A quality from a noun: -ވެރި, -ތެރި, -ގަދަ, -ކުޑަ
Divehi has few qualities "from scratch": ބޮޑު, ކުޑަ, ދިގު, ކުރު, ރީތި — that is nearly the whole list. The rest are assembled from a noun plus an ending, so learn the endings, not the words. For example: “އޭނާއަކީ ވަރަށް ކެތްތެރި މީހެއް” — He is a very patient person. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Divehi has few qualities "from scratch": ބޮޑު (bodu), ކުޑަ (kuda), ދިގު (dhigu), ކުރު (kuru), ރީތި (reethi) — that is nearly the whole list. The rest are assembled from a noun plus an ending, so learn the endings, not the words.
-ވެރި and -ތެރި mean "carrying what is named": ހަސަދަ ("envy") gives ހަސަދަވެރި ("envious"), ކެތް ("patience") gives ކެތްތެރި ("patient"). Which of the two a word takes is learned with the word.
-ގަދަ ("strong") and -ކުޑަ ("small") give the measure: ރުޅިގަދަ ("angry"), ލޮނުގަދަ ("salty"), ގޮތްކުޑަ ("rude").
The way back exists too: -ކަން (-kan) makes a noun of quality out of a quality. ރަޙްމަތްތެރި gives ރަޙްމަތްތެރިކަން ("friendship"), އެކަނިވެރި (ekaniveri) gives އެކަނިވެރިކަން ("loneliness").
Table
| ending | what it does | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ވެރި / -ތެރި | the bearer of the quality | ދަހިވެތި | greedy |
| -ގަދަ | much of it | ރުޅިގަދަ | angry |
| -ކުޑަ | little of it | ގޮތްކުޑަ | rude |
| -ކަން | a noun of quality | އެކަނިވެރިކަން | loneliness |
By example
- އޭނާއަކީ ވަރަށް ކެތްތެރި މީހެއްeynaaakee varah keiytheri meehehHe is a very patient person
- ރުޅިގަދަ މީހަކާ ވާހަކަ ދައްކަން އުނދަގޫrulhigadha meehakaa vaahaka dhakkan undhagooIt is hard to talk with an angry person
- އަހަރެމެންގެ ރަޙްމަތްތެރިކަން ދިގުaharemenge rahmaiytherikan dhiguOur friendship is long
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
A quality from a noun: how does it work in Maldivian?
Divehi has few qualities "from scratch": ބޮޑު, ކުޑަ, ދިގު, ކުރު, ރީތި — that is nearly the whole list. The rest are assembled from a noun plus an ending, so learn the endings, not the words.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“އޭނާއަކީ ވަރަށް ކެތްތެރި މީހެއް” (eynaaakee varah keiytheri meeheh) — He is a very patient person. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.