How much exactly: ގިނަ, މަދު, ހުރިހާ, ބައެއް
Quantity stands in front of the noun and itself never changes, neither by number nor by anything else: ގިނަ ދަރިވަރުން ("many students"), މަދު ވަގުތު ("little time"). The plurality is shown by the ending of the noun — -ތައް or -ން — not by the word beside it. For example: “ހުރިހާ ދަރިވަރުން އިމްތިހާނަށް ތައްޔާރުވި” — All the students prepared for the exam. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples…
How it works
Quantity stands in front of the noun and itself never changes, neither by number nor by anything else: ގިނަ ދަރިވަރުން ("many students"), މަދު ވަގުތު ("little time"). The plurality is shown by the ending of the noun — -ތައް or -ން — not by the word beside it.
"All, every" is ހުރިހާ (hurihaa): ހުރިހާ ދަރިވަރުން ("all the students"). The familiar ހުރިހާ ކަމެއް ރަނގަޅު ("everything is fine") from unit thirteen is assembled the same way. "Some" is ބައެއް (baeh): ބައެއް ފިލާވަޅު ("some lessons").
Countable "a few" is passed by a number: ދެތިން ("two or three") — ދެތިން ފޮތް ("a few books"). Uncountable "a little" is ތަންކޮޅެއް (thankolheh): ތަންކޮޅެއް ފެން ("some water"). You can mix them up exactly once: ދެތިން ފެން (dhethin fen) is not said.
Approximation is ގާތްގަނޑަކަށް (gaaiygandakah) in front of the number or ވަރަކަށް (varakah) after it. ގާތްގަނޑަކަށް ސަތޭކަ ރުފިޔާ (gaaiygandakah satheyka rufiyaa) and ސަތޭކަ ރުފިޔާ ވަރަކަށް (satheyka rufiyaa varakah) mean the same thing; the second sounds more conversational.
Table
| meaning | word | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| many | ގިނަ (gina) | ގިނަ ފޮތް | many books |
| few | މަދު (madhu) | މަދު ވަގުތު | little time |
| all | ހުރިހާ (hurihaa) | ހުރިހާ ދަރިވަރުން | all the students |
| some | ބައެއް (baeh) | ބައެއް ދުވަސް | some days |
| about | ގާތްގަނޑަކަށް (gaaiygandakah) | ގާތްގަނޑަކަށް ދިހަ | about ten |
By example
- ހުރިހާ ދަރިވަރުން އިމްތިހާނަށް ތައްޔާރުވިhurihaa dharivarun imthihaanah thayyaaruviAll the students prepared for the exam
- ބައެއް ފިލާވަޅު އުނދަގޫbaeh filaavalhu undhagooSome lessons are difficult
- ގާތްގަނޑަކަށް ތިރީސް ދަރިވަރުން ކްލާސް ރޫމުގައިgaaiygandakah thirees dharivarun klaas roomugaiThere are about thirty students in the classroom
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
How much exactly: how does it work in Maldivian?
Quantity stands in front of the noun and itself never changes, neither by number nor by anything else: ގިނަ ދަރިވަރުން ("many students"), މަދު ވަގުތު ("little time"). The plurality is shown by the ending of the noun — -ތައް or -ން — not by the word beside it.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ހުރިހާ ދަރިވަރުން އިމްތިހާނަށް ތައްޔާރުވި” (hurihaa dharivarun imthihaanah thayyaaruvi) — All the students prepared for the exam. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.