For the past few weeks, I’ve been thinking about how to best continue the Dhivehi lessons in terms of the order each new concept or tense is introduced. It got me thinking about how there really isn’t a standard way of presenting Dhivehi verbs in all their forms. And if there is, I’ve never seen it anywhere. This makes things hard in terms of lessons because it’s not always easy to see the connections between all the forms which makes it hard to determine the best order to learn them.
But after much mulling over, I had a bit of a eureka moment where all of the patterns became clear and it was much easier to see the verb as a whole.
In this post, I will present an example of what a fully conjugated verb might look like, and how this should be laid out.
Previous Examples
I have only seen two other examples of Dhivehi verb forms presented systematically. One was in a paper by Yumna Maumoon which you can see here on pages 45-46. The other was in an actual Dhivehi grammar book by Jameel Didi. While Didi’s grammar is good in that it presents Dhivehi from a Dhivehi perspective, it does not provide full conjugations, and there is a lot of assumed knowledge. Yumna Maumoon’s grammar is much more thorough, but I found the way it was presented, with verb forms arranged by stem, to be a bit all over the place, in the sense that it makes Dhivehi verbs seem more complicated than they actually are.
I wanted to take these sources and make something more succinct, but also complete.
I played around a bit with how to present it in a table, but I finally got to something that made sense. But before getting to that, a note on language:
A Note on Language
When it comes to the language of language, that is, the terms used to describe the different elements of language, I believe it is always better to use the native language’s terms. These will usually be more accurate compared to if you use a foreign language’s terms. The reason for this is that while a certain term might mean something in one language, it might be used differently in another.
For example, in English we have the simple past (e.g. I ate) and the present perfect (I have eaten). Let’s compare this to French. In French there are two tenses which are the literal equivalents of these too: Je mangeai and J’ai mangé. However, in practice, j’ai mangé, despite literally meaning “I have eaten”, is used to mean “I ate”, and je mangeai is only used in writing. So it would be confusing if we used English grammar terms for French and vice versa, despite there being equivalents.
Having said that, I will be using English grammar terms just because I am more familiar with them. Just keep in mind that the translation you think of might not always match the usage of the word in Dhivehi.
With all that in mind…
Dhivehi Conjugation
Here is the conjugation of the verb ކުރުން which means “to do”.
| Indicative | Indicative | Progressive | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st / 2nd person | 3rd person | |||
| Present | ކުރަން | ކުރޭ | ކުރަނީ | ކުރޭ |
| Future | ކުރާނަން | ކުރާނެ | ކުރާނީ | ކުރާތި |
| Past | ކުރިން | ކުރި | ކުރީ | |
| Irrealis | ކުރީމުސް | ކުރީސް | ||
| Perfect | ކޮށްފިން | ކޮށްފި | ||
| Optative | ކޮށްފާނަން | ކޮށްފާނެ |
You can see that conjugations are derived based on three different stems, which is how Yumna Maumoon organised them in her paper. The present stem ކުރަ is used for present and future tenses. My theory as to why the 3rd person present does not match this is that historically it was ކުރައި which is consistent with other regular verbs (e.g. ބެލުން and ބަލައި) but then over time, the pronunciation was simplified to ކުރޭ.
The past stem ކުރި is used for the past tense and irrealis mood.
The stem used for the perfect and optative tenses is actually the adverbial participle ކޮށް which by itself is used to connect two actions sequentially. ކުރުން is slightly irregular, which is why ކޮށް doesn’t match the root at all. Other regular verbs have a more predictable pattern.
Here is the same table with the literal translations of the conjugations based on the grammatical terms. Keep in mind the note above. The following translations do not all match the meanings of the verb forms in practice. This is just so people who don’t speak Dhivehi, or don’t know the fancy grammar words have an idea what what everything means.
| Indicative | Indicative | Progressive | Imperative | |
| 1st / 2nd person | 3rd person | |||
| Present | I/you do | He/she/it does | is doing | Do! |
| Future | I/you will do | He/she/it will do | will be doing | (Be sure to) do! |
| Past | I/you did | He/she/it did | was doing | |
| Irrealis | I/you would have done | He/she/it would have done | ||
| Perfect | I/you have done | He/she/it has done | having done | |
| Optative | I/you might do | He/she/it might do |
Extra Forms
While I believe the table above covers the basic conjugation paradigm for Dhivehi, there are some more conjugated forms that I didn’t include. This is because I’m not sure where these forms would best fit, or if they need to be included at all.
