Dhivehi/Grammar

Main Parts of Speech

The main parts of speech in Dhivehi are nouns, pronouns, numerals, verbs, adjectives, and postpositions (rather than prepositions) and adverbs.

Nouns

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Nouns in Dhivehi are divided into two subcategories: human and non-human nouns.

• Human nouns:

1. މީހާ<n><sg> ↔ މީހާ (person)
2. ފުލުސް<n><sg> ↔ ފުލުސް (police)

• Non-human nouns:

1. ކަކުނި<n><sg> ↔ ކަކުނި (crab)
2. ކަފަ<n> ↔ ކަފަ (cotton)

Pronouns

• Personal Pronouns

• Interrogative Pronouns

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Postpositions and Adverbs

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Dhviehi uses postpositions and no prepositions. There are nominal postpositions, verbal postpositions, and other postpositions.

Demonstratives

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Demonstratives are functional words that are used often in Dhivehi. They could function as determiners, pronouns, and adverbs.

Demonstratives as determiners:

1. މި<prn> + ރާޖްޖޭ <n> ↔ މިރާޖްޖޭ (this country)
2. މި<prn> + ފޮތް <n> ↔ މިފޮތް (this book)

Demonstratives as pronouns:

Demonstratives as adverbs:

Pluralization

Pluralization of Dhivehi nouns is different for human nouns, non-human nouns, boats, and names/kinship terms.

Human nouns

-n, -un after vowels, -in after consonants

Non Human nouns

-tak

Boats

-faharu

Names/Kinship terms

-men