The description in front: the participle instead of "which"
There is no word for "which" in Divehi. The describing clause folds into a participle and stands in front of the noun: "the person who sells" is ވިއްކާ މީހާ, literally "selling person". The familiar ވިއްކާ މީހާ ("the seller") from unit five is exactly this case. For example: “ބޭންކުގައި މަސައްކަތްކުރާ މީހާ” — The person who works at the bank. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as…
How it works
There is no word for "which" in Divehi. The describing clause folds into a participle and stands in front of the noun: "the person who sells" is ވިއްކާ މީހާ (vikkaa meehaa), literally "selling person". The familiar ވިއްކާ މީހާ ("the seller") from unit five is exactly this case.
The participle has three tenses, and the ending of the verb tells them apart. Present-general — -ާ or -ޭ: ދިރިއުޅޭ ތަން ("a home", literally "a place where one lives"), މުސާރަ ލިބޭ ޗުއްޓީ ("paid leave"). Past — -ި: ރައްކާކުރި ފައިސާ ("savings"). Future — -ާނެ: ދާނެ މީހާ ("the one who will go").
Inside the group the order is the usual one: objects and circumstances go before the participle, the noun comes last. ފައިސާ ދައްކާ ތަން ("the cash desk") is assembled from ފައިސާ (faisaa) + ދައްކާ (dhakkaa) + ތަން (than), and nothing can be shuffled: you would get a different phrase or nonsense.
Negation is inserted by the prefix ނު- into the participle itself, not into the main verb: ފައިސާ ނުދައްކާ މީހާ (faisaa nudhakkaa meehaa) — "the person who does not pay".
Table
| tense | ending | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| present | -ާ / -ޭ | ދައްކާ ތަން | the place where they pay |
| past | -ި | ރައްކާކުރި ފައިސާ | saved-up money |
| future | -ާނެ | ދާނެ މީހާ | the one who will go |
| negation | ނު- + participle | ނުދައްކާ މީހާ | the one who does not pay |
By example
- ބޭންކުގައި މަސައްކަތްކުރާ މީހާbeynkugai masakkaiykuraa meehaaThe person who works at the bank
- ރައްކާކުރި ފައިސާ ބޭނުންކުރަން ޖެހިއްޖެrakkaakuri faisaa beynunkuran jehijjeThe saved-up money had to be spent
- ފައިސާ ނުދައްކާ މީހާއަށް ސިޓީ ފޮނުވިfaisaa nudhakkaa meehaaah sitee fonuviA letter was sent to the one who did not pay
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
The description in front: how does it work in Maldivian?
There is no word for "which" in Divehi. The describing clause folds into a participle and stands in front of the noun: "the person who sells" is ވިއްކާ މީހާ, literally "selling person". The familiar ވިއްކާ މީހާ ("the seller") from unit five is exactly this case.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ބޭންކުގައި މަސައްކަތްކުރާ މީހާ” (beynkugai masakkaiykuraa meehaa) — The person who works at the bank. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.