For example, there are relative verb forms, which in a lot of cases match the 3rd person indicative forms. Then there are the conditionals which end in ޔާ, but are they actual conjugations or just a suffix attached to existing conjugations? There are also forms which are used occasionally in speech, but might not be considered “correct”. Should they be included? Then there are non-finite forms which exist outside of the table. So how should they be organised?
Let’s try putting all that in:
| Non Finite Verb Forms | |
|---|---|
| Gerund (Verbal Noun) | ކުރުން |
| Infinitive | ކުރަން |
| Simultaneous | ކުރަމުން |
| Simultaneous | ކުރަނިކޮށް |
| Temporal | ކުރީމަ |
| Inchoative | ކުރީއްސުރެ |
| Present Participle | ކޮށް |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްފައި |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްގެން |
| Indicative | Indicative | Progressive | Relative | Conditional | Concessional | Imperative | Imperative | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st / 2nd person | 3rd person | 1st Person | 2nd Person | |||||
| Present | ކުރަން | ކުރޭ | ކުރަނީ | ކުރާ | ކުރަންޏާ | ކުރަމާ | ކުރޭ | |
| Future | ކުރާނަން | ކުރާނެ | ކުރާނީ | ކުރާނެ | ކުރާތި | |||
| Past | ކުރިން | ކުރި | ކުރީ | ކުރި | ކުރިއްޔާ | ކުރިޔަސް | ||
| Irrealis | ކުރީމުސް | ކުރީސް | ||||||
| Perfect | ކޮށްފިން | ކޮށްފި | ކޮށްފި | ކޮށްފިއްޔާ | ކޮށްފިޔަސް | |||
| Optative | ކޮށްފާނަން | ކޮށްފާނެ | ކޮށްފާނެ |
The conjugations highlighted in orange are those that aren’t technically meant to be used the way they are, according to more conservative grammar rules.
That covers most of the conjugated forms without the table getting too unwieldy. The challenge is organising the table so that similar meanings as well as similar structures are grouped together. In order to do this and keep everything as accurate as possible, I had to put non-finite forms in a separate table.
Derived Forms
The table above only shows the standard voluntary conjugations of Dhivehi verbs. By adding other verbs as a suffix (usually to the present participle), you get other forms. The following three verbs can be suffixed to base verbs to create derived forms:
- ވުން to derive the involuntary or potential forms
- ލުން to derive mild* forms
- ދިނުން to derive benefactive forms
I will call these the V, L and D forms respectively based on the first letter of the suffix verb. This helps to see the derivational structures.
*I’m not sure what the best word for this form is. See its section for more details.
Involuntary Form (V)
Most Dhivehi verbs exist in voluntary-involuntary pairs. Involuntary forms are used to express that an action is taking place unintentionally, or that it is possible for an action to take place. To express this form in English, you could say “can [verb]”, “able to [verb]” or “manage to [verb]”
Involuntary forms do not conjugate for person, and they do not have imperative conjugations. Apart from that, there is a corresponding involuntary form to all the standard forms in the tables above.
Also note that even though the verb that is used to derive this form is ވުން, you don’t actually see the ވުން as a suffix in many verbs. Instead, it’s built into the verb stem. For example with the verb ކުރުން, the involuntary form is ކުރެވުން which could be conjugates as ކުރެވޭނެ ,ކުރެވުނު etc. but with the verb ބެލުން you would be more likely to see ބެލޭނެ ,ބެލުނު etc. as the involuntary forms rather than ބެލެވޭނެ ,ބެލެވުނު.
Mild Form (L)
I couldn’t decide what the best word for this form was. I was thinking of using “diminutive” or “restrained”, but they don’t match the meaning perfectly. I’ve always thought of this as the “cute” form of verbs as well, but that doesn’t sound linguistic enough.
Basically, this form makes an action less intense, or less blunt, and there’s a softness or light-heartedness to it. Typically you would use it in casual settings.
Benefactive Form (D)
This form is used to indicate that an action is being performed for the benefit of someone else. In English, you might say “[verb] for [person]”, “[verb] for the sake of [person]” or “[verb] on behalf of [person]”.
Causative and Polite Forms
Many verbs have causative and polite forms which are also derived from the root verb, and hence are technically derived forms as well. For example, for ކުރުން (to do) there’s the causative ކުރުވުން (to make someone/something do) and the polite ކުރެއްވުން (to do). However, I will treat these as independent verbs in their own right.
