests on two…
• 📐Tomorrow: the future tenseTo say "I will go", pick the ending not by the time but by the speaker.
• "Give me": the addressee in -އަށް📐"Give me": the addressee in -އަށްTo say "to me", "to you", "to him", the pronoun takes -އަށް. It is the same ending that turns ރަށް (rah) (island) into ރަށަށް (rashah)…
• 📐Definiteness: what Divehi uses instead of an articleTo tell "that very one" from "just any one", no article is needed — Divehi has none. Definiteness is shown by the bare…
• 📐Number: -ތައް, -ން and countingThe plural is not always marked, and that is the main thing about it. Things take -ތައް (ފޮށިތައް (foshithah) — suitcases), people…
• Must, may, must not📐Must, may, must not"Have to" is assembled from the verb in -ން and the word ޖެހޭ (jehey) ("it comes to"). ދާން (dhaan) ޖެހޭ (jehey) — "have to go", ފުރަން (furan) ޖެހޭ (jehey)…
• 📐This, that and here: the demonstratives މި, ތި, އެDivehi has three demonstratives, and they are sorted not by distance but by whose hands the thing is in. މި — by me…
• 📐Whose is it: the ending -ގެTo say "my", "your", "mom's", no separate word is needed. There is one ending, -ގެ, and it clings to any name and any…
• Very, too, a little: degree and judgment📐Very, too, a little: degree and judgmentDegree in Divehi comes from separate words in front of the quality, not from endings. ވަރަށް (varah) ("very") is the commonest…
• Without a subject: I am cold, it is raining, it can be heard📐Without a subject: I am cold, it is raining, it can be heardA whole layer of Divehi gets along without a doer. "It is raining" is ވާރޭ ވެހެނީ (vaarey vehenee), where the rain itself is the…
• Two thoughts in one sentence: ކަމަށް (kamah), ވީމާ, ނަމަ (nama), އިރު (iru)📐Two thoughts in one sentence: ކަމަށް (kamah), ވީމާ, ނަމަ (nama), އިރު (iru)To sew two thoughts together, Divehi puts the link at the end of the first part. English puts "that", "if" and "when"…
• How much exactly: ގިނަ (gina), މަދު (madhu), ހުރިހާ (hurihaa), ބައެއް (baeh)📐How much exactly: ގިނަ (gina), މަދު (madhu), ހުރިހާ (hurihaa), ބައެއް (baeh)Quantity stands in front of the noun and never changes: ގިނަ (gina) ދަރިވަރުން (dharivarun) ("many students"), މަދު (madhu) ވަގުތު (vaguthu) ("little time").…
• 📐The description in front: the participle instead of "which"To say "the person who sells", the word "who" is not needed — Divehi has none. The description folds up and stands in…
• 📐Comparing whole descriptions: -އަށްވުރެ and -ހާIn a comparison the quality does not change — what changes is the thing you compare with. -އަށްވުރެ ("than") clings to…
• If and if only: -އިއްޔާ, ނަމަ (nama), ނަމަވެސް (namaves)📐If and if only: -އިއްޔާ, ނަމަ (nama), ނަމަވެސް (namaves)A condition in Divehi closes its part instead of opening it. A real condition is the ending -އިއްޔާ on the verb: ވަޒީފާ (vazeefaa)…
• The most: one word, އެންމެ (enme)📐The most: one word, އެންމެ (enme)To say "the most", one word is enough — އެންމެ (enme) in front of the quality. އެންމެ (enme) ބޮޑު (bodu) ("the biggest"), އެންމެ (enme) އަގުހެޔޮ (aguheyo)…
• 📐Already, still and all this while: aspect and durationTo say "already", there is the ending -ެއްޖެ: ކެންސަލްވެއްޖެ (kensalvejje) ("has been cancelled"), ނިމިއްޖެ (nimijje) ("has finished"). It is…
• 📐Someone else's words: ކަމަށް (kamah) and the question without a question markTo pass on someone else's words, Divehi runs the mirror way. The thought comes first, then the closing ކަމަށް (kamah), and the…
• 📐Who did it is not saidOfficial Divehi almost never names the doer. How depends on the verb. Some take -ެވު- before the ending: ކުރުން (kurun) ("to…
