Whose is it: the ending -ގެ
Possessive pronouns do not exist in Divehi at all. There is one ending, -ގެ, which clings to any name and any pronoun: އަހަރެން → އަހަރެންގެ ("my"), ކަލޭ → ކަލޭގެ ("your"), އޭނާ → އޭނާގެ ("his, her"), މަންމަ → މަންމަގެ ("mom's"). For example: “އަހަރެންގެ ފޯނު ކޮބާ؟” — Where is my phone?. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Possessive pronouns do not exist in Divehi at all. There is one ending, -ގެ (-ge), which clings to any name and any pronoun: އަހަރެން (aharen) → އަހަރެންގެ ("my"), ކަލޭ (kaley) → ކަލޭގެ ("your"), އޭނާ (eynaa) → އޭނާގެ ("his, her"), މަންމަ (mamma) → މަންމަގެ ("mom's").
The order is rigid and matches the English Saxon genitive: the owner comes first, the thing second. "My phone" is އަހަރެންގެ ފޯނު (aharenge foanu), "the house's door" is ގޭގެ ދޮރު (geyge dhoru). Swapping them is not allowed: you would get a different combination.
In some words the tail changes in front of -ގެ. ގެ (house) gives ގޭގެ (geyge), ކޮޓަރި (room) — ކޮޓަރީގެ (kotareege), ފޮށި (suitcase) — ފޮށީގެ (fosheege): the final -ި stretches into -ީ. Such pairs are memorized whole, like ކޮޓަރީގެ ތަޅުދަނޑި ("the room's key") from unit ten.
"It is mine" can be said without the thing as well: -ގެ works at the end of the sentence too. މި ފޮށި އަހަރެންގެ (mi foshi aharenge) — "this suitcase is mine". And the owner is asked after with the word ކާކުގެ (kaakuge): މިއީ ކާކުގެ ފޯނެއް (miee kaakuge foaneh) — "whose phone is this?".
Table
| who | with -ގެ | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| އަހަރެން (aharen) | އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) | އަހަރެންގެ ފޮތް | my book |
| ކަލޭ (kaley) | ކަލޭގެ (kaleyge) | ކަލޭގެ ފޯނު | your phone |
| އޭނާ (eynaa) | އޭނާގެ (eynaage) | އޭނާގެ ގެ | his house |
| ކާކު (kaaku) | ކާކުގެ (kaakuge) | ކާކުގެ ދަބަސް؟ | whose bag? |
By example
- އަހަރެންގެ ފޯނު ކޮބާ؟aharenge foanu kobaa?Where is my phone?
- މިއީ ކާކުގެ ދަބަހެއް؟miee kaakuge dhabaheh?Whose bag is this?
- ކޮޓަރީގެ ދޮރު ލައްޕާkotareege dhoru lappaaClose the room's door
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
Whose is it: how does it work in Maldivian?
Possessive pronouns do not exist in Divehi at all. There is one ending, -ގެ, which clings to any name and any pronoun: އަހަރެން → އަހަރެންގެ ("my"), ކަލޭ → ކަލޭގެ ("your"), އޭނާ → އޭނާގެ ("his, her"), މަންމަ → މަންމަގެ ("mom's").
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“އަހަރެންގެ ފޯނު ކޮބާ؟” (aharenge foanu kobaa?) — Where is my phone?. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.