All Derived Forms
These derived forms above can be combined with each other to create “double derived verbs”. With these included, there are 7 possible derived verbs. The table below shows the derived forms of ކުރުން.
| Derivation | Suffix(es) | Verb |
| Root | ∅ | ކުރުން |
| Involuntary | V | ކުރެވުން |
| Mild | L | ކޮށްލުން |
| Mild Involuntary | L + V | ކޮށްލެވުން |
| Benefactive | D | ކޮށްދިނުން |
| Benefactive Involuntary | D + V | ކޮށްދެވުން |
| Mild Benefactive | L + D | ކޮށްލަދިނުން |
| Mild Benefactive Involuntary | L + D + V | ކޮށްލަދެވުން |
The L-D-V suffixes have to appear in that order. So you can’t have a V+D derived verb, or a D+L derived verb.
These derived forms are complete verbs in their own right, meaning they can all be conjugated like in the tables above. Let’s see what that actually looks like.
For the following example, I’m going to combine the involuntary (V) forms into the same tables as the voluntary forms (Indicated by “inv.”). I will keep the L, D and L+D forms in separate tables. I will also abbreviate the linguistic terms so that the table isn’t so clunky.
ކުރުން – Do
Root + Involuntary
| Non Finite Verb Forms | Voluntary | Involuntary |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund (Verbal Noun) | ކުރުން | ކުރެވުން |
| Infinitive | ކުރަން | ކުރެވެން |
| Simultaneous | ކުރަމުން | ކުރެވުމުން |
| Simultaneous | ކުރަނިކޮށް | ކުރެވެނިކޮށް |
| Temporal | ކުރީމަ | ކުރެވުނީމަ |
| Inchoative | ކުރީއްސުރެ | ކުރެވުނީއްސުރެ |
| Present Participle | ކޮށް | ކުރެވި |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްފައި | ކުރެވިފައި |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްގެން | ކުރެވިގެން |
| Ind. | Ind. | Prog. | Rel. | Cond. | Conc. | Imp. | Imp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st / 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | |||||
| Pres. | ކުރަން | ކުރޭ | ކުރަނީ | ކުރާ | ކުރަންޏާ | ކުރަމާ | ކުރޭ | |
| Pres. inv. | ކުރެވޭ | ކުރެވެނީ | ކުރެވޭ | ކުރެވެންޏާ | ||||
| Fut. | ކުރާނަން | ކުރާނެ | ކުރާނީ | ކުރާނެ | ކުރާތި | |||
| Fut. inv. | ކުރެވޭނެ | ކުރެވޭނީ | ކުރެވޭނެ | |||||
| Past | ކުރިން | ކުރި | ކުރީ | ކުރި | ކުރިއްޔާ | ކުރިޔަސް | ||
| Past inv. | ކުރެވުނު | ކުރެވުނީ | ކުރެވުނު | ކުރެވުނިއްޔާ | ކުރެވުނަސް | |||
| Irr. | ކުރީމުސް | ކުރީސް | ||||||
| Irr. inv. | ކުރެވުނީސް | |||||||
| Perf. | ކޮށްފިން | ކޮށްފި | ކޮށްފި | ކޮށްފިއްޔާ | ކޮށްފިޔަސް | |||
| Perf. inv. | ކުރެވިއްޖެ | ކުރެވިއްޖެ | ކުރެވިއްޖެއްޔާ | |||||
| Opt. | ކޮށްފާނަން | ކޮށްފާނެ | ކޮށްފާނެ | |||||
| Opt. inv. | ކުރެވިދާނެ | ކުރެވިދާނެ |
Casual + Casual-Involuntary
| Non Finite Verb Forms | Voluntary | Involuntary |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund (Verbal Noun) | ކޮށްލުން | ކޮށްލެވުން |
| Infinitive | ކޮށްލަން | ކޮށްލެވެން |
| Simultaneous | ކޮށްލަމުން | ކޮށްލެވުމުން |
| Simultaneous | ކޮށްލަނިކޮށް | ކޮށްލެވެނިކޮށް |
