ރަނގަޅު and ބަރާބަރު: answering ކިހިނެއް؟
Both words answer ކިހިނެއް؟. ރަނގަޅު means "fine, all right" and fits almost anywhere. ބަރާބަރު is stronger — "all in perfect order" — and sounds brighter than a plain greeting calls for. For example: “ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟” — How are you? (politely). A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Both words answer ކިހިނެއް؟ (kihineh?). ރަނގަޅު (rangalhu) means "fine, all right" and fits almost anywhere. ބަރާބަރު (baraabaru) is stronger — "all in perfect order" — and sounds brighter than a plain greeting calls for.
In an answer and in front of a noun the form is one. ރަނގަޅު answers "how are you", and the same word stands in ރަނގަޅު ދުވަހެއް ("a good day"). Next to a verb it changes: ރަނގަޅަށް ކަންތައް ކުރި (rangalhah kanthah kuri) — "did the thing properly".
The question itself is chosen by the person you speak to. ކިހިނެއްތަ؟ is for peers and your own. Politely it is ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟ (kihinehthoa?), with the tail -ތޯ (-tho), which lifts the whole phrase. The pair -ތަ and -ތޯ works with any question.
Table
| the word | how it reads | its strength | what else it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| ރަނގަޅު | rangalhu | fine, all right | a description: ރަނގަޅު ދުވަހެއް — a good day |
| ރަނގަޅަށް | rangalhah | the same next to a verb | the adverb in -ައް: ރަނގަޅަށް ކަންތައް ކުރި |
| ބަރާބަރު | baraabaru | great, in perfect order | a description: ބަރާބަރު ދުވަހެއް |
| ކިހިނެއްތަ؟ | kihinehtha? | the question to your own, in talk | the particle -ތަ is conversational |
| ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟ | kihinehthoa? | the question, politely | the particle -ތޯ raises the register |
By example
- ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟kihinehthoa?How are you? (politely)
- ރަނގަޅުrangalhuFine
- ބަރާބަރުbaraabaruGreat, all in perfect order
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
How are you in Dhivehi?
Both words answer ކިހިނެއް؟. ރަނގަޅު means "fine, all right" and fits almost anywhere. ބަރާބަރު is stronger — "all in perfect order" — and sounds brighter than a plain greeting calls for.
How to answer kihineh in Dhivehi?
In an answer and in front of a noun the form is one. ރަނގަޅު answers "how are you", and the same word stands in ރަނގަޅު ދުވަހެއް ("a good day"). Next to a verb it changes: ރަނގަޅަށް ކަންތައް ކުރި — "did the thing properly".
Rangalhu vs baraabaru?
The question itself is chosen by the person you speak to. ކިހިނެއްތަ؟ is for peers and your own. Politely it is ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟, with the tail -ތޯ, which lifts the whole phrase. The pair -ތަ and -ތޯ works with any question.
How to say fine in Dhivehi?
The question itself is chosen by the person you speak to. ކިހިނެއްތަ؟ is for peers and your own. Politely it is ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟, with the tail -ތޯ, which lifts the whole phrase. The pair -ތަ and -ތޯ works with any question.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟” (kihinehthoa?) — How are you? (politely). A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.