Time, days and hours in Maldivian
160 words Maldivian words on the topic “time, days and hours”: މިއަދު — today, މާދަމާ — tomorrow, އިއްޔެ — yesterday, ހެނދުނު — morning. 160 words can be played from recordings.
160 words on the topic
- މިއަދުmiadhutodayMi, 'this', plus adhu, 'day'. By the same pattern you get 'this year'
- މާދަމާmaadhamaatomorrowThe day after tomorrow is described: 'not tomorrow but the next day'
- އިއްޔެiyyeyesterdayThe day before yesterday is a separate word of its own
- ހެނދުނުhendhunumorningThe bare n without a vowel before dh is the standard spelling of prenasalization, not a dropped letter
- ހަވީރުhaveerueveningThe evening before sunset — roughly from three to maghrib. After sunset reygandu begins, and that is already 'night'
- ރޭގަނޑުreygandunightRey, 'night', plus gandu. Night starts with sunset; before it is haveeru
- ގަޑިgadihour; clockThe unit of time, the watch on your wrist, and the 'time' in kon gadigai?, 'at what time?'
- ކޮންއިރަކުން އަންނާނީ؟konirakun annaanee?when will you come?Kon is 'which', iru is 'time', -in means 'from, at' — literally 'from what time will you come'
- ދުވާލަކު ދެ ފަހަރުdhuvaalaku dhe faharutwice a dayDhuvaalaku is 'per day', faharu is 'an occasion'. Occasions are counted with the same 'two' as things
- ކެއުމަށްފަހުkeumahfahuafter mealsKeumah is 'food' (from 'eat'), plus 'after'. Fahu is the same root as 'later' from unit one
- ޑޮކްޓަރަށް ދައްކާ ގަޑިdoktarah dhakkaa gadidoctor's appointmentLiterally 'the hour of showing oneself to the doctor': the verb is 'to show', gadi is 'hour, time' from unit three
- އިރުirusunBoth sun and time: 'at what time' uses it. One of the most frequent words in the language
- ހޯމަhoamaMondayFrom Sanskrit soma, the Moon — the Moon's day. The weekdays in Dhivehi are the same planets as in European languages
- އަންގާރަangaaraTuesdayMars's day (Sanskrit angaaraka). The week words came through Sinhala, not from Arabic
- ބުދަbudhaWednesdayMercury's day. A short two-syllable word, easy to mix up with the word for 'idol'
- ބުރާސްފަތިburaasfathiThursdayFour syllables, even stress: bu-raas-fa-thi
- ހުކުރުhukuruFridayThe only day with an Arabic name: jumua, the day of common prayer. Friday in the Maldives is a day off
- ހޮނިހިރުhonihiruSaturdaySaturn's day. Together with Friday it forms the Maldivian weekend
- އާދިއްތަaadhiththaSundayLong aa at the start and a doubled t in the middle
- ބަންދު ދުވަސްbandhu dhuvasday offThe familiar bandhu, 'closed', plus dhuvas, 'day' — literally 'a closed day'
- މަސްދުވަސްmasdhuvasmonthA month as a span. Mas alone is both 'month' and 'fish' from unit two, so dhuvas is added for the span
- ޖެނުއަރީjenuareeJanuaryEnglish January. All the months in Dhivehi are European; alongside lives the lunar calendar with Arabic names
- ޖުލައިjulaiJulyEnglish July. The middle of the rainy season
- ތާރީހުthaareehudateArabic taareekh — both 'date' and 'history'. Newspapers spell it through the Arabic letter, school writing through the plain h
- ހުސްhusfree (not busy)The core meaning is 'empty': an empty bottle wears it. About a person — 'free, unoccupied'
- ކޮން ގަޑިއެއްގައި؟kon gadiehgai?at what time?Literally 'at which hour'. Gadi from unit three plus the locative ending
- މާދަމާ ހިނގާmaadhamaa hingaalet's do tomorrowHingaa is 'let's go, come on' — an invitation to any shared doing. Maadhamaa is 'tomorrow' from unit four