| Temporal | ކޮށްލީމަ | ކޮށްލެވުނީމަ |
| Inchoative | ކޮށްލީއްސުރެ | ކޮށްލެވުނީއްސުރެ |
| Present Participle | ކޮށްލައި | ކޮށްލެވި |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްލާފައި | ކޮށްލެވިފައި |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްލައިގެން | ކޮށްލެވިގެން |
| Ind. | Ind. | Prog. | Rel. | Cond. | Conc. | Imp. | Imp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st / 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | |||||
| Pres. | ކޮށްލަން | ކޮށްލައި | ކޮށްލަނީ | ކޮށްލަ | ކޮށްލަންޏާ | ކޮށްލަމާ | ކޮށްލާ | |
| Pres. inv. | ކޮށްލެވޭ | ކޮށްލެވެނީ | ކޮށްލެވޭ | ކޮށްލެވެންޏާ | ||||
| Fut. | ކޮށްލާނަން | ކޮށްލާނެ | ކޮށްލާނީ | ކޮށްލާނެ | ކޮށްލާތި | |||
| Fut. inv. | ކޮށްލެވޭނެ | ކޮށްލެވޭނީ | ކޮށްލެވޭނެ | |||||
| Past | ކޮށްލީން | ކޮށްލި | ކޮށްލީ | ކޮށްލި | ކޮށްލިއްޔާ | ކޮށްލިޔަސް | ||
| Past inv. | ކޮށްލެވުނު | ކޮށްލެވުނީ | ކޮށްލެވުނު | ކޮށްލެވުނިއްޔާ | ކޮށްލެވުނަސް | |||
| Irr. | ކޮށްލީމުސް | ކޮށްލީސް | ||||||
| Irr. inv. | ކޮށްލެވުނީސް | |||||||
| Perf. | ކޮށްލައިފިން | ކޮށްލައިފި | ކޮށްލައިފި | ކޮށްލައިފިއްޔާ | ކޮށްލައިފިޔަސް | |||
| Perf. inv. | ކޮށްލެވިއްޖެ | ކޮށްލެވިއްޖެ | ކޮށްލެވިއްޖެއްޔާ | |||||
| Opt. | ކޮށްލަފާނަން | ކޮށްލަފާނެ | ކޮށްލަފާނެ | |||||
| Opt. inv. | ކޮށްލެވިދާނެ | ކޮށްލެވިދާނެ |
Benefactive + Benefactive-Involuntary
| Non Finite Verb Forms | Voluntary | Involuntary |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund (Verbal Noun) | ކޮށްދިނުން | ކޮށްދެވުން |
| Infinitive | ކޮށްދޭން | ކޮށްދެވެން |
| Simultaneous | ކޮށްދެމުން | ކޮށްދެވުމުން |
| Simultaneous | ކޮށްދެނިކޮށް | ކޮށްދެވެނިކޮށް |
| Temporal | ކޮށްދިނީމަ | ކޮށްދެވުނީމަ |
| Inchoative | ކޮށްދިނީއްސުރެ | ކޮށްދެވުނީއްސުރެ |
| Present Participle | ކޮށްދީ | ކޮށްދެވި |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްދީފައި | ކޮށްދެވިފައި |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްދީގެން | ކޮށްދެވިގެން |
| Ind. | Ind. | Prog. | Rel. | Cond. | Conc. | Imp. | Imp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st / 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | |||||
| Pres. | ކޮށްދެން | ކޮށްދޭ | ކޮށްދެނީ | ކޮށްދޭ | ކޮށްދެންޏާ | ކޮށްދެމާ | ކޮށްދީ | |
| Pres. inv. | ކޮށްދެވޭ | ކޮށްދެވެނީ | ކޮށްދެވޭ | ކޮށްދެވެންޏާ | ||||
| Fut. | ކޮށްދޭނަން | ކޮށްދޭނެ | ކޮށްދޭނީ | ކޮށްދޭނެ | ކޮށްދޭތި | |||
| Fut. inv. | ކޮށްދެވޭނެ | ކޮށްދެވޭނީ | ކޮށްދެވޭނެ | |||||
| Past | ކޮށްދިނިން | ކޮށްދިން | ކޮށްދިނީ | ކޮށްދިން | ކޮށްދިނިއްޔާ | ކޮށްދިނަސް | ||
| Past inv. | ކޮށްދެވުނު | ކޮށްދެވުނީ | ކޮށްދެވުނު | ކޮށްދެވުނިއްޔާ | ކޮށްދެވުނަސް | |||
| Irr. | ކޮށްދިނީމުސް | ކޮށްދިނީސް | ||||||
| Irr. inv. | ކޮށްދެވުނީސް | |||||||
| Perf. | ކޮށްދީފިން | ކޮށްދީފި | ކޮށްދީފި | ކޮށްދީފިއްޔާ | ކޮށްދީފިޔަސް | |||
| Perf. inv. | ކޮށްދެވިއްޖެ | ކޮށްދެވިއްޖެ | ކޮށްދެވިއްޖެއްޔާ | |||||
| Opt. | ކޮށްދީފާނަން | ކޮށްދީފާނެ | ކޮށްދީފާނެ | |||||
