Texts in Maldivian
Short texts in Maldivian with a translation alongside and comprehension questions, levels A1–B1. The first ones need two or three hundred everyday words; the B1 texts need about three thousand. The translation stands next to it whole, not word by word: stopping at every other word tears the sentence apart.
All texts
- ހެނދުނު (hendhunu)📖ހެނދުނު (hendhunu)A1 · Hello. My name is Sara. I live in Malé. In the morning I drink tea and eat roshi. Then I…
- ރަށަށް (rashah) ދަތުރު (dhathuru)📖ރަށަށް (rashah) ދަތުރު (dhathuru)A2 · Tomorrow we are going to an island. The ferry is in the morning at seven. The ferry is…
- 📖މާރުކޭޓުގައި (maarukeytugai)A2 · In the morning I go to the market. The fish is very fresh. A kilo is forty rufiyaa. I…
- އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ކޮޓަރި (kotari)📖އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ކޮޓަރި (kotari)A2 · My room is on the third floor. The lift does not work, I go up by the stairs. In the room…
- ޑޮކްޓަރަށް ދެއްކުން (doktarah dhekkun)📖ޑޮކްޓަރަށް ދެއްކުން (doktarah dhekkun)A2 · Yesterday my head ached, and there was a temperature too. I went to the hospital. The…
- ހުޅަނގު މޫސުން (hulhangu moosun)📖ހުޅަނގު މޫސުން (hulhangu moosun)A2 · In the rainy season it rains every day. Yesterday there was a strong wind, and the ferry…
- 📖އޮފީހުގައި (ofeehugai)A2 · I work in an office. The working day is from eight in the morning to two in the…
- މާލެއަށް (maaleah) ދަތުރެއް (dhathureh)📖މާލެއަށް (maaleah) ދަތުރެއް (dhathureh)A2 · Today I am going to Malé. My baggage is a suitcase and a backpack. The suitcase is very…
- އަހަރެމެންގެ (aharemenge) ރަށް (rah)📖އަހަރެމެންގެ (aharemenge) ރަށް (rah)A2 · On our island there are very many palm trees. In front of the house there is a small…
- އައު (au) ގަމީސް (gamees)📖އައު (au) ގަމީސް (gamees)A2 · Yesterday I went to the shop and bought a shirt. First I tried on a white shirt. It was…
- އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ރައްޓެހި (rattehi)📖އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ރައްޓެހި (rattehi)A2 · My friend is called Ali. He is very cheerful and clever. He is not lazy, he works every…
- 📖ރެސްޓޯރަންޓުގައިA2 · This evening we went to a restaurant. They gave us a table for two. The waiter brought…
- ފޯނު (foanu) ގެއްލުނު (gellunu) ދުވަސް (dhuvas)📖ފޯނު (foanu) ގެއްލުނު (gellunu) ދުވަސް (dhuvas)A2 · Yesterday I lost my phone. In the morning, when I was riding in the bus, it was in the…
- ޕާރުސަލް ފޮނުވުން (paarusal fonuvun)📖ޕާރުސަލް ފޮނުވުން (paarusal fonuvun)A2 · Today I went to the post office. I wanted to send a parcel to my sister, who lives on an…
- ރަށުގެ (rashuge) ފުޓުބޯޅަ (futuboalha) މެޗު (mechu)📖ރަށުގެ (rashuge) ފުޓުބޯޅަ (futuboalha) މެޗު (mechu)A2 · Every year a football tournament is held on the island. This year my older brother played…
- އީދު (eedhu) ދުވަސް (dhuvas)📖އީދު (eedhu) ދުވަސް (dhuvas)A2 · On the feast day everyone went to the mosque in the morning. After the prayer there was a…
- އަހަރެމެންގެ (aharemenge) ގެ📖އަހަރެމެންގެ (aharemenge) ގެA2 · Seven people live in our house. Grandmother, grandfather, the parents, me and two younger…
- ފިލާވަޅު ތާވަލު (filaavalhu thaavalu)📖ފިލާވަޅު ތާވަލު (filaavalhu thaavalu)A2 · My school starts at seven in the morning. The first lesson is mathematics. The second…
- މަހުގެ (mahuge) ބަޖެޓު (bajetu)📖މަހުގެ (mahuge) ބަޖެޓު (bajetu)A2 · Every month I make a budget. The income is twelve thousand rufiyaa a month. Five thousand…
- 📖ހޮސްޕިޓަލުގައި (hospitalugai)A2 · Last week my older brother got into the hospital. A bone in his leg was broken. First at…
