LingoflyWho did it is not said
Official Divehi almost never names the doer. How depends on the verb. Some take -ެވު- before the ending: ކުރުން (kurun) ("to do") gives ކުރެވުނު ("was done"). Others change the ending itself: ހުށަހެޅުން (hushahelhun) ("to submit") gives ހުށަހެޅުނު ("was submitted"). For example: “މައްސަލަ (massala) ކޯޓަށް (koatah) ހުށަހެޅުނު” — The case was filed with the court. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Official Divehi almost never names the doer. How depends on the verb. Some take -ެވު- before the ending: ކުރުން (kurun) ("to do") gives ކުރެވުނު ("was done"). Others change the ending itself: ހުށަހެޅުން (hushahelhun) ("to submit") gives ހުށަހެޅުނު ("was submitted").
The same doer-less turn, used about things, means "it works out": ނުޖެއްސޭ (nujessey) — "it does not switch on". The setting tells them apart: in a newspaper it is the doing; in talk, the possibility.
If the doer does have to be named, it takes -ގެ ފަރާތުން (faraathun) ("from the side of"): ފުލުހުންގެ ފަރާތުން (faraathun) ބަޔާން (bayaan) ނެގުނު (negunu) (fuluhunge faraathun bayaan negunu). The turn is bookish; in live speech it is easier to name who did it.
The impersonal "it is reported, it is believed" is built the same way from verbs of speech: ބުނެވެނީ, ބެލެވެނީ (belevenee), ފާހަގަކުރެވޭ. Almost every other news item opens with one of them.
Table
| active | passive | translation | where it is met |
|---|---|---|---|
| ހުށަހެޅި (hushahelhi) | ހުށަހެޅުނު (hushahelhunu) | was submitted | documents |
| ކުރި (kuri) | ކުރެވުނު (kurevunu) | was done | news |
| ބުނަނީ (bunanee) | ބުނެވެނީ (bunevenee) | it is reported | the newspaper |
| the doer | -ގެ ފަރާތުން (faraathun) | from someone's side | official text |
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
Who did it is not said: how does it work in Maldivian?
Official Divehi almost never names the doer. How depends on the verb. Some take -ެވު- before the ending: ކުރުން (kurun) ("to do") gives ކުރެވުނު ("was done"). Others change the ending itself: ހުށަހެޅުން (hushahelhun) ("to submit") gives ހުށަހެޅުނު ("was submitted").
What does it look like in a Maldivian example sentence?
“މައްސަލަ (massala) ކޯޓަށް (koatah) ހުށަހެޅުނު” (massala koatah hushahelhunu) — The case was filed with the court. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.