LingoflyThis and is: the link -އަކީ and -އީ
To say "this is that", no verb "to be" is needed: in the present Divehi has none. The word you are defining takes -އަކީ, and what you say about it simply follows. For example: “ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ވެރިރަށަކީ މާލެ” (dhivehiraajjeyge verirashakee maale) — The capital of the Maldives is Malé. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
To say "this is that", no verb "to be" is needed: in the present Divehi has none. The word you are defining takes -އަކީ (-akee), and what you say about it simply follows.
ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ވެރިރަށަކީ މާލެ (dhivehiraajjeyge verirashakee maale) — "the capital of the Maldives is Malé". މި ފޮތަކީ ވާހަކަ (vaahaka) ފޮތެއް (fotheh) (mi fothakee vaahaka fotheh) — "this book is a novel".
After a long vowel and after the demonstratives the tail is shorter, -އީ (-ee): އެއީ (eee) ("this is"), މިއީ (miee) ("here is"), އޭނާއީ ("he is"). By ear the difference almost disappears; in writing it is kept.
"Is not" is the word ނޫން (noon) at the end: އެއީ (eee) ކޮމެޑީއެއް ނޫން (noon). A question adds -ތަ or -ތޯ (-tho) in the same place, and the word order does not move: މިއީ (miee) ދެވަނަ (dhevana) ބައިތަ.
Table
| form | when | example | in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| -އަކީ | after a consonant | ފޮތަކީ | a book is … |
| -އަކީ | after a short vowel | މީހާއަކީ | a person is … |
| -އީ | after a long vowel | އޭނާއީ | he is … |
| -އީ | with the demonstratives | އެއީ (eee)، މިއީ (miee) | this, here is |
| ނޫން (noon) | negation | އެއީ (eee) ކޮމެޑީއެއް ނޫން (noon) | this is not a comedy |
| -ތަ | the question | މިއީ (miee) ދެވަނަ (dhevana) ބައިތަ؟ | is this the sequel? |
By example
- ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ވެރިރަށަކީ މާލެdhivehiraajjeyge verirashakee maaleThe capital of the Maldives is Malé
- އޭނާއީ އަހަރެންގެ ކުޑައިރުގެ ރައްޓެހިޔާeynaaee aharenge kudairuge rattehiyaaHe is my childhood friend
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
Does Dhivehi have a verb to be?
To say "this is that", no verb "to be" is needed: in the present Divehi has none. The word you are defining takes -އަކީ, and what you say about it simply follows.
What the Dhivehi ending -akee means?
To say "this is that", no verb "to be" is needed: in the present Divehi has none. The word you are defining takes -އަކީ, and what you say about it simply follows.
How to say this is that in Dhivehi?
To say "this is that", no verb "to be" is needed: in the present Divehi has none. The word you are defining takes -އަކީ, and what you say about it simply follows.
Dhivehi -akee vs -ee?
To say "this is that", no verb "to be" is needed: in the present Divehi has none. The word you are defining takes -އަކީ, and what you say about it simply follows.
What does it look like in a Maldivian example sentence?
“ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ވެރިރަށަކީ މާލެ” (dhivehiraajjeyge verirashakee maale) — The capital of the Maldives is Malé. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.