- އައު (au) ވަޒީފާ (vazeefaa)📖އައު (au) ވަޒީފާ (vazeefaa)A2 · Last month I got a new job. On the first day I signed the contract. The position is an…
- އައު (au) ގެއަށް (geah)📖އައު (au) ގެއަށް (geah)A2 · Last week we moved to a new house. First they brought the furniture. The sofa was put in…
- މާލޭގެ (maaleyge) މަގުމަތި (magumathi)📖މާލޭގެ (maaleyge) މަގުމަތި (magumathi)A2 · In Malé there are few cars and many motorcycles. The speed limit is twenty five…
- ސޯޝަލް (soashal) މީޑިއާގެ ޚަބަރު (khabaru)📖ސޯޝަލް (soashal) މީޑިއާގެ ޚަބަރު (khabaru)B1 · Now many people read the news on social media. As soon as they see a post, they give it a…
- ފުލުހުންގެ ބަޔާން (bayaan)📖ފުލުހުންގެ ބަޔާން (bayaan)B1 · Last night an incident happened in Malé. Money was stolen from a shop. The police took…
- ޔަގީނެއް (yageeneh) ނޫން (noon)📖ޔަގީނެއް (yageeneh) ނޫން (noon)B1 · My acquaintance said the boat would leave tomorrow. But it seems to me the weather will…
- 📖ދުވަހުގެ (dhuvahuge) ތަރުތީބު (tharutheebu)A2 · First I get up at six in the morning. After that I drink tea and go to the office.…
- އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ރައްޓެހިޔާ (rattehiyaa)📖އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ރައްޓެހިޔާ (rattehiyaa)A2 · My best friend is called Ali. He is of middle height, and his hair is curly. His father's…
- ރުޅި (rulhi) އައި (ai) ދުވަސް (dhuvas)📖ރުޅި (rulhi) އައި (ai) ދުވަސް (dhuvas)A2 · Last week I quarreled with a friend. I was nervous and shouted at him. He took offense…
- ބަރަބޯ (baraboa) ރިހަ (riha)📖ބަރަބޯ (baraboa) ރިހަ (riha)A2 · Today I cooked pumpkin curry. First I cut the onion, the garlic and the pepper. Then I…
- 📖ޝޮޕިން (shopin) ސެންޓަރުގައިA2 · On Saturday we went to the mall. First, in the shop window I saw a shirt. The fabric is…
- ފޯނު (foanu) ހަލާކުވެއްޖެ (halaakuvejje)📖ފޯނު (foanu) ހަލާކުވެއްޖެ (halaakuvejje)A2 · Last week my phone fell. The screen broke, and a crack appeared on the screen. Then the…
- 📖ވިއްސާރަ (vissaara) ދުވަހެއް (dhuvaheh)A2 · Yesterday morning there was fog, and it was overcast. After midday a downpour began.…
- ގޭގެ (geyge) ބަގީޗާ (bageechaa)📖ގޭގެ (geyge) ބަގީޗާ (bageechaa)A2 · In my yard there is a small bed. First I dug the soil and put in fertilizer. Then I sowed…
- މާލޭގެ (maaleyge) ހަނި (hani) ގޯޅިތައް📖މާލޭގެ (maaleyge) ހަނި (hani) ގޯޅިތައްA2 · The streets of Malé are narrow, and there are many lanes. At rush hour it is crowded, and…
- ބަސް (bas) ދަސްކުރުން📖ބަސް (bas) ދަސްކުރުންA2 · About a year ago I signed up for a Divehi course. First I learned the letters, then I…
- އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ދިރިއުޅުން (dhiriulhun)📖އަހަރެންގެ (aharenge) ދިރިއުޅުން (dhiriulhun)A2 · I was born on Addu and spent my childhood on that island. As a child I swam in the lagoon…
- ކާރުޚާނާގައި (kaarukhaanaagai) ފުރަތަމަ ދުވަސް (furathama dhuvas)📖ކާރުޚާނާގައި (kaarukhaanaagai) ފުރަތަމަ ދުވަސް (furathama dhuvas)A2 · The first day at the plant began with safety rules. A guard at the door gave me a pass…
- ނުކީ ޝަރުތު (sharuthu)📖ނުކީ ޝަރުތު (sharuthu)B1 · The internet contract I signed without reading a single clause to the end. I thought the…
- އެންމެން (enmen) އެހީވާ ރަށް (rah)📖އެންމެން (enmen) އެހީވާ ރަށް (rah)B1 · The population of my island is seven hundred people. Every resident is known to all, and…
- ޅެންވެރިޔާގެ މައުރަޒު (maurazu)📖ޅެންވެރިޔާގެ މައުރަޒު (maurazu)B1 · At the exhibition that opened in Malé there were paintings with old boats. The artist is…
