Who did it is not said: the passive voice
Official Divehi almost never names the doer. Passivity is given by the insert -ެވު- in front of the ending: ހުށަހެޅުން ("to submit") → ހުށަހެޅުނު ("was submitted"), ނިންމުން → ނިންމުނު, ކުރުން → ކުރެވުނު. For example: “މައްސަލަ ކޯޓަށް ހުށަހެޅުނު” — The case was filed with the court. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Official Divehi almost never names the doer. Passivity is given by the insert -ެވު- in front of the ending: ހުށަހެޅުން ("to submit") → ހުށަހެޅުނު ("was submitted"), ނިންމުން (ninmun) → ނިންމުނު, ކުރުން (kurun) → ކުރެވުނު (kurevunu).
The same device is known from the third wave in the meaning "it manages, it works out" (ނުޖެއްސޭ (nujessey) — "it does not switch on"). One form for two jobs, and the situation tells them apart: in a newspaper or a decree it is passive; in talk about things — about possibility.
If the doer does have to be named, it comes with the postposition -ގެ ފަރާތުން ("from the side of"): ފުލުހުންގެ ފަރާތުން ބަޔާން ނެގުނު (fuluhunge faraathun bayaan negunu). There is no direct "by whom" in Divehi at all, and this turn is bookish: in live speech it is easier to say it with the active voice.
The impersonal "it is reported, it is believed" is built the same way from verbs of speech and thought: ބުނެވެނީ, ބެލެވެނީ (belevenee), ފާހަގަކުރެވޭ. Hardly every other news item opens with one of them.
The passive participle is -ެވޭ in front of the noun: ތުހުމަތުކުރެވޭ މީހާ ("the suspect"), ބަހުސްކުރެވޭ ކަމެއް ("a moot point"). The order is the usual one: the description in front.
Table
| active | passive | translation | where it is met |
|---|---|---|---|
| ހުށަހެޅި (hushahelhi) | ހުށަހެޅުނު (hushahelhunu) | was submitted | documents |
| ކުރި (kuri) | ކުރެވުނު (kurevunu) | was done | news |
| ބުނަނީ (bunanee) | ބުނެވެނީ (bunevenee) | it is reported | the newspaper |
| the doer | -ގެ ފަރާތުން | from someone's side | official text |
By example
- މައްސަލަ ކޯޓަށް ހުށަހެޅުނުmassala koatah hushahelhunuThe case was filed with the court
- ފުލުހުންގެ ފަރާތުން ބަޔާން ނެގުނުfuluhunge faraathun bayaan negunuThe testimony was taken by the police
- އިންތިޚާބުގެ ނަތީޖާ އިއުލާން ކުރެވުނުinthikhaabuge natheejaa iulaan kurevunuThe election results have been announced
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
Who did it is not said: how does it work in Maldivian?
Official Divehi almost never names the doer. Passivity is given by the insert -ެވު- in front of the ending: ހުށަހެޅުން ("to submit") → ހުށަހެޅުނު ("was submitted"), ނިންމުން → ނިންމުނު, ކުރުން → ކުރެވުނު.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“މައްސަލަ ކޯޓަށް ހުށަހެޅުނު” (massala koatah hushahelhunu) — The case was filed with the court. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.