It broke by itself: -ކުރުން against -ވުން
English tells "he broke it" from "it broke" with different words and word order; Divehi tells them apart with one pair of endings, and in the unit about breakdowns nothing can be said without this pair. For example: “ދޮންނަ މެޝިން ހަލާކުވެއްޖެ” — The washing machine broke down. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English tells "he broke it" from "it broke" with different words and word order; Divehi tells them apart with one pair of endings, and in the unit about breakdowns nothing can be said without this pair.
-ކުރުން (-kurun) means "to do something to it", an action with a doer: ހޫނުކުރަނީ ("heats it up"), ފިނިކުރަނީ ("cools it down"), ތަތްކުރަނީ ("glues it on"). -ވުން (-vun) means "to become so by itself", with no doer: ހޫނުވަނީ ("is getting hot"), ފިނިވަނީ ("is getting cold"), ތަތްވަނީ ("sticks"). One and the same stem yields both.
From this comes the whole language of breakdowns: ހަލާކުވެއްޖެ ("broke down"), ފީވެއްޖެ ("went bad"), ތެޅިއްޖެ ("got smashed"), ކެނޑިއްޖެ ("went out"). No phrase names a doer, and that is not evasiveness but the norm: the thing breaks by itself.
The third form, in -ެވޭ, says "it works out, it is possible": ގަނެވޭ ("can be bought, affordable"), ނުކުރެވޭ ("impossible to do"), ނުފިތޭ ("does not press down"). With negation it means exactly "it does not work out", not "I do not want to": މަރާމާތެއް ނުކުރެވޭ (maraamaatheh nukurevey) — the repair is impossible, not "the repairman refused".
Table
| ending | who is to blame | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ކުރުން | a doer is there | ހޫނުކުރަނީ | heats it up |
| -ވުން | itself | ހޫނުވަނީ | is getting hot |
| -ެވޭ | it works out | ގަނެވޭ | affordable |
| ނު- + -ެވޭ | it does not work out | ނުފިތޭ | does not press down |
By example
- ދޮންނަ މެޝިން ހަލާކުވެއްޖެdhonna meshin halaakuvejjeThe washing machine broke down
- ސްކްރޫ ބާރުކުރީމަ ރަނގަޅުވެއްޖެskroo baarukureema rangalhuvejjeTighten the screw — and it is fine again
- މި ބަޓަނަށް ނުފިތޭmi batanah nufitheyThis button does not press down
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 to say it broke by itself in Dhivehi?
English tells "he broke it" from "it broke" with different words and word order; Divehi tells them apart with one pair of endings, and in the unit about breakdowns nothing can be said without this pair.
Dhivehi kurun vs vun?
-ކުރުން means "to do something to it", an action with a doer: ހޫނުކުރަނީ ("heats it up"), ފިނިކުރަނީ ("cools it down"), ތަތްކުރަނީ ("glues it on"). -ވުން means "to become so by itself", with no doer: ހޫނުވަނީ ("is getting hot"), ފިނިވަނީ ("is getting cold"), ތަތްވަނީ ("sticks"). One and the same…
How to say the button does not press in Dhivehi?
From this comes the whole language of breakdowns: ހަލާކުވެއްޖެ ("broke down"), ފީވެއްޖެ ("went bad"), ތެޅިއްޖެ ("got smashed"), ކެނޑިއްޖެ ("went out"). No phrase names a doer, and that is not evasiveness but the norm: the thing breaks by itself.
Who is to blame in a Dhivehi verb?
The third form, in -ެވޭ, says "it works out, it is possible": ގަނެވޭ ("can be bought, affordable"), ނުކުރެވޭ ("impossible to do"), ނުފިތޭ ("does not press down"). With negation it means exactly "it does not work out", not "I do not want to": މަރާމާތެއް ނުކުރެވޭ — the repair is impossible, not "the…
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ދޮންނަ މެޝިން ހަލާކުވެއްޖެ” (dhonna meshin halaakuvejje) — The washing machine broke down. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.