ސިކުންތު
“ސިކުންތު” (sikunthu) — a second (time) in Maldivian. Noun, level A1, topic — time, days and hours. From Arabic thaniya — one of the few time words that didn't come from English. In a live sentence: “ފަސް ސިކުންތު ތެރޭގައި” — In five seconds. You can hear how it sounds right here. Written with the characters ސ, ި, ކ, ު, ނ, ް, ތ, ު. One of 160 words in the set “time, days and hours” in the Maldivian course.
In short
| Written in Maldivian | ސިކުންތު |
| Read in Latin letters | sikunthu |
| Translation | a second (time) |
| Part of speech | noun |
| Level | A1 |
- ސިކުންތުsikunthua second (time)
Why it looks that way
From Arabic thaniya — one of the few time words that didn't come from English
A word with a story stays in memory longer than one learned as a “spelling — translation” pair: memory holds on to meaning, not to a string.
In a live sentence
A single word almost never appears alone in conversation. A sentence shows where it fits and what stands next to it.
- ފަސް ސިކުންތު ތެރޭގައިfas sikunthu thereygaiIn five seconds
Nearby words: time, days and hours
Today, tomorrow, in the morning, at six. You cannot arrange to meet without these — let alone understand the answer.
- 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
Test yourself
Five questions from the same set — “time, days and hours”. Recalling a spelling from meaning is harder than knowing a familiar word on sight, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “a second (time)” in Maldivian?
From Arabic thaniya — one of the few time words that didn't come from English
- How do you say “hour; clock” in Maldivian?
The unit of time, the watch on your wrist, and the 'time' in kon gadigai?, 'at what time?'
- How do you say “yesterday” in Maldivian?
The day before yesterday is a separate word of its own
- How do you say “after meals” in Maldivian?
Keumah is 'food' (from 'eat'), plus 'after'. Fahu is the same root as 'later' from unit one
- How do you say “night” in Maldivian?
Rey, 'night', plus gandu. Night starts with sunset; before it is haveeru
How not to forget this word
Reading a word and remembering it are different jobs. A day later, little survives of a single reading — and that is not bad memory, that is how memory works.
- This has been tested on foreign words too. The difference shows up most when you test yourself a few days later rather than straight away.checked many timesKim & Webb, 2022, Language Learning 72(2) · 48 experiments, 3,411 participants, 98 comparisons.
- 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.
- An answer you worked out yourself sticks better than one handed to you.checked many timesBertsch et al., 2007, Memory & Cognition 35(2) · 86 studies, 445 comparisons, d = 0.40.
Frequently asked
How do you say “a second (time)” in Maldivian?
«ސިކުންތު», read “sikunthu”. In a live sentence: “ފަސް ސިކުންތު ތެރޭގައި” — In five seconds. You can hear how it sounds right on this page. Noun, level A1, from the set “time, days and hours”; written with the characters ސ, ި, ކ, ު, ނ, ް, ތ, ު.
How is “ސިކުންތު” written in Latin letters?
sikunthu. This is a practical spelling — you need it to read aloud and be understood, not to meet an academic standard.
Why does this word look the way it does?
From Arabic thaniya — one of the few time words that didn't come from English. A word with a story stays in memory longer than a “spelling — translation” pair: memory holds on to meaning, not to a string.
Can I hear how it sounds?
Yes, right on this page: click the word and it will play. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.