Weather without a subject: ވެހުން, ޖެހުން, ދިނުން
English speaks of the weather with "it" — "it is raining", "the wind blows", "the sun shines" — and Divehi does the same, but with three different verbs, and picking the wrong one means saying nonsense. For example: “ބޭރުގައި ވާރޭ ވެހެނީ” — It is raining outside. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized as a wording.
How it works
English speaks of the weather with "it" — "it is raining", "the wind blows", "the sun shines" — and Divehi does the same, but with three different verbs, and picking the wrong one means saying nonsense.
ވެހުން (vehun) — "to fall from above": only about precipitation. ވާރޭ ވެހެނީ ("it is raining"), ބޯވާރޭ ވެހުނު ("a downpour has passed"). Neither the wind nor the sun combines with it.
ޖެހުން (jehun) — "to strike, to hit": about the wind and everything that sweeps in. ވައި ޖެހެނީ ("the wind blows"), ގުގުރި ޖަހަނީ ("thunder rolls"). From there also ވަޔެއް ނުޖެހޭ ("it is stuffy") — literally "no wind strikes".
ދިނުން (dhinun) — "to give": about light. އަވިދޭ ("it is sunny"), ހަނދުވަރު ދޭ ("the moon is shining"). The familiar ދޭ (dhey) from unit three stands here without an addressee.
A weather quality is put as the predicate without a link: މިއަދު ހޫނު ("today is hot"), މިއަދު ވިލާ ބޯ ("today is overcast"). There is no verb "to be" in the present tense in Divehi at all, and "today is hot" needs no "is".
Table
| verb | about what | example | translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ވެހުން | precipitation | ވާރޭ ވެހެނީ | it is raining |
| ޖެހުން | wind, thunder | ވައި ޖެހެނީ | the wind blows |
| ދިނުން | light | އަވިދޭ | it is sunny |
| no verb | a quality | ވިލާ ބޯ | overcast |
By example
- ބޭރުގައި ވާރޭ ވެހެނީbeyrugai vaarey veheneeIt is raining outside
- މިއަދު ވައި ގަދަޔަށް ޖެހޭmiadhu vai gadhayah jeheyToday the wind blows hard
- ހެނދުނުއްސުރެ ރަނގަޅަށް އަވިދޭhendhunussure rangalhah avidheySince morning the sun shines well
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
Weather without a subject: how does it work in Maldivian?
English speaks of the weather with "it" — "it is raining", "the wind blows", "the sun shines" — and Divehi does the same, but with three different verbs, and picking the wrong one means saying nonsense.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ބޭރުގައި ވާރޭ ވެހެނީ” (beyrugai vaarey vehenee) — It is raining outside. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.