Three "no"s: ނު-, ނެތް and ނޫން
The course has been saying "no" since unit one, but with different words and without explaining the difference. Unit forty-four gathers them together, because in talk about sport the negation goes through the whole phrase: did not make it in time, did not take part, there is no balance, this is not a victory. For example: “އޭނާ މުބާރާތުގައި ބައިވެރިއެއް ނުވި” — He did not take part in the competition. A rule from…
How it works
The course has been saying "no" since unit one, but with different words and without explaining the difference. Unit forty-four gathers them together, because in talk about sport the negation goes through the whole phrase: did not make it in time, did not take part, there is no balance, this is not a victory.
First: ނު- in front of the verb. The prefix glues to the verb itself and negates the action: ދަނީ (goes) → ނުދޭ (does not go), ކުޅެނީ (plays) → ނުކުޅޭ (does not play), ވިސްނުނު (understood) → ނުވިސްނުނު (did not understand). Note: the negative form changes its tail as well — instead of -ނީ there stands -ޭ. This is not two rules but one: the negation of a verb always rebuilds the ending.
Second: ނެތް (neiy) — "there is none of this". It negates not an action but presence: ވަގުތެއް ނެތް (vagutheh neiy) — there is no time, ބެލެންސެއް ނެތް (belenseh neiy) — there is no balance, ވަޒީފާ ނެތުން (vazeefaa nethun) — unemployment. The action-noun form ނެތުން (nethun) is the Divehi way of making a noun with "non-": ހަމަހަމަކަން ނެތުން (hamahamakan nethun) — inequality. The English "no", "without" and "lack of" in nouns are almost always translated by this word.
Third: ނޫން (noon) — "this is not that". It negates identity, that is, it works in pair with the link of unit forty-three: އެއީ މޮޅުވުމެއް ނޫން — this is not a victory, އަހަރެން ސަޕޯޓަރެއް ނޫން — I am not a fan. ނޫން also means simply "no" in answer to a question.
How to choose. There is one question: what are you negating. An action — the prefix ނު-. Presence — ނެތް. The equality of two names — ނޫން. The mistake is usually the same one: a learner puts ނޫން where ނެތް is needed, because in English "there is none" and "it is not he" both start with "not".
And two ready-made turns. ...ނުލައި (nulai) — "without something": ހެލްމެޓަކާ ނުލައި — without a helmet. ...ނުވަނީސް — "until, before": ފެށުން ނުވަނީސް — before the start, until it has begun. Both rest on the same ނު-, and both are needed constantly at B1.
Table
| the word | what it negates | example | in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| ނު- | the action | ނުކުޅޭ | does not play |
| ނު- | the action in the past | ނުވިސްނުނު | did not understand |
| ނެތް | presence | ވަގުތެއް ނެތް | there is no time |
| ނެތުން | presence, as a noun | ވަޒީފާ ނެތުން | unemployment |
| ނޫން | identity | އެއީ މޮޅުވުމެއް ނޫން | this is not a victory |
| ...ނުލައި | without something | ހެލްމެޓަކާ ނުލައި | without a helmet |
| ...ނުވަނީސް | until, before | ފެށުން ނުވަނީސް | before the start |
By example
- އޭނާ މުބާރާތުގައި ބައިވެރިއެއް ނުވިeynaa mubaaraathugai baiverieh nuviHe did not take part in the competition
- ބެލެންސެއް ނެތިއްޔާ ޔޯގާ އުނދަގޫbelenseh nethiyyaa yoagaa undhagooWithout balance yoga is hard
- އެއީ ބަލިވުމެއް ނޫން، އެއްވަރުވުމެއްeee balivumeh noon, ehvaruvumehIt is not a defeat but a draw
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
Three ways to say no in Dhivehi?
The course has been saying "no" since unit one, but with different words and without explaining the difference. Unit forty-four gathers them together, because in talk about sport the negation goes through the whole phrase: did not make it in time, did not take part, there is no balance, this is not…
Dhivehi nethy vs noon?
First: ނު- in front of the verb. The prefix glues to the verb itself and negates the action: ދަނީ (goes) → ނުދޭ (does not go), ކުޅެނީ (plays) → ނުކުޅޭ (does not play), ވިސްނުނު (understood) → ނުވިސްނުނު (did not understand). Note: the negative form changes its tail as well — instead of -ނީ there…
The Dhivehi prefix nu- before a verb?
Second: ނެތް — "there is none of this". It negates not an action but presence: ވަގުތެއް ނެތް — there is no time, ބެލެންސެއް ނެތް — there is no balance, ވަޒީފާ ނެތުން — unemployment. The action-noun form ނެތުން is the Divehi way of making a noun with "non-": ހަމަހަމަކަން ނެތުން — inequality. The…
How to say there is no time in Dhivehi?
Third: ނޫން — "this is not that". It negates identity, that is, it works in pair with the link of unit forty-three: އެއީ މޮޅުވުމެއް ނޫން — this is not a victory, އަހަރެން ސަޕޯޓަރެއް ނޫން — I am not a fan. ނޫން also means simply "no" in answer to a question.
How to say without something in Dhivehi?
How to choose. There is one question: what are you negating. An action — the prefix ނު-. Presence — ނެތް. The equality of two names — ނޫން. The mistake is usually the same one: a learner puts ނޫން where ނެތް is needed, because in English "there is none" and "it is not he" both start with "not".
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“އޭނާ މުބާރާތުގައި ބައިވެރިއެއް ނުވި” (eynaa mubaaraathugai baiverieh nuvi) — He did not take part in the competition. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.