LingoflyProbably and hardly: the verb carries the probability
To say "maybe", Divehi changes not the adverb but the verb itself. For example: “މާދަމާ ވާރޭ ވެހިދާނެ” (maadhamaa vaarey vehidhaane) — Tomorrow it may rain. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To say "maybe", Divehi changes not the adverb but the verb itself.
The main device is the ending -ދާނެ ("it may come to pass"): ވެހިދާނެ (vehidhaane) ("it may rain"), ލަސްވެދާނެ ("it may run late"). It hangs on any verb and stands as the last word.
"Hardly" is not a prefix but the turn ނުވާނެހެން ހީވަނީ (nuvaanehen heevanee) ("it seems it will not"): ނާންނާނެހެން (naannaanehen) ހީވަނީ (heevanee) (naannaanehen heevanee). The tail ހެން (hen) ("as if") clings to the verb from behind.
The words ފަހަރެއްގައި (faharehgai) and ކަންނޭނގެ (kanneynge) also mean "maybe". A separate "probably, most likely" Divehi has none: there is nothing to strengthen the doubt with, but ޔަގީން (yageen) ("for sure") removes it.
Table
| how sure | the means | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| maybe | -ދާނެ on the verb | ވެހިދާނެ (vehidhaane) | it may pour |
| maybe (a word) | ފަހަރެއްގައި (faharehgai) / ކަންނޭނގެ (kanneynge) | ފަހަރެއްގައި (faharehgai) ފުރައިފި (furaifi) | probably has left |
| hardly | ނުވާނެހެން ހީވަނީ (nuvaanehen heevanee) | ނާންނާނެހެން (naannaanehen) ހީވަނީ (heevanee) | hardly likely to come |
| for sure | ޔަގީން (yageen) | ޔަގީން (yageen)، އަންނާނެ (annaane) | it will definitely come |
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
Probably and hardly: how does it work in Maldivian?
To say "maybe", Divehi changes not the adverb but the verb itself.
What does it look like in a Maldivian example sentence?
“މާދަމާ ވާރޭ ވެހިދާނެ” (maadhamaa vaarey vehidhaane) — Tomorrow it may rain. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.