Someone else's words: the particle -ޯ, ކަމަށް and ގޮތުން
English passes someone else's speech with the conjunction "that" and quotation marks. Divehi has neither: the reporting rests on three devices, and all three stand after what is reported, not before it. For example: “ފާލަން ބަންދުކުރަނީއޯ” — The pier, they say, is being closed. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English passes someone else's speech with the conjunction "that" and quotation marks. Divehi has neither: the reporting rests on three devices, and all three stand after what is reported, not before it.
The particle -ޯ — the shortest and the liveliest. It is attached straight to the verb: ފާލަން ބަންދުކުރަނީއޯ (faalan bandhukuraneeoa) — "the pier, they say, is being closed"; އޭނާ ނާންނާނެއޯ — "he, they say, will not come". One sign takes the responsibility for what is said off the speaker. This is the true "allegedly", and no separate word is needed for it.
The turn ކަމަށް (kamah) introduces the content. ފެރީ ނާންނާނެ ކަމަށް ބުނި (feree naannaane kamah buni) — they said the ferry would not come; ސައްޙަ ކަމަށް ގަބޫލުކުރި (sahha kamah gaboolukuri) — it was accepted as true. Literally ކަމަށް is "into the matter", that is, "in the sense that"; the verb of speaking follows it, at the very end.
The turn ގޮތުން (gothun) refers to the source. ބުނާ ގޮތުން (bunaa gothun) — as they say, އަޑުއިވުނު ގޮތުގައި (aduivunu gothugai) — as I heard, ދުށް މީހާ ބުނި ގޮތުގައި (dhuh meehaa buni gothugai) — according to the witness. The same ގޮތް ("manner") as in a dozen other turns of the wave.
The indirect question is built with the particle -ތޯ (-tho). ފިހާރަ ކޮންތާކުތޯ އޭނާ އެހި (fihaara konthaakuthoa eynaa ehi) — she asked where the shop is. The order stays direct, the question word stands in its place, and -ތޯ shows the question is being reported. In a direct question the polite form is the same: ކިހިނެއްތޯ (kihinehthoa).
And one thing Divehi does not have: the sequence of tenses. English says "he said he would come" — a future inside a past — and Divehi does the same without any rule at all: the verb inside ކަމަށް stands in the tense it was uttered in. Nothing has to be shifted, and this is that rare case where Divehi is the simpler one.
Table
| the device | where it goes | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ޯ | to the verb | ބަންދުކުރަނީއޯ | they say it is being closed |
| ކަމަށް | after the content | ނާންނާނެ ކަމަށް ބުނި | said he would not come |
| ގޮތުން | after the source | ބުނާ ގޮތުން | as they say |
| ގޮތުގައި | after the source | އަޑުއިވުނު ގޮތުގައި | as I heard |
| -ތޯ | to the question word | ކޮންތާކުތޯ އެހި | she asked where |
| -ކަން | to the clause | ނިމުނީ ކިހިނެއްކަން | how it all ended |
By example
- ފާލަން ބަންދުކުރަނީއޯfaalan bandhukuraneeoaThe pier, they say, is being closed
- ފެރީ ނާންނާނެ ކަމަށް އޭނާ ބުނިferee naannaane kamah eynaa buniHe said the ferry would not come
- އަޑުއިވުނު ގޮތުގައި މާދަމާ ވިއްސާރަވާނެaduivunu gothugai maadhamaa vissaaravaaneI heard that tomorrow it will rain
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
Someone else's words: how does it work in Maldivian?
English passes someone else's speech with the conjunction "that" and quotation marks. Divehi has neither: the reporting rests on three devices, and all three stand after what is reported, not before it.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ފާލަން ބަންދުކުރަނީއޯ” (faalan bandhukuraneeoa) — The pier, they say, is being closed. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.