LingoflyCause, purpose, time, concession: where the link stands
A link in Divehi hangs on the verb of the first part and stands at its end. Only three words go in front, and they open the SECOND part. For example: “ވާރޭ (vaarey) ވެހޭތީ (veheythee) ދަތުރު (dhathuru) ފަސްކުރި” (faskuri) — The trip was postponed because it is raining. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A link in Divehi hangs on the verb of the first part and stands at its end. Only three words go in front, and they open the SECOND part.
Cause is the ending -ތީ on the verb (ވެހޭތީ (veheythee) — "since it is raining") or -ވީމާ (ވެހުނީމާ). Purpose is the verb in -ން plus ވެގެން (vegen): ވިސާ (visaa) ހޯދަން (hoadhan) ވެގެން (vegen) ("to get a visa").
Time is -އިރު ("when"), -ުމުގެ ކުރިން (kurin) ("before"), -އަށްފަހު ("after"). All of them stand AFTER their verb: ދިއުމުގެ (dhiumuge) ކުރިން (kurin) (dhiumuge kurin), ކެއުމަށްފަހު (keumahfahu).
Concession is the ending -އަސް (-as) on the verb or the quality: އަގު (agu) ބޮޑަސް (bodas) ("though expensive"). Only އެހެންވެ (ehenve) ("therefore"), ނަމަވެސް (namaves) ("however") and އެކަމަކު (ekamaku) ("but") behave like English conjunctions, standing first in the second part.
Table
| meaning | the means | where it stands | example |
|---|---|---|---|
| cause | -ތީ / -ވީމާ | at the end of the dependent part | ވެހޭތީ (veheythee) |
| purpose | -ން ވެގެން (vegen) | at the end of the dependent part | ހޯދަން (hoadhan) ވެގެން (vegen) |
| time | -އިރު / -ކުރިން / -އަށްފަހު | after its verb | ދިއުމުގެ (dhiumuge) ކުރިން (kurin) |
| concession | -އަސް | on the verb or the adjective | ބޮޑަސް (bodas) |
| however, therefore | ނަމަވެސް (namaves) / އެހެންވެ (ehenve) / އެކަމަކު (ekamaku) | at the start of the SECOND part | އެހެންވެ (ehenve) ނުދިޔައިން (nudhiyain) |
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
Cause, purpose, time, concession: how does it work in Maldivian?
A link in Divehi hangs on the verb of the first part and stands at its end. Only three words go in front, and they open the SECOND part.
What does it look like in a Maldivian example sentence?
“ވާރޭ (vaarey) ވެހޭތީ (veheythee) ދަތުރު (dhathuru) ފަސްކުރި” (faskuri) (vaarey veheythee dhathuru faskuri) — The trip was postponed because it is raining. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.