Tomorrow: the future tense
The present in -ނީ (ދަނީ — go) is known since unit four, the past since unit eight. One tense is left, and it is simpler than both: the future has two endings, and the choice between them is made not by time but by the speaker. For example: “މާދަމާ އެއަރްޕޯޓަށް ދާނަން” — Tomorrow I will go to the airport. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
The present in -ނީ (ދަނީ (dhanee) — go) is known since unit four, the past since unit eight. One tense is left, and it is simpler than both: the future has two endings, and the choice between them is made not by time but by the speaker.
About yourself one speaks in -ނަން (-nan): ދާނަން (I will go), ގަންނާނަން (I will buy), ކުރާނަން (I will do). This is not just the future but a decision — "I will go", "I take it". About everything else — about him, about the flight, about the rain — one speaks in -ނެ: ވެހޭނެ (it will rain), ލިބޭނެ (there will be), ލަސްވާނެ (it will run late).
An intention that has not yet become a decision is assembled separately: the verb in -ން plus އުޅެނީ (ulhenee), literally "I go around doing". ދާން އުޅެނީ (dhaan ulhenee) — "I am going to go": this is the answer for when the ticket is not bought yet.
And the most common thing in live speech: if the sentence has a word of time — މާދަމާ (maadhamaa), އަންނަ ހަފްތާގައި (anna hafthaagai) — the verb often stays in the present. މާދަމާ ދަނީ (maadhamaa dhanee) sounds no worse than މާދަމާ ދާނަން (maadhamaa dhaanan) and is understood the same way.
Table
| now | I will | he will | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ދަނީ (dhanee) | ދާނަން (dhaanan) | ދާނެ (dhaane) | to go |
| ކަނީ (kanee) | ކާނަން (kaanan) | ކާނެ (kaane) | to eat |
| ކުރަނީ (kuranee) | ކުރާނަން (kuraanan) | ކުރާނެ (kuraane) | to do |
| ވެހެނީ (vehenee) | — | ވެހޭނެ (veheyne) | to pour (of rain) |
By example
- މާދަމާ އެއަރްޕޯޓަށް ދާނަންmaadhamaa earpoatah dhaananTomorrow I will go to the airport
- ފްލައިޓު ލަސްވާނެflaitu lasvaaneThe flight will be delayed
- މިރޭ ފޮށި ތައްޔާރު ކުރާނަންmirey foshi thayyaaru kuraananIn the evening I will pack the suitcase
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
Tomorrow: how does it work in Maldivian?
The present in -ނީ (ދަނީ — go) is known since unit four, the past since unit eight. One tense is left, and it is simpler than both: the future has two endings, and the choice between them is made not by time but by the speaker.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“މާދަމާ އެއަރްޕޯޓަށް ދާނަން” (maadhamaa earpoatah dhaanan) — Tomorrow I will go to the airport. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.