Probably and hardly: the verb carries the probability
To say "maybe", Divehi changes not the adverb but the verb itself. For example: “މާދަމާ ވާރޭ ވެހިދާނެ” — 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 ("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 ("it seems it will not"): ނާންނާނެހެން ހީވަނީ (naannaanehen heevanee). The tail ހެން ("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 ("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 / ކަންނޭނގެ | ފަހަރެއްގައި ފުރައިފި | probably has left |
| hardly | ނުވާނެހެން ހީވަނީ | ނާންނާނެހެން ހީވަނީ | hardly likely to come |
| for sure | ޔަގީން (yageen) | ޔަގީން، އަންނާނެ | it will definitely come |
By example
- މާދަމާ ވާރޭ ވެހިދާނެmaadhamaa vaarey vehidhaaneTomorrow it may rain
- އޭނާ މިއަދު ނާންނާނެހެން ހީވަނީeynaa miadhu naannaanehen heevaneeHe is hardly likely to come today
- ޚަބަރު ތެދުކަން ޔަގީންkhabaru thedhukan yageenThat the news is true — for sure
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 an example sentence Maldivian?
“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.