Who is admired and who is resented: the postposition ދެކެ
In unit forty-eight half the verbs are about one's attitude to a person: admire, value, condemn, fear, love. English hands them different prepositions, and the only way to memorize it is a list. Divehi is simpler: a whole group of such verbs takes one postposition — ދެކެ. What it is. ދެކެ goes AFTER the noun it relates to and does not change: ދަރިފުޅު ދެކެ ލޯބިވޭ — "I love the child", ކުއްތާ ދެކެ ބިރުގަނޭ — "I fear…
How it works
In unit forty-eight half the verbs are about one's attitude to a person: admire, value, condemn, fear, love. English hands them different prepositions, and the only way to memorize it is a list. Divehi is simpler: a whole group of such verbs takes one postposition — ދެކެ (dheke). What it is. ދެކެ goes AFTER the noun it relates to and does not change: ދަރިފުޅު ދެކެ ލޯބިވޭ (dharifulhu dheke loabivey) — "I love the child", ކުއްތާ ދެކެ ބިރުގަނޭ (kuththaa dheke biruganey) — "I fear the dog", އޭނާގެ ހިތްވަރު ދެކެ އަޖައިބުވަނީ (eynaage hihvaru dheke ajaibuvanee) — "I admire his courage". Note: English puts an object, an "of" and a "with" here, while Divehi has the same word in the same place. Who demands ދެކެ. ލޯބިވުން (to love), ރުޅިއައުން (to get angry), ބިރުގަތުން (to fear), ފޫހިވުން (to find disgusting), އަޖައިބުވުން (to admire, to marvel). What they have in common is that the feeling is directed AT someone and the person does not choose it: this is the same "undergoing" as in the note about impersonal turns. Who does NOT demand it. The verbs of judging and acting get by without ދެކެ: އަގުވަޒަންކުރަނީ ("values") takes a direct object, ކުށްވެރިކުރަނީ ("condemns") too, ތާއީދުކުރަނީ ("supports") demands -އަށް (-ah). The rule is simple: a feeling — through ދެކެ, an act — without it. And do not confuse with ދެކުން. The similar-looking ދެކުން means "to see, to reckon"; ދެކޭ ގޮތް ("a point of view") from the same unit is assembled from it. They have no common root, and the resemblance is superficial.
Table
| the verb | what it means | how the object is cast |
|---|---|---|
| ލޯބިވުން | to love | ދެކެ |
| ރުޅިއައުން | to get angry | ދެކެ |
| ބިރުގަތުން | to fear | ދެކެ |
| އަޖައިބުވުން | to admire | ދެކެ |
| އަގުވަޒަންކުރުން | to value | a direct object |
| ތާއީދުކުރުން | to support | -އަށް |
By example
- ދަރިފުޅު ދެކެ ލޯބިވޭdharifulhu dheke loabiveyI love the child
- އޭނާގެ ހިތްވަރު ދެކެ އަޖައިބުވަނީeynaage hihvaru dheke ajaibuvaneeI admire his courage
- ކުއްތާ ދެކެ ބިރުގަނޭkuththaa dheke biruganeyI fear the dog
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
Who is admired and who is resented: how does it work in Maldivian?
In unit forty-eight half the verbs are about one's attitude to a person: admire, value, condemn, fear, love. English hands them different prepositions, and the only way to memorize it is a list. Divehi is simpler: a whole group of such verbs takes one postposition — ދެކެ. What it is. ދެކެ goes…
What does it look like in an example sentence Maldivian?
“ދަރިފުޅު ދެކެ ލޯބިވޭ” (dharifulhu dheke loabivey) — I love the child. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.