Very, too, a little: degree and judgment
Degree in Divehi comes from separate words in front of the quality, not from endings. ވަރަށް ("very") is the commonest: ވަރަށް ރީތި, ވަރަށް ބޮޑު. For example: “މި ފިލްމު ވަރަށް ޝައުގުވެރި” — This film is very interesting. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Degree in Divehi comes from separate words in front of the quality, not from endings. ވަރަށް ("very") is the commonest: ވަރަށް ރީތި (varah reethi), ވަރަށް ބޮޑު (varah bodu).
މާ (maa) means "too" and always carries a reproach: މާ ބޮޑު (maa bodu) is not "very big" but "too big, it will not do". Confusing it with ވަރަށް is not allowed: one praises, the other complains.
ކުޑަކޮށް ("a little") plays it down: ކުޑަކޮށް ކުޅި ("slightly hot"). It also softens a request — ކުޑަކޮށް މަޑުކުރޭ ("wait a bit").
An adverb is made from a quality with -ކޮށް or -އަށް (-ah). ރަނގަޅު (rangalhu) gives ރަނގަޅަށް ("well"), ހޫނު (hoonu) gives ހޫނުކޮށް ("while hot"), އަވަސް (avas) gives އަވަހަށް ("fast").
Table
| meaning | word | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| very | ވަރަށް (varah) | ވަރަށް ރީތި | very beautiful |
| too | މާ (maa) | މާ ބޮޑު | too big, it will not do |
| a little | ކުޑަކޮށް (kudakoh) | ކުޑަކޮށް ކުޅި | slightly hot |
| than (comparison) | ވުރެ (vure) | މިއަށްވުރެ ބޮޑު | bigger than this |
By example
- މި ފިލްމު ވަރަށް ޝައުގުވެރިmi filmu varah shauguveriThis film is very interesting
- އަޑު މާ ބާރުadu maa baaruThe sound is too loud
- ކުޑަކޮށް މަޑުކޮށްލަދީkudakoh madukoshladheeMake it a bit quieter
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
Very, too, a little: how does it work in Maldivian?
Degree in Divehi comes from separate words in front of the quality, not from endings. ވަރަށް ("very") is the commonest: ވަރަށް ރީތި, ވަރަށް ބޮޑު.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“މި ފިލްމު ވަރަށް ޝައުގުވެރި” (mi filmu varah shauguveri) — This film is very interesting. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.