A measure from a quality: -މިން, -ދަން and multiples
A measure in Divehi is almost never a separate word: it is assembled from a quality with the tail -މިން ("a size"). For example: “ކޮޓަރީގެ ދިގުމިން ފަސް މީޓަރު” — The length of the room is five meters. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
A measure in Divehi is almost never a separate word: it is assembled from a quality with the tail -މިން ("a size").
ދިގު (long) gives ދިގުމިން (length), ފުޅާ (wide) gives ފުޅާމިން (width), އުސް (tall) gives އުސްމިން (height), ފުން (deep) gives ފުންމިން (depth). The quality itself stays: ފުޅާ މަގު (fulhaa magu) — "a wide street", ފުޅާމިން — "its width".
Weight falls out of the row: it has its own tail -ދަން (-dhan), and ބަރުދަން (barudhan) is easier to learn whole.
A unit after a number does not change at all: ފަސް މީޓަރު (fas meetaru) — "five meters", ދެ މީޓަރު (dhe meetaru) — "two meters". Multiples come from the word ގުނަ (guna) in front of what has grown: ދެ ގުނަ ބޮޑު (dhe guna bodu) — "twice as big".
Table
| the quality | what it means | the measure | what it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| ދިގު | long | ދިގުމިން | length |
| ފުޅާ | wide | ފުޅާމިން | width |
| އުސް | tall | އުސްމިން | height |
| ފުން | deep | ފުންމިން | depth |
| ބަރު | heavy | ބަރުދަން | weight |
By example
- ކޮޓަރީގެ ދިގުމިން ފަސް މީޓަރުkotareege dhigumin fas meetaruThe length of the room is five meters
- ފޮށީގެ ބަރުދަން ދެ ގުނަ ބޮޑުfosheege barudhan dhe guna boduThe weight of the suitcase is twice as big
- ފަޅުގެ ފުންމިން ގާތްގަނޑަކަށް ތިން މީޓަރުfalhuge funmin gaaiygandakah thin meetaruThe depth of the lagoon is about three meters
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 measure from a quality: how does it work in Maldivian?
A measure in Divehi is almost never a separate word: it is assembled from a quality with the tail -މިން ("a size").
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ކޮޓަރީގެ ދިގުމިން ފަސް މީޓަރު” (kotareege dhigumin fas meetaru) — The length of the room is five meters. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.