One thing after another: -ފައި and -ކޮށް in one sentence
In a recipe and in a story of the day only the last verb carries a person. Every action before it stands in a linking form, and there are two of them. For example: “ބިސް ގިރާފައި ލޮނު ލާ” — Beat the eggs and add salt. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
In a recipe and in a story of the day only the last verb carries a person. Every action before it stands in a linking form, and there are two of them.
-ފައި (-fai) means "having done, and then": the actions follow in a row. ބިސް ގިރާފައި ލޮނު ލާ (bis giraafai lonu laa) — "beat the eggs and add salt". In speech it is often shortened to -ފަ: ކައްކާފަ ބަހައްޓާ.
-ކޮށް answers not "what came first" but "how": މީރުކޮށް ("with relish"), ރަނގަޅަށް ("properly"). It clings to nouns and to qualities alike.
The chain can be any length, and its tense is the one on the last verb. In ތަރުކާރީ ތޮށި މަށާފައި، ކޮށާފައި، ތެލީގައި ހޫނުކުރިން all three actions are past.
Table
| ending | what it means | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ފައި / -ފަ | having done, and then | ގިރާފައި | having beaten |
| -ކޮށް | in what manner | މީރުކޮށް | with relish |
| -އަށް | in what manner (for qualities) | ރަނގަޅަށް | well |
| the last verb | carries the tense for all | ހޫނުކުރިން | I heated it up |
By example
- ބިސް ގިރާފައި ލޮނު ލާbis giraafai lonu laaBeat the eggs and add salt
- ފެން ކެކުވާފައި ސައި ހަދާfen kekuvaafai sai hadhaaBoil the water and make tea
- ތަރުކާރީ ރަނގަޅަށް ކޮށާtharukaaree rangalhah koshaaCut the vegetables properly
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
One thing after another: how does it work in Maldivian?
In a recipe and in a story of the day only the last verb carries a person. Every action before it stands in a linking form, and there are two of them.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ބިސް ގިރާފައި ލޮނު ލާ” (bis giraafai lonu laa) — Beat the eggs and add salt. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.