• 📐Probably and hardly: the verb carries the probabilityTo say "maybe", Divehi changes not the adverb but the verb itself.
• 📐Cause, purpose, time, concession: where the link standsA link in Divehi hangs on the verb of the first part and stands at its end. Only three words go in front, and they open…
• A quality from a noun: -ވެރި, -ތެރި, -ގަދަ, -ކުޑަ📐A quality from a noun: -ވެރި, -ތެރި, -ގަދަ, -ކުޑަDivehi has few qualities "from scratch": ބޮޑު (bodu), ކުޑަ (kuda), ދިގު (dhigu), ކުރު (kuru), ރީތި (reethi) — that is nearly the whole list. The rest are…
• 📐A noun from a verb: the endings -ުން and -ކަންTo name the action itself — "giving", "stopping" — the verb takes -ުން: ދިނުން (dhinun), ވުން (vun) ("becoming"), ހުއްޓާލުން (huttaalun)…
• 📐One thing after another: -ފައި and -ކޮށް in one sentenceIn a recipe and in a story of the day only the last verb carries a person. Every action before it stands in a linking…
• 📐Do it for me: the tail -ދިނުންEnglish says "buy me", "bring me", "explain to me". Divehi passes this not with a pronoun but with a second verb in the…
• 📐It broke by itself: -ކުރުން against -ވުންEnglish tells "he broke it" from "it broke" with different words. Divehi tells them apart with one pair of endings.
• 📐Rain, wind and sun: ވެހުން (vehun), ޖެހުން (jehun), ދިނުން (dhinun)English gives each kind of weather its own verb: rain falls, the wind blows, the sun shines. Divehi does the same, but…
• Where it is: place words and the ending -ގައި📐Where it is: place words and the ending -ގައިTo explain the way, put the place word after the landmark, not in front of it. ބޭންކުގެ (beynkuge) ކުރިމަތީގައި (kurimatheegai) — "opposite the…
• 📐I can, it works out, I have to"I can", "it works out for me", "I have to" are built three different ways. One thing is common: the person always…
• 📐It was and it will be: the tenses of the Divehi verbA Divehi verb has no dictionary form. The tense sits in the ending on the verb, with no "was" or "will" beside it.
• 📐Polite and soft: -ބަލަ, -ލަ-, -ތޯ and the honorific verbsA conversation in Divehi rests not on "please" and "sorry" but on softening inside the verb itself.
• Who does it: -ވެރިޔާ, -ތެރިޔާ and "ކުރާ (kuraa) މީހާ" (meehaa)📐Who does it: -ވެރިޔާ, -ތެރިޔާ and "ކުރާ (kuraa) މީހާ" (meehaa)Half the names of trades need not be learned — they can be assembled from a noun.
• 📐With what and from where: the ending -ުންTo say "with what", "from where" and "because of what", one ending is enough — -ުން.
• 📐Social, political, legal: the tail -ީTo say "political", "legal", "medical", Divehi takes a noun and puts a long -ީ on the end.
• 📐This and is: the link -އަކީ and -އީTo say "this is that", no verb "to be" is needed: in the present Divehi has none. The word you are defining takes…
• Three "no"s: ނު-, ނެތް (neiy) and ނޫން (noon)📐Three "no"s: ނު-, ނެތް (neiy) and ނޫން (noon)Divehi has three different "no"s, and you choose by what exactly you are denying.
• 📐A measure from a quality: -މިން, -ދަން and multiplesA measure in Divehi is almost never a separate word: it is assembled from a quality with the tail -މިން ("a size").
• 📐It aches not "with me" but "in the back": three frames of feeling unwellTo complain about your health, Divehi has three frames, and the doctor waits for the right one.
• 📐A wish and a plea to heaven: އެދެން (edhen) and the tail -ށިTo wish somebody something — a good trip, success, health — Divehi picks the form by the addressee.
• 📐Who is admired and who is resented: the word ދެކެ (dheke)English hands out different prepositions to feelings: love somebody, fear somebody, admire somebody. Divehi is simpler…
