Someone else's words: ކަމަށް and the question without a question mark
To pass on someone else's words, Divehi runs the mirror way. The thought comes first, then the closing ކަމަށް, and the verb of speaking last. ނޫސްވެރިޔާ ބުނީ ޚަބަރު ތެދު ކަމަށް — "the journalist said the news was true". For example: “ނޫސްވެރިޔާ ބުނީ ޚަބަރު ތެދު ކަމަށް” — The journalist said the news was true. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To pass on someone else's words, Divehi runs the mirror way. The thought comes first, then the closing ކަމަށް (kamah), and the verb of speaking last. ނޫސްވެރިޔާ ބުނީ ޚަބަރު ތެދު ކަމަށް (noosveriyaa bunee khabaru thedhu kamah) — "the journalist said the news was true".
The tenses do not shift. English changes the form in "he said he would come"; Divehi keeps the tense the direct speech had. އަންނާނެ ކަމަށް ބުނި (annaane kamah buni) is both at once.
A word-for-word quote is closed by -އޭ on the verb: އަންނާނަމޭ ބުނި ("said: I will come"). This is the only way to make quotation marks audible.
An indirect question keeps -ތޯ (-tho) and loses the question mark: އޭނާ އެއްސެވީ ފުރާނީ ކޮންއިރަކުތޯ (eynaa essevee furaanee konirakuthoa). An order goes through the verb in -ން: މަޑުކުރަން ބުނި ("told us to wait").
Table
| what we report | what closes it | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| a statement | ކަމަށް (kamah) | އަންނާނެ ކަމަށް ބުނި | said he would come |
| a word-for-word quote | -އޭ on the verb | އަންނާނަމޭ ބުނި | said: "I will come" |
| a question | -ތޯ | ކޮންއިރަކުތޯ އެއްސެވި | asked when |
| an order | -ން + ބުނި | މަޑުކުރަން ބުނި | told to wait |
By example
- ނޫސްވެރިޔާ ބުނީ ޚަބަރު ތެދު ކަމަށްnoosveriyaa bunee khabaru thedhu kamahThe journalist said the news was true
- އޭނާ އެއްސެވީ ފުރާނީ ކޮންއިރަކުތޯeynaa essevee furaanee konirakuthoaHe asked when the departure is
- ފުލުހުން މަޑުކުރަން ބުނިfuluhun madukuran buniThe police told us to wait
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
Someone else's words: how does it work in Maldivian?
To pass on someone else's words, Divehi runs the mirror way. The thought comes first, then the closing ކަމަށް, and the verb of speaking last. ނޫސްވެރިޔާ ބުނީ ޚަބަރު ތެދު ކަމަށް — "the journalist said the news was true".
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ނޫސްވެރިޔާ ބުނީ ޚަބަރު ތެދު ކަމަށް” (noosveriyaa bunee khabaru thedhu kamah) — The journalist said the news was true. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.