The description in front: the participle instead of "which"
To say "the person who sells", the word "who" is not needed — Divehi has none. The description folds up and stands in front of the noun: ވިއްކާ މީހާ, literally "selling person". For example: “ބޭންކުގައި މަސައްކަތްކުރާ މީހާ” — The person who works at the bank. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To say "the person who sells", the word "who" is not needed — Divehi has none. The description folds up and stands in front of the noun: ވިއްކާ މީހާ (vikkaa meehaa), literally "selling person".
Its time is visible in the verb ending. Now and in general — -ާ or -ޭ: ދިރިއުޅޭ ތަން ("a home"), ދައްކާ ތަން ("the place where you pay"). Earlier — -ި: ރައްކާކުރި ފައިސާ ("saved money"). Later — -ާނެ: ދާނެ މީހާ ("the one who will go").
Inside the group the order is the usual one: objects first, then the description, the noun last. ފައިސާ ދައްކާ ތަން (faisaa dhakkaa than) — "the cash desk", and nothing here can be moved.
Negation goes into the description with the prefix ނު-, not into the main verb. ފައިސާ ނުދައްކާ މީހާ (faisaa nudhakkaa meehaa) — "the person who does not pay".
Table
| tense | ending | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| present | -ާ / -ޭ | ދައްކާ ތަން | the place where they pay |
| past | -ި | ރައްކާކުރި ފައިސާ | saved-up money |
| future | -ާނެ | ދާނެ މީހާ | the one who will go |
| negation | ނު- + participle | ނުދައްކާ މީހާ | the one who does not pay |
By example
- ބޭންކުގައި މަސައްކަތްކުރާ މީހާbeynkugai masakkaiykuraa meehaaThe person who works at the bank
- ރައްކާކުރި ފައިސާ ބޭނުންކުރަން ޖެހިއްޖެrakkaakuri faisaa beynunkuran jehijjeThe saved-up money had to be spent
- ފައިސާ ނުދައްކާ މީހާއަށް ސިޓީ ފޮނުވިfaisaa nudhakkaa meehaaah sitee fonuviA letter was sent to the one who did not pay
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
The description in front: how does it work in Maldivian?
To say "the person who sells", the word "who" is not needed — Divehi has none. The description folds up and stands in front of the noun: ވިއްކާ މީހާ, literally "selling person".
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ބޭންކުގައި މަސައްކަތްކުރާ މީހާ” (beynkugai masakkaiykuraa meehaa) — The person who works at the bank. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.