Negation is when you say something does “not” happen or exist. In Dhivehi, verbs, adjectives and nouns can be negated, and there are slightly different ways for each.

Negating Adjectives

To say “[noun] is [adjective]”, you simply put the noun and adjective together. However, it feels more natural to include a qualifying adverb such as ވަރަށް (very) or ނުލާހިކު (quite). For example:

  • މީތި ބޮޑު – This is big
  • މީތި ވަރަށް ބޮޑު – This is very big
  • މީތި ނުލާހިކު ބޮޑު – This is quite big

To say “[noun] is not [adjective]”, you have to add the suffix އެއް- to the adjective and then add ނޫން, which means “not”:

  • މީތި ބޮޑެއް ނޫން – This is not big

For proper sentences in written Dhivehi, it would be ނޫނެވެ:

  • މުގުރިހަ ކުޅިއެއް ނޫނެވެ – The dhal is not spicy
  • އެކޮޓަރި ސާފެއް ނޫނެވެ – That room is not clean
  • މިމަސައްކަތް އުނދަގުލެއް ނޫނެވެ – This work is not difficult
  • ވަޅި ތޫނެއް ނޫނެވެ – The knife is not sharp

You can also create “negative adjectives” by using ނޫން as a suffix. This will contrast with “[adjective] [noun]” constructions to make “Not-[adjective] [noun]” constructions. For example:

  • ބޮޑު ގަސް – Big tree
  • ބޮޑުނޫން ގަސް – Tree that is not big (i.e. not-big tree)
  • ވައިގަދަ ދުވަހެއް – A windy day
  • ވައިގަދަނޫން ދުވަހެއް – A day that is not windy (i.e. A not-windy day)

Alternatively, you can negate adjectives by using ނު as a prefix. This can sometimes change to ނަ depending on the following letters. This is similar to how un- is used in English.

  • ސާފު – clean / clear
  • ނުސާފު – unclean / unclear
  • ރައްކާ – safe
  • ނުރައްކާ – unsafe / dangerous
  • ހަލާލު – permissible (in Islam)
  • ނަހަލާލު – unpermitted
  • ރަނގަޅު – good
  • ނުރަނގަޅު – not good

ނު as a prefix can only be used with certain adjectives, and there isn’t a hard and fast rule you can use to determine when you can and can’t use it. You just have to get a feel for it. For example, you can’t say ނުބޮޑު or ނުކުޑަ (in the same way you can’t say unbig or unsmall in English). In any case, it is more common to use ނޫން as a suffix rather than ނު as a prefix to negate adjectives, and ނޫން can be used with all adjectives.

Negating Nouns

Nouns can be negated the same way as adjectives. To say “[noun] is [noun]”, the first noun is usually suffixed with އަކީ and the second noun usually has އެއް. To say “[noun] is not [noun]”, the second noun has to take އެއް even if it is plural, and is followed by ނޫން.

  • އަހަރެންގެ ބައްޕައަކީ މަސްވެރިއެއް – My dad is a fisherman
  • އަހަރެންގެ ބައްޕައަކީ މަސްވެރިއެއް ނޫނެވެ – My dad is not a fisherman
  • އެމީހުންނަކީ ލިޔުންތެރިންނެވެ – Those people are writers
  • އެމީހުންނަކީ ލިޔުންތެރިންނެއް ނޫނެވެ – Those people are not writers
  • ދިދައަކީ ގައުމީ ނިޝާނެއް – The flag is a national symbol
  • ދިދައަކީ ގައުމީ ނިޝާނެއް ނޫނެވެ – The flag is not a national symbol

“Negative nouns” can also be created the same way as “negative adjectives”:

  • ކޮޓަރިނޫން ތަނެއް – A place that is not a room
  • މަސްނޫން ކާއެއްޗެއް – Food that is not fish
  • ޓެނިސްނޫން ކުޅިވަރެއް ކުޅެން ބޭނުން – I want to play a sport that is not tennis
  • އިނގިރޭސިނޫން ބަހެއް ވާހަކަދައްކައެވެ – He speaks a language that is not English

Negating Verbs

Verbs are negated with the prefix ނު. Sometimes this can change to ނަ ,ނި or ނެ to assimilate with the following vowel, typically if the verb starts with އ or ހ, for example އެނގުން ,އައުން or ހެދުން. This prefix works with all tense conjugations. However, it is important to note that when the present tense is negated, it is used for both the present and past tenses.

