LingoflyA quality and a noun of quality: -ކަން, -ކޮށް, -ވުން, -ކުރުން
A quality stands in front of the noun and never changes: ބޯ ފޮތި (fothi) — "dense fabric". The same word also goes to the end of the phrase: ފޮތި (fothi) ބޯ — "the fabric is dense". For example: “ފޮތި (fothi) ބޯ، ފޮތީގެ (fotheege) ބޯކަން އިހުސާސްވޭ” — The fabric is dense, its density can be felt. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A quality stands in front of the noun and never changes: ބޯ ފޮތި (fothi) (boa fothi) — "dense fabric". The same word also goes to the end of the phrase: ފޮތި (fothi) ބޯ (fothi boa) — "the fabric is dense".
The tail -ކަން (-kan) makes a noun out of a quality: ބަރު (baru) (heavy) gives ބަރުކަން (barukan) (weight), ސީދާ (seedhaa) (exact) gives ސީދާކަން (seedhaakan) (precision).
The tail -ކޮށް makes an adverb: ކުރު (kuru) (short) gives ކުރުކޮށް (kurukoh) (briefly), އޮމާން (omaan) (smooth) gives އޮމާންކޮށް (omaankoh) (smoothly).
The pair -ވުން (-vun) and -ކުރުން (-kurun) parts "became" from "was made": ދަށްވުން (dhahvun) — "to go down", ދަށްކުރުން — "to bring down". Negation comes from the prefix ނު-: ވިދާ (vidhaa) (shiny) gives ނުވިދާ (nuvidhaa) (matte).
Table
| the tail | what it does | from what | what came out |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ކަން | a noun of quality | ބަރު (baru) — heavy | ބަރުކަން (barukan) — weight |
| -ކަން | a noun of quality | ސީދާ (seedhaa) — exact | ސީދާކަން (seedhaakan) — precision |
| -ކޮށް | an adverb | ކުރު (kuru) — short | ކުރުކޮށް (kurukoh) — briefly |
| -ކޮށް | an adverb | އޮމާން (omaan) — smooth | އޮމާންކޮށް (omaankoh) — smoothly |
| -ވުން | became by itself | ދަށް (dhah) — low | ދަށްވުން (dhahvun) — to go down |
| -ކުރުން | was done | ދަށް (dhah) — low | ދަށްކުރުން — to bring down |
| ނު- | negation | ވިދާ (vidhaa) — shiny | ނުވިދާ (nuvidhaa) — matte |
By example
- ފޮތި ބޯ، ފޮތީގެ ބޯކަން އިހުސާސްވޭfothi boa, fotheege boakan ihusaasveyThe fabric is dense, its density can be felt
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
A quality and a noun of quality: how does it work in Maldivian?
A quality stands in front of the noun and never changes: ބޯ ފޮތި (fothi) — "dense fabric". The same word also goes to the end of the phrase: ފޮތި (fothi) ބޯ — "the fabric is dense".
What does it look like in a Maldivian example sentence?
“ފޮތި (fothi) ބޯ، ފޮތީގެ (fotheege) ބޯކަން އިހުސާސްވޭ” (fothi boa, fotheege boakan ihusaasvey) — The fabric is dense, its density can be felt. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.