- ރަށު (rashu) މުބާރާތް (mubaaraaiy)📖ރަށު (rashu) މުބާރާތް (mubaaraaiy)A2 · On Saturday there was a volleyball competition on the island. Each team first did a…
- މިނާއި ބަރުދަން (barudhan)📖މިނާއި ބަރުދަން (barudhan)A2 · In the island school the science lessons have begun. At the first lesson they taught…
- ސިއްހަތަށް ފަރުވާތެރިވުން (sihhathah faruvaatherivun)📖ސިއްހަތަށް ފަރުވާތެރިވުން (sihhathah faruvaatherivun)B1 · Last month my back began to ache. The doctor did an X-ray and an examination. The…
- ރަށުގެ (rashuge) ޢީދު (eedhu)📖ރަށުގެ (rashuge) ޢީދު (eedhu)A2 · On the feast day the decorating of the house began in the morning. The children hung…
- 📖ދެބަސްވުމަކަށްފަހުB1 · At the meeting everyone spoke out. Some approved the decision, others refused. Those who…
- ފުރުމުގެ ކުރިން (kurin)📖ފުރުމުގެ ކުރިން (kurin)B1 · On Monday I wanted to sail, but the weather spoiled. Most likely, the sea will be rough.…
- ދޯނީގެ (dhoanige) ލޯވަޅު (loavalhu)📖ދޯނީގެ (dhoanige) ލޯވަޅު (loavalhu)A2 · On the outer surface of the boat a small hole was found. The carpenter said the layer had…
- ކުރު (kuru) މަގު (magu)📖ކުރު (kuru) މަގު (magu)B1 · Coming to Malé for the first time, I got lost. To the port I went straight across, but…
- ކްލާހުގެ (klaahuge) ތިންބައިކުޅަ އެއްބައި (thinbaikulha ehbai)📖ކްލާހުގެ (klaahuge) ތިންބައިކުޅަ އެއްބައި (thinbaikulha ehbai)B1 · Today a third of the class did not come. The number of pupils who fell ill is twice as…
- 📖ދިގުލައިގެންދިޔަ ކަމެއް (kameh)B1 · The work of opening a shop I began from zero. The first month everything went smoothly…
- ސައްޙަ (sahha) ނޫން (noon) ޚަބަރެއް (khabareh)📖ސައްޙަ (sahha) ނޫން (noon) ޚަބަރެއް (khabareh)B1 · Last week talks went around the island that the pier is being closed. Many knew this news…
- 📖ގަރުނެއްގެ ތެރޭގައި (thereygai)A2 · The ancestors on this island lived by building boats. From time immemorial carpenters…
- ކުނިކޮށި (kunikoshi) ފުރިއްޖެ (furijje)📖ކުނިކޮށި (kunikoshi) ފުރިއްޖެ (furijje)B1 · When the dump on the island overflowed, the waste began to be thrown into the sea. The…
- 📖ގެ އެޅި (elhi) ދުވަސްތައް (dhuvasthah)B1 · Having received the plot, I fenced the building site and laid the foundation. The walls…
- ކިރިޔާ (kiriyaa) ފެރީއަށް📖ކިރިޔާ (kiriyaa) ފެރީއަށްB1 · Once I came out to the ferry late. Suddenly the motorcycle stalled, and at that moment…
- ބޯހަރު (boaharu) ރައްޓެހި (rattehi)📖ބޯހަރު (boaharu) ރައްޓެހި (rattehi)B1 · A friend of mine is very stubborn, but at the same time just as responsive. Yesterday he…
How to read a text in a language you barely know
First pass — all the way through, without peeking at the translation. The goal is not to understand but to catch familiar words: there will be more of them than you expect, and that feeling matters more than any rule.
Second pass — with the translation beside you. Now it becomes clear what exactly was in the way: an unknown word, a construction you did not get, or just reading speed.
Third pass — all the way through again. The second pass brings noticeably more, and this step is what makes reading useful: it turns analysis into recognition.
Frequently asked
What level do you need to read texts in Maldivian?
A1–B1. For the first texts the letters and two or three hundred everyday words are enough; the B1 texts need about three thousand. The translation sits next to it, so an unknown word does not stop the reading.
How many times should you reread the text?
Three times: without the translation, with it, and without it again. The third pass is what all of this is for — the second time you recognize noticeably more.