Buildings and premises in Maldivian
15 words Maldivian words on the topic “buildings and premises”: ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ — the Maldives, މާލެ — Malé (the capital), ރަށް — island, ސިޓީ — city. 15 words can be played from recordings.
15 words on the topic
- ދިވެހިރާއްޖެdhivehiraajjethe Maldivesdhivehi (Maldivian) plus raajje (kingdom, realm). In speech often just Raajje
- މާލެmaaleMalé (the capital)The capital and the only city in the country. In Latin script it is written Malé, with an accent Thaana doesn't have
- ރަށްrahislandThe key word for a nation of some 1,200 islands
- ސިޓީsiteecityEnglish city, written exactly like the 'letter' from unit ten — two different words sharing one spelling. The country has, in effect, one city: Male City; everything else is a rah
- ކަނޑުkandusea, oceanThe open sea, the ocean, and the channel between atolls. The shallow water inside the reef is falhu; the kandu begins beyond the reef
- ބަސް ޓަރމިނަލްbas tarminalbus terminalLiterally 'bus terminal'. There is no true one in the country: a terminus lot in Hulhumale, and boats carry passengers between islands
- ފާލަންfaalanjettyThe key word of the local road: everything that floats leaves from the faalan. The harbor as a whole is bandharu; the faalan is just the landing stage
- ފައިސާ ބަދަލުކުރާ ތަންfaisaa badhalukuraa thanmoney exchangeLiterally 'the place where money is changed': the verb-plus-than build names nearly every establishment. The action itself the course knows as 'changing money'
- ޒޫzoozooThere is not a single zoo in the Maldives; the word is known from books and trips abroad. It's said just like the English
- ސާކަސްsaakascircusLike zoo, a word with no local footing: no circuses in the country. Guest performers come for festivals, and people call the show 'show'
- އަލިފާން ނިއްވާ މަރުކަޒުalifaan nivvaa marukazufire stationThe same build as the familiar 'firefighter' and 'fireboat'. Markazu is a center — the island health center wears the same word
- ކާރު ދޮންނަ ތަންkaaru dhonna thancar washThe course knows dhonnaa from the washing machine. There are few cars in Malé; a motorbike gets washed more often, and then the word for motorbike steps in
- ޓްރެވަލް އެޖެންސީtrevel ejenseetravel agencyOn the sign it's English wholesale — the country lives on tourism, and such offices stand on every corner of Malé. The native word for tourism stays on paper
- މައި މަގުmai magumain streetMai is 'chief', the same piece as in 'front door'. The course knows bodu magu, 'the main road'; Malé's principal street is Majeedhee magu
- ޓިކެޓު ކައުންޓަރުtiketu kauntaruticket counterNo barred window here — a counter, the same kauntaru the course knows as a shop counter. A shop's till is named differently
How it sounds in a sentence
A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.
- ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ ކުޑަ ގައުމެއްdhivehiraajje kuda gaumehThe Maldives is a small country
- މާލެ ވަރަށް ކުޑަmaale varah kudaMalé is very small
- މި ރަށް ވަރަށް ކުޑަmi rah varah kudaThis island is very small
- މާލެ ސިޓީގައި މީހުން ގިނަmaale siteegai meehun ginaThere are many people in Malé city
- ރަށު ކައިރީ ކަނޑު ވަރަށް ރީތިrashu kairee kandu varah reethiThe sea by the island is very beautiful
- ބަސް ޓަރމިނަލުން ފުރަނީ ދިހައެއްގައިbas tarminalun furanee dhihaeggaiBuses leave the terminal at ten
What is worth knowing about these words
ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ (dhivehiraajje) — the Maldives. dhivehi (Maldivian) plus raajje (kingdom, realm). In speech often just Raajje
މާލެ (maale) — Malé (the capital). The capital and the only city in the country. In Latin script it is written Malé, with an accent Thaana doesn't have
ރަށް (rah) — island. The key word for a nation of some 1,200 islands
ސިޓީ (sitee) — city. English city, written exactly like the 'letter' from unit ten — two different words sharing one spelling. The country has, in effect, one city: Male City; everything else is a rah
Test yourself
First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.
- What is this word?
It is ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ (dhivehiraajje) — the Maldives.
- What is this word?
It is ފައިސާ ބަދަލުކުރާ ތަން (faisaa badhalukuraa than) — money exchange.
- What is this word?
It is ޓިކެޓު ކައުންޓަރު (tiketu kauntaru) — ticket counter.
- What is this word?
It is ފާލަން (faalan) — jetty.
- What is this word?
It is މައި މަގު (mai magu) — main street.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “the Maldives” in Maldivian?
dhivehi (Maldivian) plus raajje (kingdom, realm). In speech often just Raajje
- How do you say “money exchange” in Maldivian?
Literally 'the place where money is changed': the verb-plus-than build names nearly every establishment. The action itself the course knows as 'changing money'
- How do you say “ticket counter” in Maldivian?
No barred window here — a counter, the same kauntaru the course knows as a shop counter. A shop's till is named differently
- How do you say “jetty” in Maldivian?
The key word of the local road: everything that floats leaves from the faalan. The harbor as a whole is bandharu; the faalan is just the landing stage
- How do you say “main street” in Maldivian?
Mai is 'chief', the same piece as in 'front door'. The course knows bodu magu, 'the main road'; Malé's principal street is Majeedhee magu
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Where to go and what is done there. These words are read off a sign more often than they are spoken.
A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.
- Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many timesAdesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
- This holds not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many timesMawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.
Frequently asked
How do you say “the Maldives” in Maldivian?
«ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ», read “dhivehiraajje”. dhivehi (Maldivian) plus raajje (kingdom, realm). In speech often just Raajje. It is one of 15 words in the set “buildings and premises” — the rest are in the table above.
How many words for buildings and places do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 15 words on this page covers nearly every everyday case on the topic — but it is best taken a few at a time, not all at once.
Is there audio?
Yes, 15 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.