GerundކުރުންDoingނުކުރުންNot doing
Infinitiveކުރަންto doނުކުރަންnot to do
Present / Habitualކުރަން
ކުރޭ		do
does		ނުކުރަން
ނުކުރޭ		do not do OR did not do (1st/2nd person)
does not do OR did not do (3rd person)
Progressiveކުރަނީis doingނުކުރަނީis not doing
Futureކުރާނަން
ކުރާނެ		will do ނުކުރާނަން
ނުކުރާނެ		will not do
GerundނެށުންDancingނުނެށުންNot dancing
Infinitiveނަށަންto danceނުނަށަންnot to dance
Present / Habitualނަށަން
ނަށައި		dance
dances		ނުނަށަން
ނުނަށައި		do not dance OR did not dance
does not dance OR did not dance
Progressiveނަށަނީis dancingނުނަށަނީis not dancing
Futureނަށާނަން
ނަށާނެ		will danceނުނަށާނަން
ނުނަށާނެ		will not dance
GerundހެދުންMakingނުހެދުން OR ނެހެދުންNot making
Infinitiveހަދަންto makeނުހަދަން OR ނަހަދަންnot to make
Present / Habitualހަދަން
ހަދައި		make
makes		ނުހަދަން OR ނަހަދަން
ނުހަދައި OR ނަހަދައި		do/did not make
does/did not make
Progressiveހަދަނީis makingނުހަދަނީ OR ނަހަދަނީis not making
Futureހަދާނަން
ހަދާނެ		will makeނުހަދާނަން
ނުހަދާނެ 		will not make
GerundއެނގުންKnowingނޭނގުން (i.e. ނެ + އެނގުން)Not knowing
Infinitiveއެނގެންto knowނޭނގެންto not know
Present / Habitualއެނގޭknow(s)ނޭނގޭdo/does not know
Progressiveއެނގެނީis knowingނޭނގެނީis not knowing
Futureއެނގޭނެwill knowނޭނގޭނެwill not know

Impersonal verbs like އެނގުން do not have a past tense meaning when the present tense form is negated. Instead, they form the past negative tense in a different way which you will see in a future lesson.

The “be” verbs އިނުން and ހުރުން are negated as above, with the former taking ނި instead of ނު. The present form is ނީންދޭ instead of ނީނޭ. The verb އޮތުން becomes ނެތުން when negated, and is slightly irregular, with the following forms:

  • Infinitive – ނެތުން
  • Present – ނެތް
  • Progressive – ނެތެނީ
  • Future – ނޯންނާނެ (i.e. ނު + އޮންނާނެ)

Examples

This is not a clean house.މިއީ ސާފު ގެއެއް ނޫނެވެ
Addu is not that small.އައްޑޫ އެހާ ކުޑައެއް ނޫނެވެ
The colour of the table will not match the colour of the chairs.މޭޒުގެ ކުލައާއި ގޮނޑީގެ ކުލަ ނުގުޅެނެއެވެ
He will not know the name of the place.އޭނައަށް ނޭނގޭނެ އެތަނުގެ ނަން
I haven’t yet gone to India.އަހަރެން އިންޑިއާއަށް އަދި ނުދަމެވެ
Aren’t you going to read that new book?ތި އާފޮތް ނުކިޔާނަންތަ؟
Haven’t you eaten yet?އަދި ނުކަންތަ؟
There isn’t any cheap food available here.މިތަނުން އެއްވެސް އަގުހެޔޮ ކާއެއްޗެއްސެއް ނުލިބެއެވެ
I want to eat something that isn’t spicy.އަހަރެން ކާން ބޭނުންވަނީ ކުޅިނޫން އެއްޗެއް
Don’t you know any places that aren’t so expensive?އެހާ އަގުބޮޑުނޫން އެއްވެސް ތަނެއް ނޭނގޭތަ؟

Negative Questions and Answers

In Dhivehi, it is very common to ask negative questions where English speakers would ask questions in the affirmative, especially is a casual / small-talk type context. For example, Maldivians will very often say things like ނުކާނަންތަ؟ (“Won’t you eat?” / “Aren’t you going to eat”) or ނުދާނަންތަ؟ (“Won’t you go?” / “Aren’t you going to go?”). It is important to understand that in Dhivehi, a negative response to a negative questions implies an affirmative outcome (the two negatives cancel each other out), whereas in English, a negative response to a negative question implies a negative outcome (the two negatives are in agreement with each other). If that doesn’t make sense, here’s an example:

English:

Q: Aren’t you going to eat?

A: No (meaning “No, I am not going to eat.”)

Dhivehi:

Q: ނުކާނަންތަ؟ (Aren’t you going to eat?)

A: ނޫން (No, meaning “No, you are wrong, I am going to eat.”)

This negative questioning has been the source of much confusion, annoyance and amusement when I have spoken to Maldivian family and friends. To avoid confusion, it might be best to answer in full sentences, for example އަހަރެން ކާނަން (I will eat).

Practise

Translate into Dhivehi:

  1. She is not a dancer.
  2. My friends will not come tonight.
  3. You can’t see the sky in Malé.
  4. A chair that is not small.

Translate to English:

  1. މިފިހާރައިން ރިހާކުރު ނުލިބޭނެއެވެ
  2. އެނދުމަތީގައި ބާލީހެއް ނެތެވެ
  3. ކެއުމުގެކުރިން އަތް ނުދޮވުމަކީ ހަޑި ކަމެކެވެ
  4. ކޮޓަރި އަދި ސާފެއް ނުކުރަމެވެ

Answers:

Translate to Dhivehi:

  1. އޭނާއަކީ ނެށުންތެރިއެއް ނޫނެވެ
  2. އަހަރެންގެ ރައްޓެހިން މިރޭ ނާންނާނެއެވެ
  3. މާލޭގައި އުޑު ނުފެނެއެވެ
  4. ކުޑަނޫން ގޮނޑިއެއް

Translate to English:

  1. You can’t get rihaakuru from this shop / Rihaakuru is not available at this shop.
  2. There are no pillows on the bed.
  3. Not washing your hands before eating is gross/dirty.
  4. (I) haven’t yet cleaned (the/my) room.