"Give me": the addressee in -އަށް
The course has known the pronouns since unit one, but there they all stood as the subject: އަހަރެން, ކަލޭ, އޭނާ. To say "to me", "to you", "to him", the pronoun takes -އަށް — the very ending that turns ރަށް (island) into ރަށަށް ("to the island"). Direction and addressee are the same thing in Divehi. For example: “އަހަންނަށް މެނޫ ދެއްވާ” — Give me the menu. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples…
How it works
The course has known the pronouns since unit one, but there they all stood as the subject: އަހަރެން (aharen), ކަލޭ (kaley), އޭނާ (eynaa). To say "to me", "to you", "to him", the pronoun takes -އަށް (-ah) — the very ending that turns ރަށް (island) into ރަށަށް ("to the island"). Direction and addressee are the same thing in Divehi.
އަހަރެން has an irregular form, and it is easier to memorize it whole: އަހަންނަށް (ahannah) — "to me". The rest stack up neatly: ކަލެއަށް (kaleah), އޭނާއަށް (eynaaah), އަހަރެމެންނަށް. The polite ތިޔަ ބޭފުޅާއަށް (thiya beyfulhaaah) is long, but that is exactly how one addresses a stranger.
The word order stays Divehi: addressee first, then the thing, the verb last. އަހަންނަށް މެނޫ ދެއްވާ (ahannah menoo dhevvaa) — literally "to me menu give". There is no need to shuffle them.
"Tell someone" stands apart. Here -އަށް will not do: one says ގާތު ("near"), އޭނާ ގާތު ބުނޭ (eynaa gaathu buney) — "tell him", literally "speak near him". This is the everyday form.
Table
| who | to whom | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| އަހަރެން (aharen) | އަހަންނަށް (ahannah) | އަހަންނަށް ދިން | gave to me |
| ކަލޭ (kaley) | ކަލެއަށް (kaleyah) | ކަލެއަށް ދިން | gave to you |
| އޭނާ (eynaa) | އޭނާއަށް (eynaa-ah) | އޭނާއަށް ދިން | gave to him |
| އަހަރެމެން (aharemen) | އަހަރެމެންނަށް (aharemennah) | އަހަރެމެންނަށް ދިން | gave to us |
By example
- އަހަންނަށް މެނޫ ދެއްވާahannah menoo dhevvaaGive me the menu
- އަހަރެން ކަލެއަށް ގުޅާނަންaharen kaleah gulhaananI will call you
- އޭނާ ގާތު ބުނޭeynaa gaathu buneyTell him
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
"Give me": how does it work in Maldivian?
The course has known the pronouns since unit one, but there they all stood as the subject: އަހަރެން, ކަލޭ, އޭނާ. To say "to me", "to you", "to him", the pronoun takes -އަށް — the very ending that turns ރަށް (island) into ރަށަށް ("to the island"). Direction and addressee are the same thing in Divehi.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“އަހަންނަށް މެނޫ ދެއްވާ” (ahannah menoo dhevvaa) — Give me the menu. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.