Number: -ތައް, -ން and counting
The plural in Divehi is not always there, and that is the main thing to know about it. The endings are familiar from unit seven: -ތައް for things (ތަށިތައް — dishes, ފޮށިތައް — suitcases) and -ން for people (މީހުން — people, މަސްވެރިން — fishermen). For example: “ފޮށިތައް ކޮބާ؟” — Where are the suitcases?. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
The plural in Divehi is not always there, and that is the main thing to know about it. The endings are familiar from unit seven: -ތައް for things (ތަށިތައް (thashithah) — dishes, ފޮށިތައް (foshithah) — suitcases) and -ން for people (މީހުން (meehun) — people, މަސްވެރިން — fishermen).
After a numeral there is no ending at all: ދެ ފޮށި (dhe foshi) — "two suitcases", not "two suitcases-es". The number has already said how many, and the language finds repeating it with an ending redundant. After ގިނަ (many) and ބައިވަރު (heaps) things also stay singular, but people do get marked: ގިނަ މީހުން (gina meehun).
The numerals themselves have two forms, and this is a trap. Standing alone, counting aloud, one says އެކެއް, ދޭއް (dheh), ތިނެއް (thineh); before a word — the short އެއް (eh), ދެ (dhe), ތިން (thin). "Three" as an answer to a question and "three suitcases" sound different.
People are counted through މީހުން: ދެ މީހުން (dhe meehun) — "two people". From there also ދެ މީހުންނަށް މޭޒެއް (dhe meehunnah meyzeh) — "a table for two", where މީހުން has taken the addressee ending -އަށް (-ah) from the neighboring note.
Table
| what | ending | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| things | -ތައް | ފޮށިތައް (foshithah) | suitcases |
| people | -ން | މަސްވެރިން (masverin) | fishermen |
| after a number | nothing | ދެ ފޮށި (dhe foshi) | two suitcases |
| counting aloud | -އެއް | ދޭއް، ތިނެއް | two, three |
By example
- ފޮށިތައް ކޮބާ؟foshithah kobaa?Where are the suitcases?
- ދެ ފޮށި އެބައޮތްdhe foshi ebaoiyThere are two suitcases
- ގިނަ މީހުން އެބަތިބިgina meehun ebathibiThere are many people
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
Number: how does it work in Maldivian?
The plural in Divehi is not always there, and that is the main thing to know about it. The endings are familiar from unit seven: -ތައް for things (ތަށިތައް — dishes, ފޮށިތައް — suitcases) and -ން for people (މީހުން — people, މަސްވެރިން — fishermen).
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ފޮށިތައް ކޮބާ؟” (foshithah kobaa?) — Where are the suitcases?. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.