Dhivehi phrasebook
旅遊會話手冊
Dhivehi (ދިވެހ Divehi) is the official language of the Maldives. A dialect of it is also spoken on Minicoy in the Lakshadweep islands of India, where it is known as Mahal (މަހަލް महल्) or Mahl.
Pronunciation guide
Dhivehi romanization is somewhat inconsistent. This phrasebook uses the Malé (Nasiri) Latin standard used in the Maldives, with SAMT (Indic) spellings in parentheses when different.
Vowels Vowels in Thaana script is written using diacritics. Vowels are displayed with an alifu (އ) carrier
Consonants There are 24 consonants in Thaana script with additional 13 consonants used to transliterate Arabic words and 1 consonant which is used to transliterate English words with voiced palato-alveolar fricative (ʒ) sound. Making it altogether 38 consonants. The letter alifu has no sound value of its own and is used for three different purposes: It can act as a carrier for a vowel with no preceding consonant, that is, a word-initial vowel or the second part of a diphthong; when it carries a sukun, it indicates gemination (lengthening) of the following consonant; and if alifu+sukun occurs at the end of a word, it indicates that the word ends in /eh/. Gemination of nasals, however, is indicated by nūnu+sukun preceding the nasal to be geminated.
Common Diphthongs Diphthongs are displayed with an alifu (އ) carrier
Stress
Phrase list
Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.
Basics
In Dhivehi, we usually tend to leave out subjects such as I, you and me. The sentence remains and means the same with or without said subject. Hello (formal) assalaamu alaikum (އައްސަލާމު ޢަލައިކުމް) Hello (informal) maruhabaa (މަރުޙަބާ) (can also mean welcome) How are you? haalu kihineh? (ހާލުކިހިނެއް؟) How are you? (informal) kihineh? (ކިހިނެއް؟) Fine, thank you ran'galhu, shukuriyyaa. (ޝުކުރިއްޔާ) What is your name? kon nameh kiyanee? (ކޮން ނަމެއް ކިޔަނީ؟) My name is ______ aharenge namakee ______. ( ._____އަހަރެންގެ ނަމަކީ) Nice to meet you Baddhalu vee thee varah ufaavejje. (ބައްދަލުވީތީ ވަރަށް އުފާވެއްޖެ) Please (adverb) Aadheys koffa (އާދޭސް ކޮށްފަ) Thank you shukuriyyaa (ޝުކުރިއްޔާ) You're welcome maruhabaa (މަރުޙަބާ) Yes Aan (ްއާނ):polite: labba (ލައްބަ) or aadhe (އާދެ) No Noon (ނޫން) Excuse me (getting attention) Ma'aaf kurey (މަޢާފް ކުރޭ) Excuse me (begging pardon) Ma'aaf kurey (މަޢާފް ކުރޭ) I'm sorry Ma'aaf kurey (މަޢާފް ކުރޭ) Goodbye vakivelan (ވަކިވެލަން) Goodbye (informal) dhanee (ދަނީ) I can't speak Dhivehi [well] Mashakah [rangalhah] dhivehin vaahaka eh nudhekkayne ( މަށަކަށް [ރަނގަޅަށް] ދިވެހިން ވާހަކައެއް ނުދެއްކޭނެ) : If you are talking to a stranger, or someone of higher status than you, rather than "mashakah", use "alhugandakah". It is the more formal way of referring to "I".: You may also leave out the word "mashakah" completely. Do you speak English? Kaley ingireysin vaahaka dhakkantha? (ކަލޭ އިނގިރޭސިން ވާހަކަ ދައްކަންތަ؟): "kaley", meaning you, is very informal and not commonly used when talking to strangers and people of higher standing. Rather, when speaking to strangers, we completely omit the word. With people of higher stadning, we use "thibeyfulhaa" (ތިބޭފުޅާ) Is there someone here who speaks English? mithaa ingireysin vaahaka dhakkan ingey meehaku eba huri tha? (މިތާ އިންގިރޭސިން ވާހަކަ ދައްކަން އިންގޭ މީހަކު އެބަ ހުރި ތަ؟) Help! Eheevedhee! (!އެހީވެދީ) Look out! Balaa bala! (!ބަލާބަލަ) Good morning. Baajjaveri hendhuneh. (ބާއްޖަވެރި ހެނދުނެއް) Good evening. B
Learning more
English-Dhivehi-English Dictionary (PDF, 157 pages)
本指南改寫自 Wikivoyage （CC BY-SA）