A verb instead of an adjective: -ާ, -ޭ, -ފައި and -ެވޭ
Divehi has few adjectives and many verbs, and where English puts a quality, Divehi more often puts a participle. Units fifty-seven and fifty-nine rest on this almost entirely: "single-use", "pliable", "serial", "reserved" — all of them verbs in the form of a description. For example: “އެއްފަހަރު ބޭނުންކުރާ ޕްލާސްޓިކް މަނާކުރި” — Single-use plastic has been banned. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on…
How it works
Divehi has few adjectives and many verbs, and where English puts a quality, Divehi more often puts a participle. Units fifty-seven and fifty-nine rest on this almost entirely: "single-use", "pliable", "serial", "reserved" — all of them verbs in the form of a description.
The form in -ާ or -ޭ means "which does". ބަންދުކުރާ ފޮށި (bandhukuraa foshi) — a box that things are packed into; އުފައްދާ ބައި (ufaddhaa bai) — a shop floor, that is, the part that produces; ސީދާ ބުނާ މީހާ (seedhaa bunaa meehaa) — a straightforward person; ކެރޭ މީހާ (kerey meehaa) — a resolute one. The participle stands before the noun, like an English adjective, and does not change.
The form in -ފައި (-fai) means "which has already become". ބާވެފައި (baavefai) — worn out, ރޫޖެހިފައި (roojehifai) — crumpled, ދަބަރު ޖަހާފައި (dhabaru jahaafai) — rusty, ހިރަފުސް އަރާފައި (hirafus araafai) — dusty. The English past participle fits here exactly, and almost the whole third lesson of unit fifty is assembled with this tail.
The form in -ެވޭ means "which can be". ބޭނުންކުރެވޭ (beynunkurevey) — usable, ގަބޫލުކުރެވޭ (gaboolukurevey) — convincing (which can be believed), އާކުރެވޭ (aakurevey) — renewable. This is the passive form, and it is the same one the dative verbs of the note of unit fifty rest on.
And with the prefix ނު- one gets "which cannot be". ދޫކޮށްނުލެވޭ (dhookohnulevey) — one you cannot put down, އަނބުރާ ނުގެނެވޭ (anburaa nugenevey) — irreversible, ފީނުވެ (feenuve) — without decomposing. The negation steps inside the word, in front of the root, not as a separate word outside.
The order is the same in all four. The description on the left, the noun on the right, nothing agrees. The hardest thing to get used to here is that there is never any "which" between them: ދޫކޮށްނުލެވޭ ވަރު ރީތި ފޮތެއް (dhookohnulevey varu reethi fotheh) — "a book so good you cannot put it down" — is assembled without a single conjunction.
Table
| the form | what it means | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ާ / -ޭ | which does | ބަންދުކުރާ ފޮށި | packaging |
| -ާ / -ޭ | which does | ކެރޭ މީހާ | a resolute person |
| -ފައި | which has become | ރޫޖެހިފައި | crumpled |
| -ފައި | which has become | ކުލަ ފަނޑުވެފައި | faded |
| -ެވޭ | which can be | ބޭނުންކުރެވޭ | usable |
| ނު- + -ެވޭ | which cannot be | އަނބުރާ ނުގެނެވޭ | irreversible |
By example
- އެއްފަހަރު ބޭނުންކުރާ ޕްލާސްޓިކް މަނާކުރިehfaharu beynunkuraa plaastik manaakuriSingle-use plastic has been banned
- ބާވެފައި ހުރި ދޯނި ތަޅާލަނީbaavefai huri dhoani thalhaalaneeThe worn-out boat is being taken apart
- އަނބުރާ ނުގެނެވޭ ބަދަލެއް އައިސްފިanburaa nugenevey badhaleh aisfiAn irreversible change has occurred
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 verb instead of an adjective: how does it work in Maldivian?
Divehi has few adjectives and many verbs, and where English puts a quality, Divehi more often puts a participle. Units fifty-seven and fifty-nine rest on this almost entirely: "single-use", "pliable", "serial", "reserved" — all of them verbs in the form of a description.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“އެއްފަހަރު ބޭނުންކުރާ ޕްލާސްޓިކް މަނާކުރި” (ehfaharu beynunkuraa plaastik manaakuri) — Single-use plastic has been banned. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.