- އަހަރެން ލަސްވެއްޖެaharen lasvejjeI'm running lateLas is 'late, slow'. The ending says it has already happened: 'I've already run late'
- މާ ލަސްވެއްޖެmaa lasvejjeit's already lateMaa is 'too', as in 'too expensive'. Literally 'it has become too late'
- މަސައްކަތު ދުވަސްmasakkathu dhuvasthe workdayMasakkathu, 'work', from unit four, plus dhuvas, 'day'
- ހެނދުނުގެ ސައިhendhunuge saibreakfastLiterally 'morning tea': there is no separate word for breakfast in Dhivehi. The -ge ending is the same possessive as in 'my'. Later it appears whole in 'breakfast is included'
- މެންދުރު ކެއުންmendhuru keunlunchMendhuru is 'noon', keun is 'eating'. Like breakfast, lunch has no one-word name
- ރޭގަނޑުގެ ކެއުންreyganduge keundinnerThe same join as lunch, with reygandu, the night. From it will grow the phrase 'to cook dinner'
- ފުރަތަމަfurathamafirstlyBoth 'at first' and 'first': 'the first lesson'. As an adverb it opens the part.
- ފަހުންfahunthenThe same fahun the first unit says goodbye with, 'see you later': literally it means 'later'. Alone it opens the part; with a noun ahead it becomes a postposition.
- އޭގެ ފަހުންeyge fahunafter thatLiterally 'after that'. Eyge points to what is already named, so the phrase continues the story rather than opening it.
- އެންމެ ފަހުންemme fahunfinallyLiterally 'the very latest'. The same emme as in the superlative: the last place in the row is 'finally'.
- އެ ދަނޑިވަޅުގައިe dhandivalhugaiat the time whenDhandivalhu is 'the moment, the time'. The phrase points to a time already named; sameness of time inside one phrase is done with a verb tail.
- އެއްފަހަރާehfaharaaat the same timeHere the doubled sign gives a breath, not a doubling: eh-fa-ha-RAA
- ކުރިންkurinbeforeIt stands AFTER what it is before: 'to go, before'. The sub-clause verb turns into an action name, and only then comes kurin.
- އަށްފަހުahfahuonceWritten as one with the action name: 'after eating'. Like the other links it trails behind — the pivot conjunction leads, the Dhivehi postposition follows.
- ވުމާއެކުvumaaekuas soon asLiterally 'together with the completion'. It clings behind the verb of the sub-clause: 'as soon as it finishes'.
- އޭރުއްސުރެeyrussuresince thenLiterally 'from that time'. It opens the part and demands the past in it.
- އަބަދުabadhualwaysIt stands before the verb. The strengthened form is heard more often and means 'always and always'.
- ގިނަފަހަރުginafaharuoftenLiterally 'many times': 'many' plus 'time'. All the frequency adverbs of Dhivehi are built this way.
- މަދުފަހަރުmadhufaharurarelyThe pair to 'often': 'few' plus 'time'. It stands before the verb, like all time adverbs.
- ބައެއްފަހަރުbaehfaharusometimes'Some', Unit 20, plus 'times': 'in some of the times'.
- ދުވަހަކުވެސްdhuvahakuvesneverLiterally 'even in one day'. By itself it does not negate: the verb MUST carry the negative prefix, or the phrase means 'someday'.
- އާންމުކޮށްaanmukohusuallyThe n before the m hums: AAM-mu-koh
- ގިނައިރުginairufor a long timeLiterally 'much time': 'much' plus 'hour, time'. The same gina serves as the 'when' ending on verbs.
- ކޮންމެ ފަހަރަކުkomme faharakuevery time'Each' demands a noun with a tail after it, as in 'every day'.
- ދޭތެރެ ދޭތެރެއިންdheythere dheythereinfrom time to timeDoubling the word for 'gap' gives 'with gaps'. Repetition is the usual Dhivehi way to say 'irregularly'.
