A noun from a verb: the endings -ުން and -ކަން
Divehi verbs have no dictionary form, and where English uses the infinitive, Divehi takes the action noun in -ުން: ދިނުން ("giving"), ވުން ("becoming"), ހުއްޓާލުން ("stopping"). This is a full-fledged noun: it takes case endings and a description in front. For example: “ވާހަކަ ދެއްކުން ހުއްޓާލައިފި” — He stopped communicating. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
Divehi verbs have no dictionary form, and where English uses the infinitive, Divehi takes the action noun in -ުން: ދިނުން ("giving"), ވުން ("becoming"), ހުއްޓާލުން ("stopping"). This is a full-fledged noun: it takes case endings and a description in front.
From this come all the compound names of feelings in this unit. މާޔޫސް ("fallen in spirit") plus ވުން gives މާޔޫސްވުން ("disappointment"); ހިތަށް ލުއި ("easy for the heart") plus ވުން gives ހިތަށް ލުއިވުން ("relief"). Where English builds a noun with "-ing" or a suffix, Divehi almost always has the -ުން noun.
The action noun is the only way to put one verb under another. "To stop communicating" is assembled as ވާހަކަ ދެއްކުން ހުއްޓާލުން (vaahaka dhekkun huttaalun): first the action noun, then the main verb. The order is the reverse of English, and it cannot be shuffled.
Do not confuse it with -ކަން (-kan): -ުން names the action, -ކަން the quality or state. ގުޅުން (gulhun) is "connection, relations" (the act of joining), ރަޙްމަތްތެރިކަން (rahmaiytherikan) is "friendship" (a quality). One word can yield both: ދެރަވުން ("upset as an event") and ދެރަކަން ("sadness as a trait").
Table
| the base | the ending | what came out | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ދޭ (to give) | -ުން | ދިނުން | giving, to give |
| މާޔޫސް + ވުން | -ުން | މާޔޫސްވުން | disappointment |
| ގުޅޭ (to join) | -ުން | ގުޅުން | relations |
| ރަޙްމަތްތެރި | -ކަން | ރަޙްމަތްތެރިކަން | friendship |
By example
- ވާހަކަ ދެއްކުން ހުއްޓާލައިފިvaahaka dhekkun huttaalaifiHe stopped communicating
- މާޔޫސްވުމަކީ ބޮޑު ކަމެއް ނޫންmaayoosvumakee bodu kameh noonDisappointment is no big deal
- އެކަނިވެރިކަން އިޙްސާސްވޭekaniverikan ihsaasveyLoneliness can be felt
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
A noun from a verb: how does it work in Maldivian?
Divehi verbs have no dictionary form, and where English uses the infinitive, Divehi takes the action noun in -ުން: ދިނުން ("giving"), ވުން ("becoming"), ހުއްޓާލުން ("stopping"). This is a full-fledged noun: it takes case endings and a description in front.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ވާހަކަ ދެއްކުން ހުއްޓާލައިފި” (vaahaka dhekkun huttaalaifi) — He stopped communicating. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.