Dhivehi Lesson 23: Imperative Verbs

The imperative form of verbs is used when telling someone to do something. For regular verbs in Dhivehi, this form is derived by taking the infinitive, removing the ން at the end and lengthening the final vowel. Keep in mind that the infinitive here is not the gerund, which is the verb root in traditional Dhivehi grammar. That form ends with އުން whereas the infinitive here ends with އަން. Here are some examples:

Infinitive		Imperative
ނަށަން	To dance	ނަށާ	Dance!
ފަތަން	To swim	ފަތާ	Swim!
ޖަހަން	To hit	ޖަހާ	Hit!
އަހަން	To ask	އަހާ	Ask!
މޮޑެން	To knead	މޮޑޭ	Knead!
އުޅެން	To live	އުޅޭ	Live!
ބަހަން	To give out / distribute	ބަހާ	Give out!

This is very similar to the 3rd person present tense, and even though it doesn’t end in އައި, they are pronounced the same way.

There are some irregular verbs:

Infinitive		Imperative
އަންނަން	To come	އާދޭ	Come!
ކުރަން	To do	ކުރޭ	Do!
ގެންނަން	To bring	ގެނޭ	Bring!
ގެންދަން	To take	ގެންދޭ	Take!
ގަންނަން	To buy	ގަނޭ	Buy!
ވަންނަން	To enter	ވަދޭ	Enter!
ކާން	To eat	ކައި	Eat!
ބޯން	To drink	ބޮއެ	Drink!
ރޯން	To cry	ރޮއެ	Cry!
ދާން	To go	ދޭ	Go!
ދޭން	To give	ދީ	Give!
ވާން	To become	ވޭ	Become!

Notice how there are patterns to the irregular verbs, where some match others, for example އަންނަން and ވަންނަން. Make sure you learn the difference between ދޭ and ދީ as it is very easy to get them confused.

Emphasis and Quotation

You have seen in previous lessons that އޭ and އޯ are suffixed to words to mean that it is emphasised/repeated, or that the information is second-hand, respectively. With imperative verbs, the equivalents of these suffixes are ށޭ and ށޯ.

Imperative	Emphasised Imperative	Quoted Imperative
ޖަހާ	ޖަހާށޭ	ޖަހާށޯ
އަހާ	އަހާށޭ	އަހާށޯ
ފަތާ	ފަތާށޭ	ފަތާށޯ
އަޅާ	އަޅާށޭ	އަޅާށޯ
އުޅޭ	އުޅޭށޭ	އުޅޭށޯ

The emphasised and quoted imperatives of the irregular verbs shown earlier are more similar to their infinitive forms than their simple imperative forms:

Infinitive	Imperative	Emphasised Imperative	Quoted Imperative
އަންނަން	އާދޭ	އަންނާށޭ	އަންނާށޯ
ކުރަން	ކުރޭ	ކުރާށޭ	ކުރާށޯ
ގެންނަން	ގެނޭ	ގެންނާށޭ	ގެންނާށޯ
ގެންދަން	ގެންދޭ	ގެންދާށޭ	ގެންދާށޯ
ގަންނަން	ގަނޭ	ގަންނާށޭ	ގަންނާށޯ
ވަންނަން	ވަދޭ	ވަންނާށޭ	ވަންނާށޯ
ކާން	ކައި	ކާށޭ	ކާށޯ
ބޯން	ބޮއެ	ބޯށޭ	ބޯށޯ
ރޯން	ރޮއެ	ރޯށޭ	ރޯށޯ
ދާން	ދޭ	ދާށޭ	ދާށޯ
ދޭން	ދީ	ދޭށޭ	ދޭށޯ
ވާން	ވޭ	ވާށޭ	ވާށޯ

Once again, watch out for “go” and “give”.

The emphasised form is used when you are repeating a command. The quoted form is used when you are talking about a command that someone else gave, or you are repeating it for them. You generally wouldn’t use the quoted form without providing more context in the sentence. For example:

• ކޮޓަރި ސާފުކުރޭ – Clean the room!
• އަހަރެން މިބުނީ ކޮޓަރި ސާފުކުރާށޭ – I said clean the room! (“I’m telling you again, clean the room!”)
• މަންމަ ބުނީ ކޮޓަރި ސާފުކުރާށޯ – Mum said to clean the room.

Although it’s not grammatically incorrect to just say ކޮޓަރި ސާފުކުރާށޯ, it sounds a bit off.