- މިހާތަނަށްmihaathanahso farLiterally 'up to this place'. This is 'so far' about the past, with a past verb. 'Still' about the present is another word with another tense.
- ކުއްލިއަކަށްkulliakahsuddenlyThe doubled l: kul-li-a-KAH
- ކުރިއާލައިkuriaalaiin advanceLiterally 'having put ahead': 'before' plus 'having put'. It stands before the verb, usually with booking or paying.
- ގަޑިއަށްgadiahon timeLiterally 'to the hour': 'hour, appointed time' with a tail. Being late is 'missing the hour'.
- ލަސްނުކޮށްlasnukohurgentlyLiterally 'without lingering': the negative prefix sits inside the word. No separate 'urgent' exists in Dhivehi.
- ވަގުތުންvaguthunright awayThe tail on 'time' gives 'from this very time'. The doubled word means 'this very second'.
- މަޑުމަޑުންmadumadungraduallyThe same word as 'slowly', Unit 1: the doubled 'quiet' plus a tail. Speed or gradualness — only the verb next to it says.
- އެންމެ ފަހު ވަގުތުemme fahu vaguthuat the last momentLiterally 'the very latest time'. The same emme as in 'finally', only with the noun 'time'.
- އަވަހަށް ނުވަތަ ފަހުންavahah nuvatha fahunsooner or laterLiterally 'early or later'. The word for 'or' stands between two equal parts, a rare case of matching order.
- އެއް ދުވަހަކުeh dhuvahakuone dayLiterally 'on one day'. This is how stories about the past begin; fairy tales begin differently.
- ކުޑައިރުkudairuin childhoodLiterally 'in the small time': 'small' plus 'moment, time'. Here the sun word is not the sun but its time homonym.
- އޭރުގެ ދުވަސްވަރުeyruge dhuvasvaruin those days'Then', the pair to 'now'. The tail adds extent: not that day but that era.
- އެއީ ވަރަށް ކުރީގެ ކަމެއްeee varah kureege kamehthat was long agoLiterally 'this matter is very early': 'former' plus 'matter'. There is no past tense in the phrase at all — the word 'former' carries it.
- ފުރަތަމަ ފަހަރުfurathama faharuthe first timeFaharu is the counting word for times; 'the second time' builds the same way.
- މުސްތަގުބަލްmusthagubalthe futureArabic in root and bookish. In talk people more often say 'what lies ahead'.
- މާޒީmaazeethe pastThe pair to the future, also Arabic and bookish. The grammatical past tense is named with this same word.
- ކުރިއަށް އޮތް ރޭވުންތައްkuriah oiy reyvunthahupcoming plansLiterally 'plans that lie ahead': 'plan', known from 'backup plan', the fifth wave, with a plural tail.
- އަހަރެއް ފަހުންahareh fahunin a yearLiterally 'after a year': the 'after' word stands behind the term, as in 'in two days', the third wave.
- ދާއިމީ ގޮތެއްގައިdhaaimee gothehgaiconstantlyLiterally 'on a permanent basis'. Not the same as 'always': that one is about frequency, this one about an arrangement made for good.
- ވަގުތީ ގޮތެއްގައިvaguthee gothehgaitemporarilyThe pair to it: 'temporary', from 'moment, time'.
- ފަސޭހަ ގަޑިއެއްfaseyha gadieha convenient timeLiterally 'an easy hour': no separate word for 'convenient' exists — the convenient is what creates no difficulty.
- ގަޑިއެއް ކަނޑައެޅުންgadieh kandaelhunto set a timeKandaelhun is 'to determine, to fix', literally 'having cut off, having put'. An official word: rules and deadlines are set the same way.
- މެންދުރު ފަހުmendhuru fahuin the afternoonLiterally 'after midday': 'noon' plus 'after'. The Maldivian day is divided by prayers, and this border is the most visible.
