What a person is like: -ތެރި, -ވެރި, -ކަން and turns instead of words
A quality of a person is most often assembled from a noun with a tail. For example: “ރަށުގެ މީހުން އެހީތެރި، އެކަމަކު ބޯހަރު” — The people on the island are responsive, but stubborn. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A quality of a person is most often assembled from a noun with a tail.
-ތެރި gives "full of something": އެހީ (help) gives އެހީތެރި (responsive), ކެތް (patience) gives ކެތްތެރި (patient).
-ވެރި gives "possessing": ކުށް (fault) gives ކުށްވެރި (guilty), މަކަރު (deceit) gives މަކަރުވެރި (cunning). The difference is fine: ވެރި is about having, ތެރި about being full.
-ކަން (-kan) brings the noun back: ކަންނެތް (lazy) gives ކަންނެތްކަން (laziness), ބޯހަރު (stubborn) gives ބޯހަރުކަން (stubbornness). And what has no word has none: for "composure" one says ނަފުސު ހިފެހެއްޓުން (nafusu hifehettun) — "the holding of oneself".
Table
| the tail | what it does | from what | what came out |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ތެރި | full of something | އެހީ — help | އެހީތެރި — responsive |
| -ތެރި | full of something | ކެތް — patience | ކެތްތެރި — patient |
| -ވެރި | possessing | ކުށް — fault | ކުށްވެރި — guilty |
| -ކަން | a noun of quality | ކަންނެތް — lazy | ކަންނެތްކަން — laziness |
| -ކަން | a noun of quality | ބޯހަރު — stubborn | ބޯހަރުކަން — stubbornness |
| a turn | there is no word | ނަފުސު — oneself | ނަފުސު ހިފެހެއްޓުން — composure |
By example
- ރަށުގެ މީހުން އެހީތެރި، އެކަމަކު ބޯހަރުrashuge meehun eheetheri, ekamaku boaharuThe people on the island are responsive, but stubborn
- އަމާނާތްތެރިކަމާއެކު މަސައްކަތްކުރިamaanaaiytherikamaaeku masakkaiykuriHe worked with honesty
- އެއީ ރީތި ކަމެއް ނޫން، އެކަމަކު ގަސްދުގައެއް ނޫންeee reethi kameh noon, ekamaku gasdhugaeh noonIt is not nice, but he did not mean harm
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
What a person is like: how does it work in Maldivian?
A quality of a person is most often assembled from a noun with a tail.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ރަށުގެ މީހުން އެހީތެރި، އެކަމަކު ބޯހަރު” (rashuge meehun eheetheri, ekamaku boaharu) — The people on the island are responsive, but stubborn. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.