Request, command and the polite -ތޯ
At a bank window and in a doctor's waiting room Divehi sounds different from the market. The difference rests on two things. For example: “ނަން ލިޔުއްވާ” — Write the name, please. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
At a bank window and in a doctor's waiting room Divehi sounds different from the market. The difference rests on two things.
The first is the question particle: -ތަ with friends, -ތޯ (-tho) with strangers and elders. You ask a friend ހޮސްޕިޓަލް ދުރުތަ (hospital dhurutha), and the person at the counter ހޮސްޕިޓަލް ދުރުތޯ.
The second is the verb itself. A plain command is short: ފުރާ (fill in), ދީ (give). The polite one takes the insert -އްވާ: ފުރުއްވާ (furuvvaa), ދެއްވާ (dhevvaa).
A ban is built with the prefix ނު-: އަތް ނުލާ (aiy nulaa) — "do not touch". The prefix goes on the verb, and the verb comes last.
Table
| plain | polite | translation |
|---|---|---|
| ދީ (dhee) | ދެއްވާ (dhevvaa) | give |
| ފުރާ (furaa) | ފުރުއްވާ (furuvvaa) | fill in |
| ބުނޭ (buney) | ވިދާޅުވޭ (vidhaalhuvey) | say |
| -ތަ (-tha) | -ތޯ (-tho) | the question |
By example
- ނަން ލިޔުއްވާnan liyuvvaaWrite the name, please
- އޮފީސް ކޮންތާކުތޯ؟ofees konthaakuthoa?Where is the office? (polite)
- މަޑުކުރައްވާmadukuravvaaWait, please
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
Request, command and the polite -ތޯ: how does it work in Maldivian?
At a bank window and in a doctor's waiting room Divehi sounds different from the market. The difference rests on two things.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ނަން ލިޔުއްވާ” (nan liyuvvaa) — Write the name, please. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.