Adjectives are probably the simplest type of word in Dhivehi because they have fewer forms than other types of words. These forms are independent of the plurality/definiteness/case of the the noun that the adjective qualifies.
Like in English, adjectives come before nouns:
- ހޫނު ފެން – Hot water
- ބޮޑު ގަހެއް – A big tree
- ދިގު އިސްތަށި – Long hair
- ރަތް މަލެއް – A red flower
- މުސްކުޅި މީހެއް – An old person
- ރީތި ހެދުން – Nice/pretty dress
- ފޮނި ދޮންކެޔޮ – Sweet banana
- ހިކި ފަތްތައް – Dry leaves
- ނުބައި ވަހެއް – A bad smell
- ހަޑި ކުދިން – Bad kids
If the adjective comes after the noun, it translates into a full sentence in English:
- ހޫނު ފެން – Hot water
- ފެން ހޫނު – The water is hot
- ދިގު އިސްތަށި – Long hair
- އިސްތަށި ދިގު – The hair is long
In this kind of sentence the noun cannot be indefinite. So you cannot say something like “އިސްތައްޓެއް ދިގު”.
Negative Adjectives
An adjective can be made negative by adding ނޫން after it. This is similar to the way “non-” is used in English, except ނޫން can be used with pretty much any adjective.
- ބޮޑު ނޫން ގަހެއް – A tree that is not big
- ދިގު ނޫން އިސްތަށި – Hair that is not long
- ފިނި ނޫން ދުވަހެއް – A day that is not cold
- މުސްކުޅި ނޫން މީހުން – People who are not old
We’ll look at the full sentence equivalents of these in another lesson.
Adjectives for Good and Bad Things
The words for “good” and “bad” vary, depending on the nature of the thing you are talking about.
- ރަނގަޅު – Good in general, okay, acceptable
- ރީތި – Good in appearance, pretty, beautiful
- މީރު – Good of tastes and smells, tasty, delicious
- ނުބައި – Bad in general, or of tastes and smells, wrong, incorrect, unacceptable
- ނުލަފާ – Bad in character
- ހަޑި – Bad in appearance or quality/character, ugly
Yes, it would be easier to say that they all have different meanings, but that may give you the idea that the connotations are the same as in English. For example, މީރު does not have the exact same meaning as “delicious”.
Usage
You can use the words with whichever nouns you like, but the meaning of the word will impact the meaning of the sentence.
If you describe food as މީރު, you are saying it tastes good. If you say it is ރީތި, you are saying it is presented nicely. If you say it is ރަނގަޅު, you are either saying it tastes alright, or it is suitable for a certain occasion or for certain people.
If you describe someone’s clothes as ހަޑި, you are saying that they do not look good. If you describe them as ނުބައި, it would mean they are inappropriate (for whatever occasion).
Vocabulary
The table includes some words I have not used in the main part of the lesson.
thatmaldivesblog 
Hi, I was wondering how to change the verb “to destroy” to the adjective “destructive.” I want to say “most destructive,” so would it be emme (halaakukurun)?
Thank you for your help!
LikeLike
You would have to use the relative verb form ހަލާކުކުރާ. The superlative of this is އެންމެ ގިނައިން ހަލާކުކުރާ, which literally means “[the thing] that destroys the most”.
There may be another way of saying it which uses fewer words, but I’m not 100% sure at this point. If I can confirm it, I’ll let you know.
Also, ހަލާކުކުރުން is often used to mean “break”. It doesn’t have the same impact/connotations as “destroy”. Another word you can use is ސުންނާފަތިކުރުން.
LikeLike