A loan at the bank in Maldivian
A bank branch in Malé: a client asks for a home loan in Maldivian. 8 phrases that the conversation is made of: «އަހަރެން ގެއަށް ލޯނެއް ނަގަން ބޭނުން» — I want to take a loan for a house.; «އާމްދަނީ ކިހާ ވަރެއް؟» — What is your income? Every line can be played right on the page. The conversation is predictable: few lines, and almost all of them repeat from one exchange to the next.
How the whole thing sounds
The situation: a bank branch in malé: a client asks for a home loan. The conversation is short and predictable — which is exactly what makes it good for a first try: few lines, and almost all of them repeat from one exchange to the next.
- އަހަރެން ގެއަށް ލޯނެއް ނަގަން ބޭނުންaharen geah loaneh nagan beynunI want to take a loan for a house.
- އާމްދަނީ ކިހާ ވަރެއް؟aamdhanee kihaa vareh?What is your income?
- މަހަކު ފަނަރަ ހާސް ރުފިޔާmahaku fanara haas rufiyaaFifteen thousand rufiyaa a month.
- ދަރަނި އެބަހުރިތޯ؟dharani ebahurithoa?Any debts?
- ނޫން، ދަރަންޏެއް ނެތްnoon, dharangneh neiyNo, there are no debts.
- އިންޓަރެސްޓު އަހަރަކު އަށް ޕަސެންޓުintarestu aharaku ah pasentuThe interest is eight a year.
- ފައިސާ ދައްކާ ތާރީޚު ކޮން ދުވަހަކު؟faisaa dhakkaa thaareekhu kon dhuvahaku?On which date is the payment?
- ކޮންމެ މަހެއްގެ ފަސްވަނަ ދުވަހު. ދައްކަން ލަސްވެއްޖިއްޔާ ޖޫރިމަނާ ދައްކަން ޖެހޭkomme mahehge fasvana dhuvahu. dhakkan lasvejjiyyaa joorimanaa dhakkan jeheyOn the fifth of every month. If you are late, there will be a fine.
Lines one by one
| Maldivian | Reading | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| އަހަރެން ގެއަށް ލޯނެއް ނަގަން ބޭނުން | aharen geah loaneh nagan beynun | I want to take a loan for a house. |
| އާމްދަނީ ކިހާ ވަރެއް؟ | aamdhanee kihaa vareh? | What is your income? |
| މަހަކު ފަނަރަ ހާސް ރުފިޔާ | mahaku fanara haas rufiyaa | Fifteen thousand rufiyaa a month. |
| ދަރަނި އެބަހުރިތޯ؟ | dharani ebahurithoa? | Any debts? |
| ނޫން، ދަރަންޏެއް ނެތް | noon, dharangneh neiy | No, there are no debts. |
| އިންޓަރެސްޓު އަހަރަކު އަށް ޕަސެންޓު | intarestu aharaku ah pasentu | The interest is eight a year. |
| ފައިސާ ދައްކާ ތާރީޚު ކޮން ދުވަހަކު؟ | faisaa dhakkaa thaareekhu kon dhuvahaku? | On which date is the payment? |
| ކޮންމެ މަހެއްގެ ފަސްވަނަ ދުވަހު. ދައްކަން ލަސްވެއްޖިއްޔާ ޖޫރިމަނާ ދައްކަން ޖެހޭ | komme mahehge fasvana dhuvahu. dhakkan lasvejjiyyaa joorimanaa dhakkan jehey | On the fifth of every month. If you are late, there will be a fine. |
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 it gets in the way badly. It is one of the most reliably measured findings in the entire field.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?
“އަހަރެން ގެއަށް ލޯނެއް ނަގަން ބޭނުން” (aharen geah loaneh nagan beynun) — I want to take a loan for a house.. 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.