LingoflyPhrases that save you in Maldivian
17 words in Maldivian on the topic “phrases that save you”: ނޭނގޭ (neyngey) — I don't understand, މަޑުމަޑުން (madumadun) — slowly, އަނެއްކާ ބުނޭ (anekkaa buney) — please say it again, އެހީ (ehee) — help. 17 words can be played from recordings.
17 words on the topic
- ނޭނގޭneyngeyI don't understandAn impersonal shape: literally 'it is not understood'. The same word says 'I don't know' — the full version is ahannakah neynge
- މަޑުމަޑުންmadumadunslowlyA doubled stem madu ('quiet, soft') makes the adverb. hinfinfini, 'cool', is built the same way
- އަނެއްކާ ބުނޭanekkaa buneyplease say it againLiterally 'say once more'. The fuller polite version is anekkaa vidaalhuvehdhehvaa
- އެހީeheehelpFrom it come ehiveedhey ('help!') and the word for 'helper'
- މިނިޓެއް މަޑުކުރޭminiteh madukureywait a minuteMadukurey is 'hold on, wait', from madu, 'quiet, slow' — the same root as 'slowly'
- އަހަންނަށް ނުހުޅުވުނުahannah nuhulhuvunuI can't open itAhannah is 'to me', the shape of 'I'. In Dhivehi 'I couldn't' is built as 'it didn't open to me'
- އެމްބިއުލާންސްembiulaansambulanceEnglish ambulance. The ambulance number in Malé is 102
- އަހަންނަށް ޑޮކްޓަރެއް ބޭނުންahannah doktareh beynunI need a doctorBeynun, 'need', plus 'to me'. The ending on 'doctor' makes it 'some doctor or other'
- ސަމާލުވޭsamaaluveycareful!Arabic 'attention'. Literally 'be attentive' — road signs are worded exactly so
- ނުރައްކާnurakkaadanger!Danger and dangerous are one word. The double sign lengthens the kk: nu-rak-kaa
- ފުލުހުންނަށް ގުޅާfuluhunnah gulhaacall the police!Fuluhun is 'the police' (a plural), gulhaa is 'call'. Literally 'call the police officers'
- އަހަރެންގެ ޕާސްޕޯޓު ގެއްލިއްޖެaharenge paaspoatu gellijjeI lost my passportThe verb is 'it got lost'. In Dhivehi the thing gets lost; the person doesn't lose it
- އަހަންނަށް ރަނގަޅެއް ނޫންahannah rangalheh noonI feel unwellLiterally 'to me not good'. The negation stands last — the predicate always closes the sentence
- އަތް ނުލާaiy nulaadon't touch!Literally 'don't put the hand': the hand plus the negative form of 'to put'
- އެހީވެދޭehiveedheyhelp!Literally 'give help': ehee is 'help', vedhey is 'do'. To a stranger the politer shape is ehivehdhehvaa
- އަހަރެން މަގުއޮޅިއްޖެaharen maguolhijjeI'm lostLiterally 'my road has tangled': magu is 'road', olihje is 'got tangled'. The -je tail says it has already happened
- އިނގިރޭސިން ވާހަކަދައްކަންތޯ؟ingireysin vaahakadhakkanthoa?do you speak English?The ending -in on a language name means 'in it': ingireysin, 'in English'; dhivehin, 'in Dhivehi'. The particle -thoa lifts the question into the polite register
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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
ނޭނގޭ (neyngey) — I don't understand. An impersonal shape: literally 'it is not understood'. The same word says 'I don't know' — the full version is ahannakah neynge.
މަޑުމަޑުން (madumadun) — slowly. A doubled stem madu ('quiet, soft') makes the adverb. hinfinfini, 'cool', is built the same way.
އަނެއްކާ ބުނޭ (anekkaa buney) — please say it again. Literally 'say once more'. The fuller polite version is anekkaa vidaalhuvehdhehvaa.
އެހީ (ehee) — help. From it come ehiveedhey ('help!') and the word for 'helper'.
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 ނޭނގޭ (neyngey) — I don't understand.
- What is this word?
It is އަހަންނަށް ޑޮކްޓަރެއް ބޭނުން (ahannah doktareh beynun) — I need a doctor.
- What is this word?
It is އެހީވެދޭ (ehiveedhey) — help!
- What is this word?
It is މިނިޓެއް މަޑުކުރޭ (miniteh madukurey) — wait a minute.
- What is this word?
It is އަހަރެންގެ ޕާސްޕޯޓު ގެއްލިއްޖެ (aharenge paaspoatu gellijje) — I lost my passport.
Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.
- How do you say “I don't understand” in Maldivian?
An impersonal shape: literally 'it is not understood'. The same word says 'I don't know' — the full version is ahannakah neynge
- How do you say “I need a doctor” in Maldivian?
Beynun, 'need', plus 'to me'. The ending on 'doctor' makes it 'some doctor or other'
- How do you say “help!” in Maldivian?
Literally 'give help': ehee is 'help', vedhey is 'do'. To a stranger the politer shape is ehivehdhehvaa
- How do you say “wait a minute” in Maldivian?
Madukurey is 'hold on, wait', from madu, 'quiet, slow' — the same root as 'slowly'
- How do you say “I lost my passport” in Maldivian?
The verb is 'it got lost'. In Dhivehi the thing gets lost; the person doesn't lose it
How to learn the set instead of just reading it
“I don't understand”, “say that again”, “slower, please”, “help”. They are learned first for a reason: they bring back a conversation that has already gone wrong.
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 “I don't understand” in Maldivian?
«ނޭނގޭ» (neyngey), read “neyngey”. An impersonal shape: literally 'it is not understood'. The same word says 'I don't know' — the full version is ahannakah neynge. It is one of 17 words in the set “phrases that save you” — the rest are in the table above.
How many emergency phrases 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.