It was and it will be: the tenses of the Divehi verb
A Divehi verb has no dictionary form. The tense sits in the ending on the verb, with no "was" or "will" beside it. For example: “އަހަރެން އުފަންވީ އައްޑޫގައި” — I was born on Addu. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A Divehi verb has no dictionary form. The tense sits in the ending on the verb, with no "was" or "will" beside it.
The past is -ި or -ުނު: ދިޔައިން ("I went"), ފެނުނު ("it was seen"). The speaker shows here: -ިން about yourself, bare -ި about others.
The future is -ާނަން about yourself and -ާނެ about everyone else: ގުޅާނަން ("I will call"), އަންނާނެ ("he will come"). The present is -ަނީ or -ެނީ: ދަނީ ("I go").
Apart stands -ެއްޖެ: not a tense but "already". ބަދަލުވެއްޖެ (badhaluvejje) — "has already changed", ދޭހަވެއްޖެ (dheyhavejje) — "now I understand". The English "already" comes from here, not from a separate word.
Table
| ending | the tense | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ި / -ުނު | the past | ދިޔައިން | I went |
| -ަނީ / -ެނީ | the present | ދަނީ | I go |
| -ާނަން / -ާނެ | the future | ގުޅާނަން | I will call |
| -ެއްޖެ | it has already happened | ދޭހަވެއްޖެ | now I understand |
By example
- އަހަރެން އުފަންވީ އައްޑޫގައިaharen ufanvee addoogaiI was born on Addu
- އަހަރެއް ފަހުން އެނބުރި އަންނާނަންahareh fahun enburi annaananIn a year I will come back
- ހުރިހާ ކަމެއް ބަދަލުވެއްޖެhurihaa kameh badhaluvejjeEverything has already changed
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
It was and it will be: how does it work in Maldivian?
A Divehi verb has no dictionary form. The tense sits in the ending on the verb, with no "was" or "will" beside it.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“އަހަރެން އުފަންވީ އައްޑޫގައި” (aharen ufanvee addoogai) — I was born on Addu. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.