LingoflyTime without prepositions: އިރު, -ނަމަ and the endings on time
Time in Divehi takes the same endings as place, and "when" and "if" are built with tails straight on the verb. For example: “ނިމުނުއިރު (nimunuiru) ހަވީރު (haveeru) ވެއްޖެ” (vejje) — When it ended, it was already evening. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Time in Divehi takes the same endings as place, and "when" and "if" are built with tails straight on the verb.
"When" is -ގައި: އެ ދަނޑިވަޅުގައި (e dhandivalhugai) ("at that moment"). A deadline is -އަށް (-ah): ފުރަތަމަ ފަހަރަށް (furathama faharah) ("for the first time"). A rule or an order is -ުން: ގަވާއިދުން (gavaaidhun) ("regularly").
The tail -އިރު (-iru) gives "when, at the time of": ނިމުނުއިރު (nimunuiru) ("when it ended"), ކުޑައިރު (kudairu) ("in childhood"). It goes straight on the verb, and no linking word is needed.
The tail -ނަމަ (-nama) gives "if only": އެހެން ނުވިނަމަ (ehen nuvinama) ("had it not turned out so"). And -ުމުން gives "as soon as, because": ވާރޭ (vaarey) ވެހުމުން (vehumun) ("because of the rain"). Divehi also likes to repeat a noun twice: ދުވަހެއް (dhuvaheh) ދުވަހަކަށް (dhuvahakah) (dhuvaheh dhuvahakah) — "day by day".
Table
| the tail | what it means | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ގައި | when | އެ ދަނޑިވަޅުގައި (e dhandivalhugai) | at that moment |
| -އަށް | by the deadline | ފުރަތަމަ ފަހަރަށް (furathama faharah) | for the first time |
| -ުން | by the rule | ގަވާއިދުން (gavaaidhun) | regularly |
| -އިރު | when, at the time of | ނިމުނުއިރު (nimunuiru) | in the end |
| -ނަމަ | if only | އެހެން ނުވިނަމަ (ehen nuvinama) | had it not happened |
| -ުމުން | because | ވާރޭ (vaarey) ވެހުމުން (vehumun) | because of the rain |
By example
- ފެރީ އައިނަމަ ވަގުތުން ވަގުތަށް ދެވުނީސްferee ainama vaguthun vaguthah dhevuneesHad the ferry come, we would have made it in time
- ދުވަހެއް ދުވަހަކަށް ގިނައިން ވިއްސާރަވަނީdhuvaheh dhuvahakah ginain vissaaravaneeThe rains come more and more often, day by day
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
Time without prepositions: how does it work in Maldivian?
Time in Divehi takes the same endings as place, and "when" and "if" are built with tails straight on the verb.
What does it look like in a Maldivian example sentence?
“ނިމުނުއިރު (nimunuiru) ހަވީރު (haveeru) ވެއްޖެ” (vejje) (nimunuiru haveeru vejje) — When it ended, it was already evening. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.