Bigger, smaller and "than"
A Divehi comparison is assembled back to front. You first name the thing you compare with, hang the ending -އަށްވުރެ (-ah vure, "than") on it, and only then put the adjective: މި ފިހާރަ އެ ފިހާރައަށްވުރެ އަގުބޮޑު — literally "this shop, than that shop, expensive". For example: “މި ފިހާރަ އެ ފިހާރައަށްވުރެ އަގުބޮޑު” — This shop is more expensive than that one. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples…
How it works
A Divehi comparison is assembled back to front. You first name the thing you compare with, hang the ending -އަށްވުރެ (-ah vure, "than") on it, and only then put the adjective: މި ފިހާރަ އެ ފިހާރައަށްވުރެ އަގުބޮޑު (mi fihaara e fihaaraahvure agubodu) — literally "this shop, than that shop, expensive".
One spot trips everyone up: -އަށްވުރެ glues itself to a different word than English "than" does. English keeps "than" as a separate word in front of the second item; in Divehi it is an ending, and it is welded to the item of comparison for good.
The adjective itself does not change at all: އަގުބޮޑު (agubodu) is both "expensive" and "more expensive". The words ބޮޑަށް (bodah) and ކުޑަކޮށް (kudakoh) are the adverbs "to a greater degree" and "just a little", and they live beside the adjective: ކުޑަކޮށް އަގުހެޔޮ (kudakoh aguheyo) — "a bit cheaper".
The superlative comes from the word އެންމެ (enme, "most") in front of the adjective. It is not an ending but a separate word — the only helping hand this topic gives an English speaker.
Table
| in English | Divehi | how it reads |
|---|---|---|
| expensive | އަގުބޮޑު | agubodu |
| more expensive than this | މީތަށްވުރެ އަގުބޮޑު | meethah vure agubodu |
| the most expensive | އެންމެ އަގުބޮޑު | enme agubodu |
| bigger / smaller | ބޮޑަށް / ކުޑަކޮށް | bodah / kudakoh |
By example
- މި ފިހާރަ އެ ފިހާރައަށްވުރެ އަގުބޮޑުmi fihaara e fihaaraahvure aguboduThis shop is more expensive than that one
- މަސް ކުކުޅަށްވުރެ ތާޒާmas kukulhahvure thaazaaFish is fresher than chicken
- އެންމެ އަގުހެޔޮ ފިހާރަenme aguheyo fihaaraThe cheapest shop
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
Bigger, smaller and "than": how does it work in Maldivian?
A Divehi comparison is assembled back to front. You first name the thing you compare with, hang the ending -އަށްވުރެ (-ah vure, "than") on it, and only then put the adjective: މި ފިހާރަ އެ ފިހާރައަށްވުރެ އަގުބޮޑު — literally "this shop, than that shop, expensive".
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“މި ފިހާރަ އެ ފިހާރައަށްވުރެ އަގުބޮޑު” (mi fihaara e fihaaraahvure agubodu) — This shop is more expensive than that one. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.