- ހަވީރާ ކައިރިވީމަhaveeraa kairiveematoward eveningLiterally 'when it draws near evening': the time between noon and sunset, from the basic course. The tail means 'when'.
- ކޮންމެ ގަޑިއެއްގައި ވެސްkonme gadiehgai vesat any timeThe same 'every' frame as in 'better every time': without the final word the phrase would mean 'at every hour', not 'at any'.
- ފަހެއް ޖެހުމުގެ ކުރިން ނޫންfaheh jehumuge kurin noonnot before fiveAbout a clock, the striking word means 'to strike': 'five has struck'. The negation stands at the very end, as every predicate in Dhivehi does.
- ގަޑިއަށް އަންނާނަންgadiah annaananI will be on time'On time', the fifth wave, plus the future. To be late is 'to miss the hour'.
- ވަގުތަށް ނިންމަނީvaguthah ninmaneeto be in timeLiterally 'finishes by the time'. There is no verb 'to make it': people say this, or 'did not arrive late'.
- ބްރޭކުbreykubreakEnglish 'break'. The same word as the car's 'brake', Unit 35: only the phrase tells the senses apart.
- ޑެލިވަރީ މުއްދަތުdelivaree muddhathudelivery timeMuddhathu is 'term', from Arabic — the same as in Unit 24.
- ވަންދެންvandhenuntilIt stands AFTER the verb it belongs to, and without a negation: literally 'until the coming'.
- ގަރުނުgarunucenturyArabic — a bookish word for a date. 'A hundred years' in the course stands in the everyday phrase, and it is the same span: the difference is register, not sense. A century as an 'epoch' is another word.
- ޒަމާންzamaaneraArabic for 'time, season'. From it come 'modern' and 'nowadays'.
- ދިހަ އަހަރުdhiha aharudecadeThere is no separate word for it in Dhivehi: people simply say 'ten years'. The same goes for 'a century' in talk.
- ދައުރުdhauruperiodArabic. A word about a period in general and about a term of office alike.
- ހިނދުކޮޅުhindhukolhuinstant'Moment' plus 'a little piece'. Literally 'a piece of a moment'.
- ދިގުދެމިގެންދާdhigudhemigendhaaprolongedLiterally 'long-drawn': 'long' plus 'to drag'. No separate adjective exists.
- ދާދި ފަހުންdhaadhi fahunthe other day'Quite, right up close'. The turn looks backward: 'quite recently', not forward.
- މިޒަމާނުގައިmizamaanugainowadaysLiterally 'in this time': 'this' plus 'time'. One word instead of the pivot's three.
- ޒަމާނުއްސުރެzamaanussuresince time immemorialThe time word plus 'starting from'. An old and bookish turn, but alive in talk about traditions.
- މިނެޓުކޮޅެއްގެ ތެރޭގައިminetukolhehge thereygaiin a matter of minutesLiterally 'inside a little piece of minutes'. The tail shrinks: the same form gives 'a good long while' from 'day'.
- ޒަމާނީzamaaneemodernFrom the era word with the tail that turns a noun into a trait: the same shift as in other pairs.
- ގަދީމީgadheemeeage-oldArabic. A word about times, not about things: an old thing gets another word.
- އިހުގެ ދުވަސްތައްihuge dhuvasthahdays gone by'Former, of old'. The turn 'former days' stands where the pivot puts the abstract 'the past as such'.
- މަދުމަދުންmadhumadhunonce in a whileThe doubled 'little' plus a tail. The same pattern as in the other frequency words.
- ކޮންމެ ދުވަހަކުkomme dhuvahakudaily'Every'. By this pattern the 'every year' and 'every time' phrases are built.
- ގަވާއިދުންgavaaidhunregularlyFrom 'rule, order'. Literally 'by the rule', that is, 'as it is established'.
- ފުރަތަމަ ފަހަރަށްfurathama faharahfor the first timeLiterally 'on the first time'. The course already gives 'the first time' as a noun; here the dative turns it into an adverb.
