LingoflyThree "no"s: ނު-, ނެތް and ނޫން
Divehi has three different "no"s, and you choose by what exactly you are denying. For example: “އޭނާ (eynaa) މުބާރާތުގައި (mubaaraathugai) ބައިވެރިއެއް ނުވި” (nuvi) — He did not take part in the competition. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Divehi has three different "no"s, and you choose by what exactly you are denying.
An action is denied by the prefix ނު- in front of the verb: ކުޅެނީ (kulhenee) ("plays") gives ނުކުޅޭ ("does not play"). The verb tail shifts too: -ނީ gives way to -ޭ.
Presence is denied by ނެތް (neiy): ވަގުތެއް (vagutheh) ނެތް (neiy) (vagutheh neiy) — "there is no time". Its noun form ނެތުން (nethun) is the Divehi "un-": ވަޒީފާ ނެތުން (vazeefaa nethun) — "unemployment".
The sameness of two names is denied by ނޫން (noon): އެއީ (eee) މޮޅުވުމެއް ނޫން (noon) — "that is not a victory". The usual mistake is putting ނޫން (noon) where ނެތް (neiy) belongs, because English starts both with "not".
Table
| the word | what it negates | example | in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| ނު- | the action | ނުކުޅޭ | does not play |
| ނު- | the action in the past | ނުވިސްނުނު (nuvisnunu) | did not understand |
| ނެތް (neiy) | presence | ވަގުތެއް (vagutheh) ނެތް (neiy) | there is no time |
| ނެތުން (nethun) | presence, as a noun | ވަޒީފާ ނެތުން (vazeefaa nethun) | unemployment |
| ނޫން (noon) | identity | އެއީ (eee) މޮޅުވުމެއް ނޫން (noon) | this is not a victory |
| ...ނުލައި (nulai) | without something | ހެލްމެޓަކާ ނުލައި (nulai) | without a helmet |
| ...ނުވަނީސް | until, before | ފެށުން (feshun) ނުވަނީސް | before the start |
By example
- އޭނާ މުބާރާތުގައި ބައިވެރިއެއް ނުވިeynaa mubaaraathugai baiverieh nuviHe did not take part in the competition
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
Three ways to say no in Dhivehi?
An action is denied by the prefix ނު- in front of the verb: ކުޅެނީ (kulhenee) ("plays") gives ނުކުޅޭ ("does not play"). The verb tail shifts too: -ނީ gives way to -ޭ.
Dhivehi nethy vs noon?
Divehi has three different "no"s, and you choose by what exactly you are denying.
The Dhivehi prefix nu- before a verb?
An action is denied by the prefix ނު- in front of the verb: ކުޅެނީ (kulhenee) ("plays") gives ނުކުޅޭ ("does not play"). The verb tail shifts too: -ނީ gives way to -ޭ.
How to say there is no time in Dhivehi?
Presence is denied by ނެތް (neiy): ވަގުތެއް (vagutheh) ނެތް (neiy) — "there is no time". Its noun form ނެތުން (nethun) is the Divehi "un-": ވަޒީފާ ނެތުން (vazeefaa nethun) — "unemployment".
How to say without something in Dhivehi?
An action is denied by the prefix ނު- in front of the verb: ކުޅެނީ (kulhenee) ("plays") gives ނުކުޅޭ ("does not play"). The verb tail shifts too: -ނީ gives way to -ޭ.
What does it look like in a Maldivian example sentence?
“އޭނާ (eynaa) މުބާރާތުގައި (mubaaraathugai) ބައިވެރިއެއް ނުވި” (nuvi) (eynaa mubaaraathugai baiverieh nuvi) — He did not take part in the competition. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.