Already, still and all this while: aspect and duration
Divehi has three tenses, and aspect as a separate form does not exist: what English shows with the pair "was doing — did", Divehi shows with the ending of result and the turn of duration. For example: “މޫސުން ގޯސްވެގެން ފްލައިޓު ކެންސަލްވެއްޖެ” — Because of the bad weather the flight has already been cancelled. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Divehi has three tenses, and aspect as a separate form does not exist: what English shows with the pair "was doing — did", Divehi shows with the ending of result and the turn of duration.
Finished, with the result on show — the ending -ެއްޖެ: ފުރައިފި ("has already left"), ނިމިއްޖެ ("has finished"), ކެންސަލްވެއްޖެ ("has been cancelled"). It is not about how long ago: it says the situation changed and this is visible now. The plain past in -ި ("ފުރި (furi)") simply reports a fact.
The state left behind by an action — the ending -ފައި (-fai): ބަންދުކޮށްފައި ("closed"), ތާށިވެފައި ("stuck and sitting there"), ނިދާފައި ("asleep"). The same ending stitches two actions of one doer: ކައިފައި ދިޔަ — "ate and left".
Duration — -މުން ދަނީ ("the doing goes on"): ވާރޭ ވެހެމުން ދަނީ ("the rain keeps falling"). In the past — -މުން ދިޔަ. An interrupted action is closed by -ނިކޮށް: ދުއްވަމުން ދަނިކޮށް ("while we were driving").
How long it took — the postposition ވަންދެން ("for the space of") AFTER the span: ދެ ގަޑިއިރު ވަންދެން (dhe gadiiru vandhen). An English preposition stands in front; the Divehi postposition stands behind, and the rule has no exceptions.
Table
| what we show | the means | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| already happened | -ެއްޖެ | ފުރައިފި (furaifi) | has already left |
| the state after | -ފައި | ތާށިވެފައި (thaashivefai) | stuck |
| keeps going | -މުން ދަނީ | ވެހެމުން ދަނީ (vehemun dhanee) | keeps falling |
| interrupted | -ނިކޮށް | ދަނިކޮށް (dhanikoh) | while driving |
| for how long | ވަންދެން after the span | ދެ ގަޑިއިރު ވަންދެން | for two hours |
By example
- މޫސުން ގޯސްވެގެން ފްލައިޓު ކެންސަލްވެއްޖެmoosun goasvegen flaitu kensalvejjeBecause of the bad weather the flight has already been cancelled
- އަހަރެމެން ދެ ގަޑިއިރު ވަންދެން އެއަރްޕޯޓުގައި ތާށިވެފައިaharemen dhe gadiiru vandhen earpoatugai thaashivefaiWe sat stuck at the airport for two hours
- ކާރު ދުއްވަމުން ދަނިކޮށް ވާރޭ ވެހުނުkaaru dhuvvamun dhanikoh vaarey vehunuWhile we were driving, it started to rain
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
Already, still and all this while: how does it work in Maldivian?
Divehi has three tenses, and aspect as a separate form does not exist: what English shows with the pair "was doing — did", Divehi shows with the ending of result and the turn of duration.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“މޫސުން ގޯސްވެގެން ފްލައިޓު ކެންސަލްވެއްޖެ” (moosun goasvegen flaitu kensalvejje) — Because of the bad weather the flight has already been cancelled. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.