- އަލުންalunanewFrom 'new'. The adverb stands before the verb.
- ދުވަހެއް ދުވަހަކަށް ގިނައިންdhuvaheh dhuvahakah ginainmore and more oftenLiterally 'from day to day more often'. A turn with a repeated noun is the usual Dhivehi way to show growth.
- ހަފުތާ ދުވަސްތަކުގައިhafuthaa dhuvasthakugaion weekdaysLiterally 'on the days of the week'. The weekend here is Friday and Saturday, so 'weekdays' run from Sunday to Thursday.
- ފަހަރަކު ދޫކޮށްފައިfaharaku dhookohfaievery other timeLiterally 'skipping one time at a time'. No separate adverb exists.
- އަހަރަކު އެއްފަހަރުaharaku ehfaharuonce a yearLiterally 'in a year, one time'. By this pattern 'once a week' and 'once a month' are built.
- އިރުއިރުކޮޅާiruirukolhaaall the timeLiterally 'every little minute': the short-time word doubled gives frequency. The course already gives 'from time to time' — this word is about the more frequent.
- އެހެންހުއްޓާehenhuttaameanwhileLiterally 'while it stood so'. The turn introduces a second action that happened against the background of the first.
- އެއްވަގުތެއްގައިehvaguthehgaiin parallelLiterally 'in one time'. There is no strict 'parallel' in Dhivehi; the course already gives 'at the same time', and the difference is only that this is about two ongoing affairs.
- އެ ވަގުތާ ހަމައަށްe vaguthaa hamaahuntil thenThe 'up to' word. The same turn in Unit 52 gave 'accurate to'.
- ފަހުގެ ދުވަސްތަކުގައިfahuge dhuvasthakugaiafterwardsLiterally 'in the following days'. No separate adverb exists; in talk people simply say 'later'.
- ކުރީ ދުވަހުkuree dhuvahuthe day beforeLiterally 'on the previous day'. The pivot's 'on the eve' without naming the event Dhivehi does not convey: a day is needed.
- ކުރިއަށް އޮތްތަނުގައިkuriah oiythanugaidown the lineLiterally 'in what lies ahead'. Dhivehi here thinks of time as space, as in other phrases.
- މި ފަހަރުmi faharuthis time'This' plus 'time'. The pivot preposition is not needed at all here.
- ވަގުތުން ވަގުތަށްvaguthun vaguthahon scheduleLiterally 'from time to time', that is, exactly at the term. The repeated noun in two cases is a set Dhivehi figure.
- ފަހުން ތާރީޚު ޖަހައިގެންfahun thaareekhu jahaigenretroactivelyLiterally 'having put the date later'. A clerical but clear turn: the date word means both a date and history.
- ލަސްކުރުމެއް ނެތިlaskurumeh nethiwithout delayLiterally 'without any postponing'. The short word the course already gives as 'urgently'; this turn is longer and bookier, but it lands exactly on the pivot.
