LingoflyThe phone does not work in Maldivian
A workshop in Malé: a phone was brought in that will not switch on in Maldivian. 8 phrases that the conversation is made of: «ސަލާމް (salaam)، އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ފޯނު (foanu) ނުޖެއްސޭ» (nujessey) — Hello, my phone does not switch on; «ބެޓަރީ (betaree) ހުސްވެއްޖެތޯ؟» — Is the battery flat? Every line can be played right on the page.
How the whole thing sounds
The situation: a workshop in Malé: a phone was brought in that will not switch on. First the whole conversation, then each line on its own, with a translation.
- ދައްކަބަލަ. ސްކްރީނު ހަލާކުވެފައިdhakkabala. skreenu halaakuvefaiLet me have a look. The screen is broken.
Lines one by one
| Maldivian | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ސަލާމް (salaam)، އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ފޯނު (foanu) ނުޖެއްސޭ (nujessey) | salaam, aharenge foanu nujessey | Hello, my phone does not switch on. |
| ބެޓަރީ (betaree) ހުސްވެއްޖެތޯ؟ | betaree husvejjethoa? | Is the battery flat? |
| ނޫން (noon)، ޗާޖަރު (chaajaru) ޖެއްސީމަ ވެސް (ves) ނުޖެއްސޭ (nujessey) | noon, chaajaru jesseema ves nujessey | No, it does not switch on even with the charger. |
| ދައްކަބަލަ. ސްކްރީނު (skreenu) ހަލާކުވެފައި (halaakuvefai) | dhakkabala. skreenu halaakuvefai | Let me have a look. The screen is broken. |
| މަރާމާތު (maraamaathu) ކުރެވިދާނެތަ (kurevidhaanetha)؟ | maraamaathu kurevidhaanetha? | Can it be repaired? |
| ކުރެވިދާނެ. އެކަމަކު (ekamaku) ސްކްރީނު (skreenu) ބަދަލުކުރަން (badhalukuran) ޖެހޭ (jehey) | kurevidhaane. ekamaku skreenu badhalukuran jehey | It can. But the screen will have to be replaced. |
| ކިހާ ވަގުތެއް ނަގާނެ؟ (kihaa vagutheh nagaane) | kihaa vagutheh nagaane? | How much time will it take? |
| ދެ ދުވަސް (dhuvas). ނިމުނީމަ ގުޅާނަން (gulhaanan) | dhe dhuvas. nimuneema gulhaanan | Two days. When we finish, I will call. |
How to prepare for a conversation like this
Memorizing the lines is not enough: the other person will say their own thing, not what is written. What helps more is catching the key words by ear and keeping three rescue phrases ready: “I don't understand”, “repeat, please”, “slower”.
And one more thing phrasebooks do not mention: awkwardness gets in the way more than not knowing the words.
- Fear of making mistakes gets in the way of learning a language, and noticeably so. The link turns up study after study, and together those studies cover almost twenty thousand people.checked many timesTeimouri, Goetze & Plonsky, 2019, Studies in Second Language Acquisition 41(2) · 19,933 participants from 23 countries; correlation with results r = −0.36.
- That fear can be dealt with — the methods have been tested and they work.checked many timesXiong et al., 2024, Journal of Language and Social Psychology · 37 studies, anxiety reduced by −0.61. Of the seven conditions examined, only age turned out to matter.
Frequently asked
How do you start a conversation in Maldivian in this situation?
“ސަލާމް (salaam)، އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ފޯނު (foanu) ނުޖެއްސޭ” (nujessey) (salaam, aharenge foanu nujessey) — Hello, my phone does not switch on. The first line in such a conversation is almost always the same, and that is the one worth learning: the other person will carry it from there.
What if you did not understand the reply?
Say “I don't understand” and “repeat, please” — both are in the rescue set. Admitting your language is still shaky almost always makes the other person more patient.
Should you memorize the dialogue?
No. It is more useful to catch the key words by ear: the other person will say their own thing, and a memorized line will not always fit their reply.