| Opt. inv. | ކޮށްދެވިދާނެ | ކޮށްދެވިދާނެ |
Casual-Benefactive + Casual-Benefactive-Involuntary
| Non Finite Verb Forms | Voluntary | Involuntary |
|---|---|---|
| Gerund (Verbal Noun) | ކޮށްލަދިނުން | ކޮށްލަދެވުން |
| Infinitive | ކޮށްލަދޭން | ކޮށްލަދެވެން |
| Simultaneous | ކޮށްލަދެމުން | ކޮށްލަދެވުމުން |
| Simultaneous | ކޮށްލަދެނިކޮށް | ކޮށްލަދެވެނިކޮށް |
| Temporal | ކޮށްލަދިނީމަ | ކޮށްލަދެވުނީމަ |
| Inchoative | ކޮށްލަދިނީއްސުރެ | ކޮށްލަދެވުނީއްސުރެ |
| Present Participle | ކޮށްލަދީ | ކޮށްލަދެވި |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްލަދީފައި | ކޮށްލަދެވިފައި |
| Successive (Adverbial Participle) | ކޮށްލަދީގެން | ކޮށްލަދެވިގެން |
| Ind. | Ind. | Prog. | Rel. | Cond. | Conc. | Imp. | Imp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st / 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | |||||
| Pres. | ކޮށްލަދެން | ކޮށްލަދޭ | ކޮށްލަދެނީ | ކޮށްލަދޭ | ކޮށްލަދެންޏާ | ކޮށްލަދެމާ | ކޮށްލަދީ | |
| Pres. inv. | ކޮށްލަދެވޭ | ކޮށްލަދެވެނީ | ކޮށްލަދެވޭ | ކޮށްލަދެވެންޏާ | ||||
| Fut. | ކޮށްލަދޭނަން | ކޮށްލަދޭނެ | ކޮށްލަދޭނީ | ކޮށްލަދޭނެ | ކޮށްލަދޭތި | |||
| Fut. inv. | ކޮށްލަދެވޭނެ | ކޮށްލަދެވޭނީ | ކޮށްލަދެވޭނެ | |||||
| Past | ކޮށްލަދިނިން | ކޮށްލަދިން | ކޮށްލަދިނީ | ކޮށްލަދިން | ކޮށްލަދިނިއްޔާ | ކޮށްލަދިނަސް | ||
| Past inv. | ކޮށްލަދެވުނު | ކޮށްލަދެވުނީ | ކޮށްލަދެވުނު | ކޮށްލަދެވުނިއްޔާ | ކޮށްލަދެވުނަސް | |||
| Irr. | ކޮށްލަދިނީމުސް | ކޮށްލަދިނީސް | ||||||
| Irr. inv. | ކޮށްލަދެވުނީސް | |||||||
| Perf. | ކޮށްލަދީފިން | ކޮށްލަދީފި | ކޮށްލަދީފި | ކޮށްލަދީފިއްޔާ | ކޮށްލަދީފިޔަސް | |||
| Perf. inv. | ކޮށްލަދެވިއްޖެ | ކޮށްލަދެވިއްޖެ | ކޮށްލަދެވިއްޖެއްޔާ | |||||
| Opt. | ކޮށްލަދީފާނަން | ކޮށްލަދީފާނެ | ކޮށްލަދީފާނެ | |||||
| Opt. inv. | ކޮށްލަދެވިދާނެ | ކޮށްލަދެވިދާނެ |
Conclusion
By presenting Dhivehi verb conjugation this way, I hope to make the Dhivehi lessons a bit more systematic and succinct. I also hope this can give anyone studying or researching Dhivehi a new way to organise their thinking around Dhivehi verbs. I am aware that my way of presenting verb conjugations here may not be the best, and there are definitely some things that are missing or could be organised better, but to my knowledge, this is the most comprehensive and systematic presentation of Dhivehi verbs online thus far. I am always open to feedback, so please leave a comment if you think there’s anything that can be improved.
thatmaldivesblog 
Thanks a lot for this! You really should write a Dhivehi textbook! As to some of the forms of the involuntary verbs, they have either escaped the attention of the grammarians whose works I’ve read or mine…
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I was wrong, after studying the tables everything became clear! You have done a great job putting these forms together the way you did!
The Curious Guy
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