With what and from where: the ending -ުން
Unit two gave the ending -އަށް — "to whom, where to". Unit forty-one demands its pair: -ުން answers "with what, from where, out of what, by what". One ending instead of six English prepositions, and learning it is cheaper than learning each preposition separately. For example: “ލިޔުމުން ދެއްވާ، އަނގަބަހުން ނޫން” — Give it in writing, not orally. A rule from the Maldivian course: worked out on examples, not memorized…
How it works
Unit two gave the ending -އަށް (-ah) — "to whom, where to". Unit forty-one demands its pair: -ުން answers "with what, from where, out of what, by what". One ending instead of six English prepositions, and learning it is cheaper than learning each preposition separately.
How it is put. The ending -ުން is added to the noun, and the last vowel of the stem often changes: ލިޔުން (liyun) → ލިޔުމުން ("in writing"), ބަސް (bas) → ބަހުން ("by word"), ފޮތް (foiy) → ފޮތުން ("from the book"), ފިހާރަ (fihaara) → ފިހާރައިން ("from the shop"), ގުދަން (gudhan) → ގުދަނުން ("from the warehouse"). The rule is simple: in front of -ން a linking ު or ި steps in.
First: with what. ލިޔުމުން ދެއްވާ (liyumun dhevvaa) — give it in writing, އަނގަބަހުން ބުނި (angabahun buni) — it was said orally, ފޯނުން ކިޔަނީ (foanun kiyanee) — I read it off the phone, ފައިސާއިން ދެއްކި — paid with money. English puts an instrumental "with" or "by" here.
Second: from where. ގުދަނުން ގެނައި (gudhanun genai) — brought from the warehouse, ފިހާރައިން ގަތިން (fihaarain gathin) — bought at the shop (literally "from the shop"), ރަށުން ފުރި (rashun furi) — sailed from the island. Where English says "I bought it at the shop", Divehi says "from": a purchase is the movement of the thing away from there.
Third: cause and measure. ބަލިވުމުން ދެރަވި (balivumun dheravi) — upset because of the defeat, ދުނިޔެ ހޫނުވުމުން ކަނޑު އުފުލެނީ (dhuniye hoonuvumun kandu ufulenee) — because of the warming the sea is rising, ލިބުމުން ފައިސާ ދެއްކުން (libumun faisaa dhekkun) — payment upon receipt. Note: with the action nouns in -ުން the same ending also takes the meaning "when it happened", and -ުމުން comes out — "as soon as, because".
And the set phrase ...ގޮތުން (gothun). ގާނޫނީ ގޮތުން (gaanoonee gothun) — by law, ސިއްހީ ގޮތުން (sihhee gothun) — health-wise, އަހަރެންގެ ގޮތުން (aharenge gothun) — in my opinion. It is the same -ުން grown onto the word ގޮތް ("manner"), and at level B1 it is met at every step.
Table
| the job of the ending | example | in English |
|---|---|---|
| with what | ލިޔުމުން | in writing |
| with what | އަނގަބަހުން | orally |
| from where | ގުދަނުން | from the warehouse |
| where bought | ފިހާރައިން | at the shop |
| because of what | ބަލިވުމުން | because of the defeat |
| when | ލިބުމުން | upon receipt |
| by what | ގާނޫނީ ގޮތުން | by law |
By example
- ލިޔުމުން ދެއްވާ، އަނގަބަހުން ނޫންliyumun dhevvaa, angabahun noonGive it in writing, not orally
- ގުދަނުން ޔުނިފޯމު ލިބުނުgudhanun yunifoamu libunuThe form was issued from the warehouse
- ބަލިވުމުން ދެރަވި، އެކަމަކު ގާނޫނީ ގޮތުން މައްސަލައެއް ނެތްbalivumun dheravi, ekamaku gaanoonee gothun massalaeh neiyUpset because of the defeat, but legally there is no problem
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
With what and from where: how does it work in Maldivian?
Unit two gave the ending -އަށް — "to whom, where to". Unit forty-one demands its pair: -ުން answers "with what, from where, out of what, by what". One ending instead of six English prepositions, and learning it is cheaper than learning each preposition separately.
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ލިޔުމުން ދެއްވާ، އަނގަބަހުން ނޫން” (liyumun dhevvaa, angabahun noon) — Give it in writing, not orally. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.