- ދުވަސްdhuvasdayThe day as a counting unit: 'three days'. The daylight hours are a separate word; dhuvas also means 'a season, a term'
- ފެބްރުއަރީfebruareeFebruaryThe second month. The first one, January, opens the row back in unit eight
- މާރިޗުmaarichuMarchThe one month Dhivehi did not take straight from the English ear but reshaped its own way, with a ch in place of the cluster
- އޭޕްރީލްeypreelAprilThe end of the dry season: the wind turns, and the southwest monsoon begins
- މޭmeyMayThe shortest month name — two letters. Written just like the word for 'chest' from unit thirty
- ޖޫންjoonJuneThe height of the rainy season. The month after it, July, the course brought in back in unit eight
- އޯގަސްޓުoagastuAugustThe eighth month, after July from unit eight. English August written in Thaana: a long opening vowel and the little tail vowel at the end
- ސެޕްޓެމްބަރުseptembaruSeptemberThe last four months of the year all end in the same -bar tail: September, October, November, December
- އޮކްޓޯބަރުoktoabaruOctoberThe kt cluster in the middle is unusual for Dhivehi, and speech softens it a little
- ނޮވެމްބަރުnovembaruNovemberThe start of the northeast monsoon, the calmest time on the water
- ޑިސެމްބަރުdisembaruDecemberThe last month of the year; the row closes with January from unit eight
- އަހަރުaharuyearFrom it come 'this year' and 'in a year'. Don't confuse it with aharen, 'I': different words that merely look alike
- ސައުވީސް ގަޑިއިރުsauvees gadiirutwenty-four hoursDhivehi has no single word for the whole day-night: people say 'twenty-four hours'. Gadiiru is precisely the hour as a stretch, unlike gadi, the clock on the wall
- ސަތޭކަ އަހަރުsatheyka aharua hundred yearsLiterally 'hundred years'. The bookish word for 'century' arrives in a later unit; in speech people count years
- މިނިޓުminituminuteEnglish minute. The indefinite form adds a little tail: 'a minute or so'
- ސިކުންތުsikunthua second (time)From Arabic thaniya — one of the few time words that didn't come from English
- ބައި ގަޑިއިރުbai gadiiruhalf an hourBai is 'part, half', gadiiru is 'hour'. The same bai builds 'an hour and a half'
- މެންދުރުmendhurunoonMedhu, 'middle', plus duvaru, 'day': the middle of the day. The bare n here is prenasalization, not a typo. From it also comes 'lunch'
- މެންދަމުmendhamumidnightPartner to noon: the middle of the night. The bare n again before dh
- މިހާރުmihaarunowMi, 'this', plus haaru, 'a time'. Stands before the predicate, like all time adverbs
- މުއްދަތުmuddhathutime limitArabic mudda — a stretch of time allotted to something. It lives in a dozen compounds: the term of a visa, the term of a loan
- ދެން އޮތްdhen oiynextLiterally 'lying further'. dhen on its own means 'then'
- ވޭތުވެދިޔަveythuvedhiyalast, pastLiterally 'passed and gone' — two verbs fused into one word. Bookish, but routine in dates
- ލަސްވަނީlasvaneeto be lateFrom las, 'late', plus vanee, 'to become' — literally 'become late'
- ވަގުތަށް ދެވެނީvagthah dheveneeto make it in timeLiterally 'it reaches to the time'. There is no separate word for 'make it'
- އަލުންalunagainFrom alu, 'new' — literally 'anew'
- އަވަހަށްavahahsoonFrom avas, 'fast', with a dative tail. Both 'soon' and 'a bit faster'
- ކުރިންkurinlong agoThe same word as 'already' and 'before'. With a boost it means 'ages ago'
- ދާދި ފަހުންdhaadhi fahunrecentlyLiterally 'quite after'. Fahun is 'later, after', dhaadhi presses the closeness
- ލަހުންlahunlateFrom las, 'late'. From the same root comes 'to be late'
- އަވަހުންavahunearlyTrap: the same root as 'soon'. Dhivehi doesn't split 'early' and 'fast' as sharply as English
- އަވަހަށް ބާރަށްavahah baarahquicklyBaarah means 'with force, strongly'. Together they give 'fast', about speech and movement
- ދެންމެdhenmejust nowFrom dhen, 'then', and me, an intensifier — literally 'right this instant'
- ހެނދުނުގައިhendhunugaiin the morningThe noun hendhunu (morning) plus the locative tail -gai. The bare noun is used too, but then you can't tell it from the noun
