If and if only: -އިއްޔާ, ނަމަ, ނަމަވެސް
The condition in Divehi closes its part rather than opening it. A real condition is the ending -އިއްޔާ on the verb: ވަޒީފާ ލިބިއްޖިއްޔާ ފަށާނަން ("if they take me on, I will start"). Literally it is "the job-turned-out-if". For example: “ވަޒީފާ ލިބިއްޖިއްޔާ މާދަމާ ފަށާނަން” — If they take me on, I will start tomorrow. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
The condition in Divehi closes its part rather than opening it. A real condition is the ending -އިއްޔާ on the verb: ވަޒީފާ ލިބިއްޖިއްޔާ ފަށާނަން ("if they take me on, I will start"). Literally it is "the job-turned-out-if".
An unreal condition is ނަމަ (nama) after the verb, and the main part takes the ending -ީސް: ތަޖުރިބާ ހުރިނަމަ ވަޒީފާ ލިބުނީސް ("if there had been experience, the job would have been given"). The difference between the two conditions is not politeness but whether it happened or not.
The concession "even if, although" is the ending -އަސް (-as): ވާރޭ ވެހުނަސް ދާނަން ("even if it rains, I will go"). The separate word ނަމަވެސް (namaves) at the start of the second part means "however".
The order of the parts is freer than it seems: the condition can come first or second. One thing never changes — the verb of the main part is still the last word of the sentence.
Table
| type | the means | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| a real "if" | -އިއްޔާ | ލިބިއްޖިއްޔާ | if I get it |
| an unreal "if" | ނަމަ + -ީސް | ހުރިނަމަ ލިބުނީސް | if there had been … it would have been given |
| "even if" | -އަސް | ވެހުނަސް | even if it pours |
| "however" | ނަމަވެސް (namaves) | ނަމަވެސް ނުދިޔައިން | however I did not go |
By example
- ވަޒީފާ ލިބިއްޖިއްޔާ މާދަމާ ފަށާނަންvazeefaa libijjiyyaa maadhamaa fashaananIf they take me on, I will start tomorrow
- ތަޖުރިބާ ހުރިނަމަ ވަޒީފާ ލިބުނީސްthajuribaa hurinama vazeefaa libuneesIf there had been experience, the job would have been given
- ވާރޭ ވެހުނަސް އިންޓަވިއުއަށް ދާނަންvaarey vehunas intaviuah dhaananEven if it rains, I will go to the interview
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
If and if only: how does it work in Maldivian?
The condition in Divehi closes its part rather than opening it. A real condition is the ending -އިއްޔާ on the verb: ވަޒީފާ ލިބިއްޖިއްޔާ ފަށާނަން ("if they take me on, I will start"). Literally it is "the job-turned-out-if".
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ވަޒީފާ ލިބިއްޖިއްޔާ މާދަމާ ފަށާނަން” (vazeefaa libijjiyyaa maadhamaa fashaanan) — If they take me on, I will start tomorrow. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.