LingoflyThe agreement no one read out in Maldivian
A call to the provider: the tariff went up, one wants to end the contract, and a clause about a fine turned up in it in Maldivian. 8 phrases that the conversation is made of: «ސަލާމް (salaam). އިންޓަނެޓު ރޭޓު ބަދަލުވި (intanetu reytu badhaluvi) ސަބަބު (sababu) އެނގިދާނެތަ؟» — Hello. May I find out why the internet tariff changed?; «އެއްބަސްވުމުގެ (ehbasvumuge) މާއްދާގައި އޮވޭ (ovey)، ހަ މަހަށްފަހު ބަދަލުވާނެ ކަމަށް (kamah).» — In a clause of the contract it says that after six months it changes.
How the whole thing sounds
The situation: a call to the provider: the tariff went up, one wants to end the contract, and a clause about a fine turned up in it. First the whole conversation, then each line on its own, with a translation.
- salaam. intanetu reytu badhaluvi sababu engidhaanetha?Hello. May I find out why the internet tariff changed?
- އެއްބަސްވުމުގެ މާއްދާގައި އޮވޭ، ހަ މަހަށްފަހު ބަދަލުވާނެ ކަމަށް.ehbasvumuge maaddhaagai ovey, ha mahahfahu badhaluvaane kamahIn a clause of the contract it says that after six months it changes.
- އަހަރެން އެ މާއްދާ ނުކީން. އެއްބަސްވުން ބާތިލުކުރެވިދާނެތަ؟aharen e maaddhaa nukeen. ehbasvun baathilukurevidhaanetha?I did not read that clause. Can the contract be ended?
- kurevidhaane, ekamaku gaanoonee gothun adhabehge gothugai feeeh dhakkan jeheyIt can, but by law a fine will have to be paid.
- ehenviyyaa e vaahaka liyumun dhevvaa. angabahun nufudheyThen give that to me in writing. Orally it does not count.
Lines one by one
| Maldivian | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ސަލާމް (salaam). އިންޓަނެޓު ރޭޓު ބަދަލުވި (intanetu reytu badhaluvi) ސަބަބު (sababu) އެނގިދާނެތަ؟ | salaam. intanetu reytu badhaluvi sababu engidhaanetha? | Hello. May I find out why the internet tariff changed? |
| އެއްބަސްވުމުގެ (ehbasvumuge) މާއްދާގައި އޮވޭ (ovey)، ހަ މަހަށްފަހު ބަދަލުވާނެ ކަމަށް (kamah). | ehbasvumuge maaddhaagai ovey, ha mahahfahu badhaluvaane kamah | In a clause of the contract it says that after six months it changes. |
| އަހަރެން (aharen) އެ މާއްދާ (maaddhaa) ނުކީން. އެއްބަސްވުން (ehbasvun) ބާތިލުކުރެވިދާނެތަ؟ | aharen e maaddhaa nukeen. ehbasvun baathilukurevidhaanetha? | I did not read that clause. Can the contract be ended? |
| ކުރެވިދާނެ، އެކަމަކު (ekamaku) ގާނޫނީ ގޮތުން (gaanoonee gothun) އަދަބެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި (gothugai) ފީއެއް ދައްކަން (dhakkan) ޖެހޭ (jehey). | kurevidhaane, ekamaku gaanoonee gothun adhabehge gothugai feeeh dhakkan jehey | It can, but by law a fine will have to be paid. |
| އެހެންވިއްޔާ އެ ވާހަކަ (vaahaka) ލިޔުމުން ދެއްވާ (liyumun dhevvaa). އަނގަބަހުން (angabahun) ނުފުދޭ (nufudhey). | ehenviyyaa e vaahaka liyumun dhevvaa. angabahun nufudhey | Then give that to me in writing. Orally it does not count. |
| ރަނގަޅު (rangalhu). މެއިލުން (meilun) ފޮނުވާނަން (fonuvaanan)، އަސްލު (aslu) ލިޔުން (liyun) ފިހާރައިން (fihaarain) ލިބޭނެ (libeyne). | rangalhu. meilun fonuvaanan, aslu liyun fihaarain libeyne | Good. I will send it by mail, and you will get the original at the office. |
| އަދި އެއް (adhi eh) ސުވާލު (suvaalu). ގެއްލުމުގެ (gellumuge) ބަދަލު (badhalu) ދޭން (dheyn) ޖެހޭނެތަ؟ | adhi eh suvaalu. gellumuge badhalu dheyn jeheynetha? | And one more question. Will damages have to be paid? |
| ނޫން (noon). ޝަރުތު (sharuthu) ފުރިހަމަކުރީމަ ގެއްލުމެއް (gellumeh) ނެތް (neiy)، ފީ އެކަނި (ekani). | noon. sharuthu furihamakureema gellumeh neiy, fee ekani | No. If the condition is met, there are no damages — only the fee. |
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). އިންޓަނެޓު ރޭޓު ބަދަލުވި (intanetu reytu badhaluvi) ސަބަބު (sababu) އެނގިދާނެތަ؟” (salaam. intanetu reytu badhaluvi sababu engidhaanetha?) — Hello. May I find out why the internet tariff changed? 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.