• 📐Except, instead of and without: the word comes after the nounEnglish puts "except", "instead of" and "without" BEFORE the noun. Divehi puts the same words AFTER it, and that is not…
• A quality and a noun of quality: -ކަން, -ކޮށް, -ވުން, -ކުރުން📐A quality and a noun of quality: -ކަން, -ކޮށް, -ވުން, -ކުރުންA quality stands in front of the noun and never changes: ބޯ ފޮތި (fothi) — "dense fabric". The same word also goes to the end…
• 📐Where, where to, where from: -ގައި, -އަށް, -ުން and the place nounsTo say "above", "below", "inward", separate words are not needed: in Divehi these are ordinary nouns with a place…
• 📐Fractions, multiples and comparison: ބައިކުޅަ, ގުނަ (guna), ވުރެA fraction is read the other way round: the denominator first, then the service word ބައިކުޅަ, then the numerator.…
• 📐Began, kept on, gave up: the second verb beside the main oneEnglish shows the phase with a prefix or an adverb: "started", "kept on", "gave up". Divehi has no prefixes: a second…
• 📐Not "I found out" but "it became clear to me"A whole class of Divehi verbs gets by with no doer. The one it happened to takes the ending -އަށް, and the matter…
• Time without prepositions: އިރު (iru), -ނަމަ and the endings on time📐Time without prepositions: އިރު (iru), -ނަމަ and the endings on timeTime in Divehi takes the same endings as place, and "when" and "if" are built with tails straight on the verb.
• A word out of two words: ގަނޑު (gandu), ކޮޅު (kolhu), ކޮށި (koshi) and the ending -ގެ📐A word out of two words: ގަނޑު (gandu), ކޮޅު (kolhu), ކޮށި (koshi) and the ending -ގެDivehi does not borrow a term; it folds it out of two of its own nouns. The first defines, the second names: ގަނޑުފެން (gandufen)…
• 📐A verb instead of an adjective: -ާ, -ޭ, -ފައި and -ެވޭDivehi has few qualities and many verbs. Where English puts an adjective, Divehi often puts a verb in a special form.…
• 📐Someone else's words: the particle -ޯ, ކަމަށް (kamah) and ގޮތުން (gothun)English passes someone else's speech with "that" and quotation marks. Divehi has neither: everything that reports words…
• 📐What a person is like: -ތެރި, -ވެރި, -ކަން and turns instead of wordsA quality of a person is most often assembled from a noun with a tail.
• އާދެ (aadhe) and އާން (aan): the two "yes"es of Dhivehi📐އާދެ (aadhe) and އާން (aan): the two "yes"es of DhivehiBoth words mean "yes", and the choice is politeness, not grammar. އާދެ (aadhe) is the polite one — for elders and strangers.…
• ރަނގަޅު (rangalhu) and ބަރާބަރު (baraabaru): answering ކިހިނެއް؟ (kihineh)📐ރަނގަޅު (rangalhu) and ބަރާބަރު (baraabaru): answering ކިހިނެއް؟ (kihineh)Both words answer ކިހިނެއް؟ (kihineh). ރަނގަޅު (rangalhu) means "fine, all right" and fits almost anywhere. ބަރާބަރު (baraabaru) is stronger — "all in…

What works differently from what you know

• Respect is built into the verb form itself, not added as a separate word: to an elder and to a peer you speak with different forms of the same verb. Picking the wrong one is not a grammar mistake — it is rudeness.

  Bruce D. Cain, «Dhivehi (Maldivian): A Synchronic and Diachronic Study», Cornell, 2000

What is hard about Maldivian and what comes for free

Hard: the verb at the end, postpositions instead of prepositions, and separate words for polite speech.

Easy: no grammatical gender.

This is not a verdict on the language but a hint on where to spend effort. The hard parts are best taken a little at a time and often; the easy parts — left alone while they work by themselves.

Next

• Maldivian wordsBy topic and alphabetically
• PhrasebookPhrases ready to use
• From scratchWhere to start, and in what order
• Why a word list doesn't sticka note