Negative Imperative

To turn the imperative form negative, it is a simple matter of adding the prefix ނު or ނަ depending on the following letter. This applies for the emphasised and quoted forms too.

Imperative	Negative Imperative	Emphasised Imperative	Negative Emphasised Imperative	Quoted Imperative	Negative Quoted Imperative
ޖަހާ	ނުޖަހާ	ޖަހާށޭ	ނުޖަހާށޭ	ޖަހާށޯ	ނުޖަހާށޯ
އަހާ	ނާހާ	އަހާށޭ	ނާހާށޭ	އަހާށޯ	ނާހާށޯ
ފަތާ	ނުފަތާ	ފަތާށޭ	ނުފަތާށޭ	ފަތާށޯ	ނުފަތާށޯ
އަޅާ	ނާޅާ	އަޅާށޭ	ނާޅާށޭ	އަޅާށޯ	ނާޅާށޯ
އުޅޭ	ނުއުޅޭ	އުޅޭށޭ	ނުއުޅޭށޭ	އުޅޭށޯ	ނުއުޅޭށޯ
ހަދާ	ނަހަދާ	ހަދާށޭ	ނަހަދާށޭ	ހަދާށޯ	ނަހަދާށޯ
ކުރޭ	ނުކުރޭ	ކުރާށޭ	ނުކުރާށޭ	ކުރާށޯ	ނުކުރާށޯ
ވޭ	ނުވޭ	ވާށޭ	ނުވާށޭ	ވާށޯ	ނުވާށޯ

For verbs starting with އު like އުކުން (to throw) or އުޅުން (to live), sometimes you might see negative forms with ނޫ as in ނޫކާ and ނޫޅޭ rather than with ނު as a separate prefix. This way of writing better reflects the pronunciation.

Formal Written Imperative

In formal writing, when an imperative verb is at the end of sentence, it ends with ށެވެ. This is derived the same way as the emphasised imperative forms, and normally you would pronounce it the same (ށޭ). For example, in a recipe, you might see something like:

• ވަޅި ތޫނުކުރާށެވެ – Sharpen the knife.
• ފެން ކައްކާށެވެ – Boil the water.
• ލޮނުމެދާއި ފިޔާ ތެއްޔަށް އަޅާށެވެ – Put the garlic and onion in the pot.

Future Imperative

Dhivehi has an imperative form used to tell someone to complete an action in the future (usually the near future, but it’s context dependent). The equivalent in English might be something like “Make sure you [verb]” or “Be sure to [verb]”.

This form is derived by adding ތި to the present imperative form (or to the same root as the emphasised/quoted forms for the irregular verbs).

The emphasised and quoted forms of the future imperative is derived by changing ތި to އްޗޭ or އްޗޯ and shortening the vowel.

All these forms are negated by adding ނު or ނަ, to give the meaning of “Make sure you don’t [verb]” or “Be sure not to [verb]”.

Present Imperative	Future Imperative	Emphasised Future Imperative	Quoted Future Imperative
ޖަހާ	ޖަހާތި ނުޖަހާތި	ޖަހައްޗޭ ނުޖަހައްޗޭ	ޖަހައްޗޯ ނުޖަހައްޗޯ
ނަށާ	ނަށާތި ނުނަނާތި	ނަށައްޗޭ ނުނަށައްޗޭ	ނަށައްޗޯ ނުނަށައްޗޯ
އަޅާ	އަޅާތި ނާޅާތި	އަޅައްޗޭ ނާޅައްޗޭ	އަޅައްޗޯ ނާޅައްޗޯ
ކުޅޭ	ކުޅޭތި ނުކުޅޭތި	ކުޅެއްޗޭ ނުކުޅެއްޗޭ	ކުޅެއްޗޯ ނުކުޅެއްޗޯ
ހަދާ	ހަދާތި ނަހަދާތި	ހަދައްޗޭ ނަހަދައްޗޭ	ހަދައްޗޯ ނަހަދައްޗޯ
ކުރޭ	ކުރާތި ނުކުރާތި	ކުރައްޗޭ ނުކުރައްޗޭ	ކުރައްޗޯ ނުކުރައްޗޯ
އާދޭ	އަންނާތި ނާންނާތި	އަންނައްޗޭ ނާންނައްޗޭ	އަންނައްޗޯ ނާންނައްޗޯ
ދޭ	ދާތި ނުދާތި	ދައްޗޭ ނުދައްޗޭ	ދައްޗޯ ނުދައްޗޯ
ދީ	ދޭތި ނުދޭތި	ދެއްޗޭ ނުދެއްޗޭ	ދެއްޗޯ ނުދެއްޗޯ
ކައި	ކާތި ނުކާތި	ކައްޗޭ ނުކައްޗޭ	ކައްޗޯ ނުކައްޗޯ
ބޮއެ	ބޯތި ނުބޯތި	ބޮއްޗޭ ނުބޮއްޗޭ	ބޮއްޗޯ ނުބޮއްޗޯ
ރޮއެ	ރޯތި ނުރޯތި	ރޮއްޗޭ ނުރޮއްޗޭ	ރޮއްޗޯ ނުރޮއްޗޯ
ވޭ	ވާތި ނުވާތި	ވައްޗޭ ނުވައްޗޭ	ވައްޗޯ ނުވައްޗޯ
ވަދޭ	ވަންނާތި ނުވަންނާތި	ވަންނައްޗޭ ނުވަންނައްޗޭ	ވަންނައްޗޯ ނުވަންނައްޗޯ
ގަނޭ	ގަންނާތި ނުގަންނާތި	ގަންނައްޗޭ ނުގަންނައްޗޭ	ގަންނައްޗޯ ނުގަންނައްޗޯ
ގެނޭ	ގެންނާތި ނުގެންނާތި	ގެންނައްޗޭ ނުގެންނައްޗޭ	ގެންނައްޗޯ ނުގެންނައްޗޯ
ގެންދޭ	ގެންދާތި ނުގެންދާތި	ގެންދައްޗޭ ނުގެންދައްޗޭ	ގެންދައްޗޯ ނުގެންދައްޗޯ

