Who is admired and who is resented: the word ދެކެ
English hands out different prepositions to feelings: love somebody, fear somebody, admire somebody. Divehi is simpler: a whole group of such verbs takes one word — ދެކެ — and it stands AFTER the noun. For example: “ދަރިފުޅު ދެކެ ލޯބިވޭ” — I love the child. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English hands out different prepositions to feelings: love somebody, fear somebody, admire somebody. Divehi is simpler: a whole group of such verbs takes one word — ދެކެ (dheke) — and it stands AFTER the noun.
ދަރިފުޅު ދެކެ ލޯބިވޭ (dharifulhu dheke loabivey) — "I love the child". ކުއްތާ ދެކެ ބިރުގަނޭ (kuththaa dheke biruganey) — "I fear the dog". އޭނާގެ ހިތްވަރު ދެކެ އަޖައިބުވަނީ (eynaage hihvaru dheke ajaibuvanee) — "I admire his courage". ދެކެ itself never changes.
It is required by ލޯބިވުން (to love), ރުޅިއައުން (to get angry), ބިރުގަތުން (to fear), އަޖައިބުވުން (to admire). What they share is that the feeling is aimed AT somebody and the person does not choose it.
Verbs of judgment go without ދެކެ: އަގުވަޒަންކުރުން ("to value") takes the noun bare, and ތާއީދުކުރުން ("to support") wants -އަށް (-ah). A feeling through ދެކެ, an act without it.
Table
| the verb | what it means | how the object is cast |
|---|---|---|
| ލޯބިވުން | to love | ދެކެ |
| ރުޅިއައުން | to get angry | ދެކެ |
| ބިރުގަތުން | to fear | ދެކެ |
| އަޖައިބުވުން | to admire | ދެކެ |
| އަގުވަޒަންކުރުން | to value | a direct object |
| ތާއީދުކުރުން | to support | -އަށް |
By example
- ދަރިފުޅު ދެކެ ލޯބިވޭdharifulhu dheke loabiveyI love the child
- އޭނާގެ ހިތްވަރު ދެކެ އަޖައިބުވަނީeynaage hihvaru dheke ajaibuvaneeI admire his courage
- ކުއްތާ ދެކެ ބިރުގަނޭkuththaa dheke biruganeyI fear the dog
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
Who is admired and who is resented: how does it work in Maldivian?
English hands out different prepositions to feelings: love somebody, fear somebody, admire somebody. Divehi is simpler: a whole group of such verbs takes one word — ދެކެ — and it stands AFTER the noun.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ދަރިފުޅު ދެކެ ލޯބިވޭ” (dharifulhu dheke loabivey) — I love the child. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.