Who does it: -ވެރިޔާ, -ތެރިޔާ and "ކުރާ މީހާ"
Unit forty gives twenty professions, and half of them need not be memorized — they can be assembled. The note of unit thirty showed how -ވެރި and -ތެރި make out of a noun a quality. Here the same endings make out of a noun a person, only the tail is another one: -ާ. For example: “ދަނޑުވެރިޔާ ދަނޑުގައި، ވަޑިޔާ ވަޑާންގޭގައި” — The farmer is in the field, the carpenter is in the workshop. A rule from the Maldivian…
How it works
Unit forty gives twenty professions, and half of them need not be memorized — they can be assembled. The note of unit thirty showed how -ވެރި and -ތެރި make out of a noun a quality. Here the same endings make out of a noun a person, only the tail is another one: -ާ.
-ވެރިޔާ (-veriyaa) — "the one who has it". ދަނޑު (a field) → ދަނޑުވެރިޔާ (a farmer), ވިޔަފާރި (trade) → ވިޔަފާރިވެރިޔާ (a businessperson), ދަރަނި (a debt) → ދަރަނިވެރިޔާ (a debtor), ބައި (a share) → ބައިވެރިޔާ (a partner), ވާދަ (rivalry) → ވާދަވެރިޔާ (a competitor). The suffix neither praises nor blames: މަކަރު (deceit) gives މަކަރުވެރިޔާ (makaruveriyaa) — a swindler, in the same way.
-ތެރިޔާ — "the one who can do it". ލިޔުން (writing) → ލިޔުންތެރިޔާ (a writer), ކުރެހުން (a drawing) → ކުރެހުންތެރިޔާ (an artist), ކުޅުން (a game) → ކުޅުންތެރިޔާ (a player). The difference from -ވެރިޔާ is fine but real: ވެރި is about possession, ތެރި about skill. That is why ޅެންވެރިޔާ (a poet) is the one to whom poems belong, and ލިޔުންތެރިޔާ is the one who owns writing as a craft.
The rest is assembled as a phrase. Divehi calmly does without a suffix: a verb in the form in -ާ or -ޭ is taken, and މީހާ (meehaa) — "the person" — is attached to it. ފަހާ މީހާ (fahaa meehaa) — a tailor, ފާން ފިހާ މީހާ (faan fihaa meehaa) — a baker, ލަވަކިޔާ މީހާ (lavakiyaa meehaa) — a singer, ބިނާކުރާ މީހާ (binaakuraa meehaa) — a builder, ދިރިއުޅޭ މީހާ (dhiriulhey meehaa) — a resident. This is not poverty of the language but its ordinary way: ވިއްކާ މީހާ (vikkaa meehaa) and ގަންނަ މީހާ (ganna meehaa) from unit five are assembled the same way.
And the place of work by the same device, only instead of މީހާ there stand ތަން (than) or ކޮޓަރި (kotari): މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ތަން (masakkaiykuraa than) — a workplace, ހެދުން ބަދަލުކުރާ ކޮޓަރި (hedhun badhalukuraa kotari) — a changing room, ފައިސާ ދައްކާ ތަން (faisaa dhakkaa than) — a cash desk. Whoever knows these three tails does not memorize half of unit forty anymore — one understands it.
Table
| the tail | what it means | from what | what came out |
|---|---|---|---|
| -ވެރިޔާ | the one who has it | ދަނޑު — a field | ދަނޑުވެރިޔާ — a farmer |
| -ވެރިޔާ | the one who has it | ދަރަނި — a debt | ދަރަނިވެރިޔާ — a debtor |
| -ތެރިޔާ | the one who can do it | ލިޔުން — writing | ލިޔުންތެރިޔާ — a writer |
| -ތެރިޔާ | the one who can do it | ކުރެހުން — a drawing | ކުރެހުންތެރިޔާ — an artist |
| ...ާ މީހާ | the person who | ފަހާ — sews | ފަހާ މީހާ — a tailor |
| ...ާ މީހާ | the person who | ނިއްވާ — puts out fire | އަލިފާން ނިއްވާ މީހާ — a firefighter |
| ...ާ ތަން | the place where | މަސައްކަތްކުރާ — works | މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ތަން — a workplace |
By example
- ދަނޑުވެރިޔާ ދަނޑުގައި، ވަޑިޔާ ވަޑާންގޭގައިdhanduveriyaa dhandugai, vadiyaa vadaangeygaiThe farmer is in the field, the carpenter is in the workshop
- ލިޔުންތެރިޔާ ލިޔަނީ، ކުރެހުންތެރިޔާ ކުރަހަނީliyuntheriyaa liyanee, kurehuntheriyaa kurahaneeThe writer writes, the artist draws
- ފާން ފިހާ މީހާއަކީ ވެސް ފަންނުވެރިއެއްfaan fihaa meehaaakee ves fannuveriehThe baker is also a master of the craft
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 professions are named in Dhivehi?
Unit forty gives twenty professions, and half of them need not be memorized — they can be assembled. The note of unit thirty showed how -ވެރި and -ތެރި make out of a noun a quality. Here the same endings make out of a noun a person, only the tail is another one: -ާ.
Dhivehi veriyaa vs theriyaa?
-ވެރިޔާ — "the one who has it". ދަނޑު (a field) → ދަނޑުވެރިޔާ (a farmer), ވިޔަފާރި (trade) → ވިޔަފާރިވެރިޔާ (a businessperson), ދަރަނި (a debt) → ދަރަނިވެރިޔާ (a debtor), ބައި (a share) → ބައިވެރިޔާ (a partner), ވާދަ (rivalry) → ވާދަވެރިޔާ (a competitor). The suffix neither praises nor blames…
How to say farmer and tailor in Dhivehi?
-ތެރިޔާ — "the one who can do it". ލިޔުން (writing) → ލިޔުންތެރިޔާ (a writer), ކުރެހުން (a drawing) → ކުރެހުންތެރިޔާ (an artist), ކުޅުން (a game) → ކުޅުންތެރިޔާ (a player). The difference from -ވެރިޔާ is fine but real: ވެރި is about possession, ތެރި about skill. That is why ޅެންވެރިޔާ (a poet) is…
How to build a job name in Dhivehi?
The rest is assembled as a phrase. Divehi calmly does without a suffix: a verb in the form in -ާ or -ޭ is taken, and މީހާ — "the person" — is attached to it. ފަހާ މީހާ — a tailor, ފާން ފިހާ މީހާ — a baker, ލަވަކިޔާ މީހާ — a singer, ބިނާކުރާ މީހާ — a builder, ދިރިއުޅޭ މީހާ — a resident. This is not…
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ދަނޑުވެރިޔާ ދަނޑުގައި، ވަޑިޔާ ވަޑާންގޭގައި” (dhanduveriyaa dhandugai, vadiyaa vadaangeygai) — The farmer is in the field, the carpenter is in the workshop. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.