The future imperative in formal written Dhivehi ends with އެއްޗެވެ and is derived (and usually pronounced) the same way as the emphasised forms. Returning to those same previous examples:

• ވަޅި ތޫނުކުރައްޗެވެ – (Make sure you) Sharpen the knife.
• ފެން ކައްކައްޗެވެ – (Make sure you) Boil the water.
• ލޮނުމެދާއި ފިޔާ ތެއްޔަށް އަޅައްޗެވެ – (Make sure you) Put the garlic and onion in the pot.

Examples

ސައިތައްޓެއް ހަދާ	Make a cup of tea.
ހަމަ މިހާރު ގެއަށް ވަދޭ	Come inside the house right now!
ފުން ހިސާބުގައި ނުފަތައްޗޭ! ވަރަށް ނުރައްކާ ވާނެ	Don’t swim in the deep area! It’s very dangerous.
ނިދުމުގެ ކުރިން ދަތް އުނގުޅާށެވެ	Brush your teeth before sleeping.
ބިންމައްޗަށް ކުނި ނުއުކާ! މިރަށް ސާފުކޮށް ބަހައްޓާ	Don’t throw rubbish on the ground! Keep this island clean.
މިރޭ ސަޔަށް މަސްރޮށިކޮޅަކާއި ތެލުލި ގުޅަކޮޅަކާއި ގަންނައްޗޭ	Buy some masroshi and fried gulha for tea tonight.
އެއްވެސް އެހެން އެއްޗެއް ނުގަންނާތި	Don’t buy anything else.
ޑޮކްޓަރު ބުނީ ތިހާ ގިނައިން ފޮނިއެއްޗެހި ނުކާށޯ	The doctor said not to eat so much sweet food.
މިއަދު ވަރަށް އަވިގަދައެވެ. އަވިއައިނު އަޅައްޗެވެ	Today is very sunny. Make sure you wear sunglasses.
މިއަދު އަހަރެމެން ދަނީ ފިނޮޅަކަށް. ކުޑައެއް ގެންނައްޗޭ – އެއްވެސް ގަހެއް ނުހުންނާނެ	We are going to a sandbank today. Make sure you bring an umbrella – there are no trees.
ތިމީހުން ބޭރުގައި މަޑުކުރޭ. އަހަރެން މިފިހާރައިން ފެންފުޅިއެއް ގަންނާނަން	You guys wait outside. I’ll buy a water bottle from this shop.
ކަލޭ ދޭ ގެއަށް! މަށަށް މަޑު ނުކުރޭ	You go home! Don’t wait for me.
މިހުރިހާ މަދިރިތައް މަރާ	Kill all these mosquitos!
ދޮރު ލައްޕާ	Close the door.
އަޅާނުލާ	Don’t worry / Never mind. (A commonly used expression in Dhivehi which literally means something like “don’t get caught up [in it]”)