Dhivehi/Grammar

Main Parts of Speech

The main parts of speech in Dhivehi are nouns, pronouns, numerals, verbs, adjectives, demonstratives and postpositions (rather than prepositions) and adverbs. Some parts of speech will be covered extensively below.

Nouns

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

• Human nouns:

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

• Non-human nouns:

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

Demonstratives are functional words that are used frequently in Dhivehi. They could function as determiners, pronouns, and adverbs. There are three degrees of contrast in the demonstratives - 1st degree is near speaker (this/these - މި ), 2nd degree is near addressee (that/those - ތި ), and 3rd degree is elsewhere(that/those over there - އެ ). We will mark the degree of the demonstratives with <deg1>, <deg2>, and <deg3>.

When they are prefixed to a noun, they function as determiners. When they are prefixed to a verb, they function as adverbs, taking on a local or temporal meaning depending on the context. For example, the 1st degree demonstrative adverb could mean "now" or "here", while the 2nd degree demonstrative adverb could mean "then, afterward" or "there, near you". To function as pronouns, they are prefixed to the word "thing" or "things", with a slight change in pronunciation.

• Demonstratives as pronouns:

1. މިތި <prn><deg1> ↔ (this/it)
2. ތީތި <prn><deg2> ↔ (that/it)
3. އޭތި <prn><deg3> ↔ (that (over there)/it)
4. މިއެއްޗެހި <prn><deg1><pl> ↔ (these/they)
5. ތިއެއްޗެހި <prn><deg2><pl> ↔ (those/they)
6. އެއެއްޗެހި <prn><deg3><pl> ↔ (those (over there)/they)

• Demonstratives as determiners:

1. މި <det><deg1> + ރާޖްޖެ <n><def> ↔ މިރާޖްޖެ (this country)
2. ތި <det><deg2> + ފޮތް <n><def> ↔ ތިފޮތް (that book)
3. އެ <det><deg3> + ކުއްތާތައް <n><pl><def> ↔ އެކުއްތާތައް (those dogs over there)

• Demonstratives as adverbs:

1. މި <adv><deg1> + އޮތީ <v><ger> + ފޮތް <n><def> ↔ ފޮތްމިއޮތީ (The book is here.)

Pluralization

Pluralization of Dhivehi nouns is different for human and non-human nouns. In addition, there are exceptions for boats and names/kinship terms.

Non Human nouns

1. އާފަލު<n><pl> ↔ އާފަލުތައް (apples)
2. ފޮތް<n><pl> ↔ ފޮތްތައް (books)
3. ދޫނި<n><pl> ↔ ދޫނިތައް (birds)
4. ތަރި<n><pl> ↔ ތަރިތައް (stars)
5. މަގު<n><pl> ↔ މަގުތައް (streets)

Human nouns

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

Boats

-faharu

Names/Kinship terms

-men

Reference

• "Dhivehi: the language of Maldives

• "A Descriptive and Historical Grammar of Maldivian and Its Dialects"

• Lesson on Demonstratives

• Lesson on pluralization