LingoflyThe job interview in Maldivian
An interview at a small Maldivian firm: what one did before, what one can do and when one can start in Maldivian. 8 phrases that the conversation is made of: «ވަދޭ (vadhey)، އިށީނދޭ (ishiendhey). ކުރިން (kurin) ކޮން (kon) މަސައްކަތެއް (masakkatheh)؟» — Come in, sit down. What did you do before?; «ހަތް (haiy) އަހަރު (aharu) ކާރުޚާނާގައި (kaarukhaanaagai) މެކޭނިކެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި (gothugai) މަސައްކަތްކުރިން.» — For seven years I worked as a mechanic at a plant. Every line can be played right on the page.
How the whole thing sounds
The situation: an interview at a small Maldivian firm: what one did before, what one can do and when one can start. First the whole conversation, then each line on its own, with a translation.
- ވަދޭ، އިށީނދޭ. ކުރިން ކޮން މަސައްކަތެއް؟vadhey, isheendhey. kurin kon masakkatheh?Come in, sit down. What did you do before?
- އުފެއްދުން ކުޑަކުރި، ގިނަ ބަޔަކަށް ވަޒީފާ ނެތުން ދިމާވި.ufeddhun kudakuri, gina bayakah vazeefaa nethun dhimaaviProduction was cut, and many were left without work.
- dheyhavejje. mithaa dhe shiftu, breyku bai gadiiruI see. We have two shifts, the break is half an hour.
- ރަނގަޅު. މުސާރައާއި އެޑްވާންސްގެ ވާހަކަ އަހާލެވިދާނެތަ؟rangalhu. musaaraaai edvaansge vaahaka ahaalevidhaanetha?Good. May I ask about the salary and the advance?
- އެންމެ ކުޑަ މުސާރައަށްވުރެ ބޮޑު، އެޑްވާންސް ދެނީ ފަނަރައިގައި.enme kuda musaaraahvure bodu, edvaans dhenee fanaraigaiAbove the minimum wage; the advance is given on the fifteenth.
- ކޮން އިރަކުން ފެށޭނީ؟ ކޮން ލިޔުމެއް ގެންނަން ޖެހޭނީ؟kon irakun fesheynee? kon liyumeh gennan jeheynee?When can you start, and which papers should you bring?
Lines one by one
| Maldivian | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| ވަދޭ (vadhey)، އިށީނދޭ (ishiendhey). ކުރިން (kurin) ކޮން (kon) މަސައްކަތެއް (masakkatheh)؟ | vadhey, isheendhey. kurin kon masakkatheh? | Come in, sit down. What did you do before? |
| ހަތް (haiy) އަހަރު (aharu) ކާރުޚާނާގައި (kaarukhaanaagai) މެކޭނިކެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި (gothugai) މަސައްކަތްކުރިން. | haiy aharu kaarukhaanaagai mekeynikehge gothugai masakkaiykurin | For seven years I worked as a mechanic at a plant. |
| ދެން (dhen) ކީއްވެ (keevve) ދޫކޮށްލީ (dhookohlee)؟ ކާރުޚާނާ (kaarukhaanaa) އަދިވެސް (adhives) ހިނގާ (hingaa). | dhen keevve dhookohlee? kaarukhaanaa adhives hingaa | And why did you leave? The plant still works. |
| އުފެއްދުން (ufeddhun) ކުޑަކުރި (kudakuri)، ގިނަ (gina) ބަޔަކަށް ވަޒީފާ ނެތުން (vazeefaa nethun) ދިމާވި (dhimaavi). | ufeddhun kudakuri, gina bayakah vazeefaa nethun dhimaavi | Production was cut, and many were left without work. |
| ދޭހަވެއްޖެ (dheyhavejje). މިތާ (mithaa) ދެ ޝިފްޓު (shiftu)، ބްރޭކު ބައި ގަޑިއިރު (breyku bai gadiiru). | dheyhavejje. mithaa dhe shiftu, breyku bai gadiiru | I see. We have two shifts, the break is half an hour. |
| ރަނގަޅު (rangalhu). މުސާރައާއި އެޑްވާންސްގެ ވާހަކަ (vaahaka) އަހާލެވިދާނެތަ؟ | rangalhu. musaaraaai edvaansge vaahaka ahaalevidhaanetha? | Good. May I ask about the salary and the advance? |
| އެންމެ (enme) ކުޑަ (kuda) މުސާރައަށްވުރެ ބޮޑު (bodu)، އެޑްވާންސް (edvaans) ދެނީ (dhenee) ފަނަރައިގައި. | enme kuda musaaraahvure bodu, edvaans dhenee fanaraigai | Above the minimum wage; the advance is given on the fifteenth. |
| ކޮން އިރަކުން (kon irakun) ފެށޭނީ؟ ކޮން (kon) ލިޔުމެއް (liyumeh) ގެންނަން (gennan) ޖެހޭނީ؟ | kon irakun fesheynee? kon liyumeh gennan jeheynee? | When can you start, and which papers should you bring? |
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?
“ވަދޭ (vadhey)، އިށީނދޭ (ishiendhey). ކުރިން (kurin) ކޮން (kon) މަސައްކަތެއް (masakkatheh)؟” (vadhey, isheendhey. kurin kon masakkatheh?) — Come in, sit down. What did you do before? 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.