- ދުވާލުގައިdhuvaalugaiin the daytimedhuvaalu is the whole light part of the day, not noon: noon is a separate word, mendhuru
- ހަވީރުގައިhaveerugaiin the eveninghaveeru is the stretch from about four to sunset, when the island comes outdoors; after sunset people say reygandu
- ރޭގަނޑުގައިreygandugaiat nightThe noun reygandu with the same locative tail. Polite speech prefers the fuller 'at night-time' phrasing
- ކޮންމެ ދުވަހަކުވެސްkonme dhuvahakuvesevery dayHere ves is not 'too' but an intensifier: every single day, no exceptions
- ދުވާލު ހަތަރުދަންdhuvaalu hatharudhanall day longLiterally 'a day in four shifts' — a set phrase; reygandu hatharudhan means 'all night' the same way
- ވަގުތުކޮޅުvaguthukolhumomentThe diminutive tail -kolhu turns vaguthu, 'time', into a short stretch. In speech it almost always carries the indefinite ending
- ފާރުގަޑިfaarugadiclock (the device)One word, gadi, means both 'hour' and 'clock', so the device is specified by place: faaru is 'wall', athukuree is 'wrist'
- ގަޑިން ކިހާއިރެއް؟gadin kihaaireh?what time is it?The ؟ sign is mirrored: the script runs right to left. Politely you add the particle -thoa
- ކޮންމެވެސް ދުވަހަކުންkonmeves dhuvahakunsomedayLiterally 'on some day or other'. Future and past share the same phrase — the verb carries the time
- ދެ ފަހަރުdhe faharutwiceIt counts repetitions, not people: faharu is 'an occasion'. The course knows 'twice a day'; 'one occasion' means 'once'
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.
- މިއަދު މަސައްކަތްmiadhu masakkaiyToday there is work
- މާދަމާ ރަށަށް ދަނީmaadhamaa rashah dhaneeTomorrow I'm going to the island
- އިއްޔެ ވާރޭ ވެހުނުiyye vaarey vehunuYesterday it rained
- ހެނދުނު ފެރީ ފުރާhendhunu feree furaaIn the morning the ferry departs
- ހަވީރު ކަނޑު ފިނިhaveeru kandu finiIn the evening the sea is cool
- ރޭގަނޑު ފިހާރަ ބަންދުreygandu fihaara bandhuAt night the shop is closed
What is worth knowing about these words
މިއަދު (miadhu) — today. Mi, 'this', plus adhu, 'day'. By the same pattern you get 'this year'
މާދަމާ (maadhamaa) — tomorrow. The day after tomorrow is described: 'not tomorrow but the next day'
އިއްޔެ (iyye) — yesterday. The day before yesterday is a separate word of its own
ހެނދުނު (hendhunu) — morning. The bare n without a vowel before dh is the standard spelling of prenasalization, not a dropped letter
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 މިއަދު (miadhu) — today.
- What is this word?
It is ކޮންއިރަކުން އަންނާނީ؟ (konirakun annaanee?) — when will you come?.
- What is this word?
It is ބުދަ (budha) — Wednesday.
- What is this word?
It is ޖެނުއަރީ (jenuaree) — January.
- What is this word?
It is މާ ލަސްވެއްޖެ (maa lasvejje) — it's already late.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “today” in Maldivian?
Mi, 'this', plus adhu, 'day'. By the same pattern you get 'this year'
- How do you say “when will you come?” in Maldivian?
Kon is 'which', iru is 'time', -in means 'from, at' — literally 'from what time will you come'
- How do you say “Wednesday” in Maldivian?
Mercury's day. A short two-syllable word, easy to mix up with the word for 'idol'
- How do you say “January” in Maldivian?
English January. All the months in Dhivehi are European; alongside lives the lunar calendar with Arabic names
- How do you say “it's already late” in Maldivian?
Maa is 'too', as in 'too expensive'. Literally 'it has become too late'
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
Today, tomorrow, in the morning, at six. You cannot arrange to meet without these — let alone understand the answer.
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 “today” in Maldivian?
«މިއަދު», read “miadhu”. Mi, 'this', plus adhu, 'day'. By the same pattern you get 'this year'. It is one of 160 words in the set “time, days and hours” — the rest are in the table above.
How many time words do you need to start?
A dozen is enough. The set of 160 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, 160 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.