A noun from a verb: the endings -ުން and -ކަން
To name the action itself — "giving", "stopping" — the verb takes -ުން: ދިނުން, ވުން ("becoming"), ހުއްޓާލުން ("stopping"). That is a full noun, and a description can stand in front of it. For example: “ވާހަކަ ދެއްކުން ހުއްޓާލައިފި” — He stopped communicating. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To name the action itself — "giving", "stopping" — the verb takes -ުން: ދިނުން (dhinun), ވުން ("becoming"), ހުއްޓާލުން ("stopping"). That is a full noun, and a description can stand in front of it.
Compound names of feelings are built the same way. މާޔޫސް ("fallen in spirit") plus ވުން gives މާޔޫސްވުން ("disappointment"). Where English adds "-ment" or "-ing", Divehi almost always has the -ުން noun.
The action noun is the only way to put one verb under another. "To stop talking" comes out as ވާހަކަ ދެއްކުން ހުއްޓާލައިފި (vaahaka dhekkun huttaalaifi): the action noun first, the main verb after.
Do not confuse it with -ކަން (-kan): -ުން names the action, -ކަން the quality. ގުޅުން (gulhun) is "connection, relations", ރަޙްމަތްތެރިކަން (rahmaiytherikan) is "friendship".
Table
| the base | the ending | what came out | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ދޭ (to give) | -ުން | ދިނުން | giving, to give |
| މާޔޫސް + ވުން | -ުން | މާޔޫސްވުން | disappointment |
| ގުޅޭ (to join) | -ުން | ގުޅުން | relations |
| ރަޙްމަތްތެރި | -ކަން | ރަޙްމަތްތެރިކަން | friendship |
By example
- ވާހަކަ ދެއްކުން ހުއްޓާލައިފިvaahaka dhekkun huttaalaifiHe stopped communicating
- މާޔޫސްވުމަކީ ބޮޑު ކަމެއް ނޫންmaayoosvumakee bodu kameh noonDisappointment is no big deal
- އެކަނިވެރިކަން އިޙްސާސްވޭekaniverikan ihsaasveyLoneliness can be felt
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 noun from a verb: how does it work in Maldivian?
To name the action itself — "giving", "stopping" — the verb takes -ުން: ދިނުން, ވުން ("becoming"), ހުއްޓާލުން ("stopping"). That is a full noun, and a description can stand in front of it.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ވާހަކަ ދެއްކުން ހުއްޓާލައިފި” (vaahaka dhekkun huttaalaifi) — He stopped communicating. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.