LingoflyIt broke by itself: -ކުރުން against -ވުން
English tells "he broke it" from "it broke" with different words. Divehi tells them apart with one pair of endings. For example: “ދޮންނަ މެޝިން ހަލާކުވެއްޖެ” (dhonna meshin halaakuvejje) — The washing machine broke down. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English tells "he broke it" from "it broke" with different words. Divehi tells them apart with one pair of endings.
-ކުރުން (-kurun) means "do something to it", an action with a culprit: ހޫނުކުރަނީ (hoonukuranee) ("heats it"), ފިނިކުރަނީ (finikuranee) ("cools it"). -ވުން (-vun) means "become so by itself", with no culprit: ހޫނުވަނީ (hoonuvanee) ("is getting hot"), ފިނިވަނީ (finivanee) ("is getting cold"). One stem gives both.
Hence the whole language of breakdowns: ހަލާކުވެއްޖެ (halaakuvejje) ("broke"), ފީވެއްޖެ (feevejje) ("went bad"), ތެޅިއްޖެ (thelhijje) ("got smashed"). No phrase names a culprit, and that is the norm: a thing breaks by itself.
A third form, in -ެވޭ, says "it works out": ގަނެވޭ (ganevey) ("affordable"), ނުފިތޭ (nufithey) ("does not press down"). With a negation it means "it does not work out", not "I will not".
Table
| ending | who is to blame | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ކުރުން | a doer is there | ހޫނުކުރަނީ (hoonukuranee) | heats it up |
| -ވުން | itself | ހޫނުވަނީ (hoonuvanee) | is getting hot |
| -ެވޭ | it works out | ގަނެވޭ (ganevey) | affordable |
| ނު- + -ެވޭ | it does not work out | ނުފިތޭ (nufithey) | does not press down |
By example
- ސްކްރޫ ބާރުކުރީމަ ރަނގަޅުވެއްޖެskroo baarukureema rangalhuvejjeTighten the screw — and it is fine again
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
How to say it broke by itself in Dhivehi?
-ކުރުން means "do something to it", an action with a culprit: ހޫނުކުރަނީ (hoonukuranee) ("heats it"), ފިނިކުރަނީ (finikuranee) ("cools it"). -ވުން means "become so by itself", with no culprit: ހޫނުވަނީ (hoonuvanee) ("is getting hot"), ފިނިވަނީ (finivanee) ("is getting cold"). One stem gives both.
Dhivehi kurun vs vun?
English tells "he broke it" from "it broke" with different words. Divehi tells them apart with one pair of endings.
How to say the button does not press in Dhivehi?
A third form, in -ެވޭ, says "it works out": ގަނެވޭ (ganevey) ("affordable"), ނުފިތޭ (nufithey) ("does not press down"). With a negation it means "it does not work out", not "I will not".
Who is to blame in a Dhivehi verb?
-ކުރުން means "do something to it", an action with a culprit: ހޫނުކުރަނީ (hoonukuranee) ("heats it"), ފިނިކުރަނީ (finikuranee) ("cools it"). -ވުން means "become so by itself", with no culprit: ހޫނުވަނީ (hoonuvanee) ("is getting hot"), ފިނިވަނީ (finivanee) ("is getting cold"). One stem gives both.
What does it look like in a Maldivian example sentence?
“ދޮންނަ މެޝިން ހަލާކުވެއްޖެ” (dhonna meshin halaakuvejje) — The washing machine broke down. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.