LingoflyPolite words in Maldivian
17 words in Maldivian on the topic “polite words”: ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟ (kihinehthoa) — how are you (polite)?, ޝުކުރިއްޔާ (shukuriyyaa) — thank you, މާފުކުރޭ (maafukurey) — excuse me, ތިޔަ ބޭފުޅާ (thiya beyfulhaa) — you (polite). 17 words can be played from recordings.
17 words on the topic
- ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟kihinehthoa?how are you (polite)?The polite upgrade: the particle -thoa raises the register. Among peers people simply say kihineh
- ޝުކުރިއްޔާshukuriyyaathank youFrom the Arabic shukran. There is no shorter native substitute — people say it in full, even for a small favor
- މާފުކުރޭmaafukureyexcuse memaafu is 'forgiveness', kurey is 'make' — literally 'make forgiveness'. It covers sorry as well as excuse me
- ތިޔަ ބޭފުޅާthiya beyfulhaayou (polite)The polite you for one person: beyfulhaa is a respectful 'person'. The safe choice with any stranger
- ބޭނުމެއް ނޫންbeynumeh noonI don't need itFrom beynun, 'want, need', and noon, 'no'. The polite refusal to a street seller
- މިނިޓެއް މަޑުކުރޭminiteh madukureywait a minuteMadukurey is 'hold on, wait', from madu, 'quiet, slow' — the same root as 'slowly'
- ހުރިހާ ކަމެއް ރަނގަޅުhurihaa kameh rangalhuall is wellHurihaa is 'all', kameh is 'a matter' — literally 'all matters are good'
- ހުރިހާ ކަމެއް ބަރާބަރުhurihaa kameh baraabarueverything is fineThe same opening as in 'all is well', but with 'excellent'
- އަހަންނަށް މަޑުކުރޭahannah madukureywait for meThe same 'hold on' as in 'wait a minute', but with 'to me': it's you they're waiting for
- އަނެއްކާ ކިޔައިދެއްވާanekkaa kiyaidhevvaaplease explain againAnekkaa, 'once more', plus the polite form of 'give'. The honorific ending is what makes the request respectful
- ފޯމު ފުރުއްވާfoamu furuvvaaplease fill in the formFoamu is English form, the verb is the polite 'fill in'. The plain 'fill' is shorter
- ލަސްވީތީ މާފުކުރޭlasveethee maafukureysorry for being lateThe -thee ending gives the cause: 'for having run late'. Then comes maafukurey, 'excuse me'
- ސަލާމްކުރަނީsalaamkuraneeto greetFrom the salaam greeting. It means both to greet with a word and to shake hands.
- ވަކިވެލަނީvakivelaneeto say goodbyeFrom 'to part, to separate'; the infix softens the action and makes it light.
- މެހެރުބާނީކޮށްmeherubaaneekohplease (formal)meherubaanee is 'grace', a word of Persian root, and the tail -koh turns it into an adverb. It lives in announcements and letters; in speech the verb form itself carries the please
- މަރުޙަބާmaruhabaayou're welcomeFrom the Arabic marhaban, 'welcome': the word both greets people and answers thank-you. The fuller form is kaleyah maruhabaa
- ބައްދަލުވީތީ އުފާވެއްޖެbaddhaluveethee ufaavejjenice to meet youAssembled from baddhaluvun, 'a meeting', and ufaavejje, 'was glad'. Literally 'because we met, I rejoiced'
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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.
What is worth knowing about these words
ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟ (kihinehthoa?) — how are you (polite)? The polite upgrade: the particle -thoa raises the register. Among peers people simply say kihineh.
ޝުކުރިއްޔާ (shukuriyyaa) — thank you. From the Arabic shukran. There is no shorter native substitute — people say it in full, even for a small favor.
މާފުކުރޭ (maafukurey) — excuse me. Maafu is 'forgiveness', kurey is 'make' — literally 'make forgiveness'. It covers sorry as well as excuse me.
ތިޔަ ބޭފުޅާ (thiya beyfulhaa) — you (polite). The polite you for one person: beyfulhaa is a respectful 'person'. The safe choice with any stranger.
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 ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟ (kihinehthoa?) — how are you (polite)?
- What is this word?
It is ހުރިހާ ކަމެއް ބަރާބަރު (hurihaa kameh baraabaru) — everything is fine.
- What is this word?
It is މެހެރުބާނީކޮށް (meherubaaneekoh) — please (formal).
- What is this word?
It is ބޭނުމެއް ނޫން (beynumeh noon) — I don't need it.
- What is this word?
It is ލަސްވީތީ މާފުކުރޭ (lasveethee maafukurey) — sorry for being late.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “how are you (polite)?” in Maldivian?
The polite upgrade: the particle -thoa raises the register. Among peers people simply say kihineh
- How do you say “everything is fine” in Maldivian?
The same opening as in 'all is well', but with 'excellent'
- How do you say “please (formal)” in Maldivian?
meherubaanee is 'grace', a word of Persian root, and the tail -koh turns it into an adverb. It lives in announcements and letters; in speech the verb form itself carries the please
- How do you say “I don't need it” in Maldivian?
From beynun, 'want, need', and noon, 'no'. The polite refusal to a street seller
- How do you say “sorry for being late” in Maldivian?
The -thee ending gives the cause: 'for having run late'. Then comes maafukurey, 'excuse me'
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
“Thank you”, “please” and “sorry” carry you while the rest of the words are still missing: with them even a gesture reads as a request rather than a demand.
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.
- Study spread over days wins 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 “how are you (polite)?” in Maldivian?
«ކިހިނެއްތޯ؟» (kihinehthoa), read “kihinehthoa?” The polite upgrade: the particle -thoa raises the register. Among peers people simply say kihineh. It is one of 17 words in the set “polite words” — the rest are in the table above.
How many polite words do you need to start?
The whole set on this page is 17 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.
Is there audio?
Yes, 17 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.