LingoflyWhose is it: the ending -ގެ
To say "my", "your", "mom's", no separate word is needed. There is one ending, -ގެ, and it clings to any name and any pronoun. For example: “އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ފޯނު (foanu) ކޮބާ؟” (kobaa) — Where is my phone? A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To say "my", "your", "mom's", no separate word is needed. There is one ending, -ގެ (-ge), and it clings to any name and any pronoun.
އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) — "my", ކަލޭގެ (kaleyge) — "your", އޭނާގެ (eynaage) — "his, her", މަންމަގެ (mammage) — "mom's". The owner comes first, the thing second: އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ފޯނު (foanu) (aharenge foanu) — "my phone". Swapping them is not allowed.
In some words the tail changes before -ގެ. ގެ ("house") gives ގޭގެ (geyge), and ކޮޓަރީގެ (kotareege) ("of the room") stretches its final -ި into -ީ. Such pairs are learned whole.
"It is mine" can be said without the thing: މި ފޮށި (foshi) އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) (mi foshi aharenge). The owner is asked after with ކާކުގެ (kaakuge): މިއީ (miee) ކާކުގެ (kaakuge) ދަބަހެއް (dhabaheh) (miee kaakuge dhabaheh) — "whose bag is this?".
Table
| who | with -ގެ | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| އަހަރެން (aharen) | އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) | އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ފޮތް (foiy) | my book |
| ކަލޭ (kaley) | ކަލޭގެ (kaleyge) | ކަލޭގެ (kaleyge) ފޯނު (foanu) | your phone |
| އޭނާ (eynaa) | އޭނާގެ (eynaage) | އޭނާގެ (eynaage) ގެ | his house |
| ކާކު (kaaku) | ކާކުގެ (kaakuge) | ކާކުގެ (kaakuge) ދަބަސް (dhabas)؟ | whose bag? |
By example
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
Whose is it: how does it work in Maldivian?
To say "my", "your", "mom's", no separate word is needed. There is one ending, -ގެ, and it clings to any name and any pronoun.
What does it look like in a Maldivian example sentence?
“އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ފޯނު (foanu) ކޮބާ؟” (kobaa) (aharenge foanu kobaa?) — Where is my phone? A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.