Dhivehi→English

Translate Dhivehi to English the way locals mean it.

Dhivehi messages often use particles, indirect phrasing, and idioms whose social meaning is warmer, sharper, or less absolute than a textbook translation suggests.

Going the other way? English to Dhivehi

474 local dialects

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What locals actually say

މަށަށް ނޭނގެ ދޯ

I honestly don't know.

ދޯ seeks agreement or softens the statement, so it is not a literal question meaning “or?”

ކަމެއް ނޫން ދޯ

It's fine, really. No big deal.

ކަމެއް ނޫން literally says “it is not a matter,” but in conversation it dismisses a problem and reassures the other person.

ދެން ކޮބައިތޯ؟

So what am I supposed to do now?

ދެން can signal “so” or “now,” while ތޯ adds a questioning or mildly exasperated tone rather than simply marking a neutral question.

ފައިސާ ނެތް ދޯ

I’m broke, you know.

ފައިސާ ނެތް literally means money is absent, a colloquial way to say there is no cash. The particle ދޯ seeks shared understanding.

ކޮން ފަރާތަކަށް ދާންވީ؟

Which way should I go?

The allative ending ށް in ފަރާތަކަށް marks the direction of movement. ދާންވީ is the colloquial should go construction.

ކާނީ ކޮބައިތޯ؟

What are we having to eat?

ކާނީ is the everyday colloquial word for what there is to eat. The question particle ތޯ makes this an informal query.

މަންމަ ގޭގަ ހުރިތޯ؟

Is Mum at home?

ގޭގަ uses the locative ending ގަ to mean at home. ހުރިތޯ is a colloquial yes or no question about someone’s presence.

މިއަދު އޮފީހަށް ލަސްވާނެ

I’ll be late for work today.

އޮފީހަށް uses the allative ending ށް for going or being late to the office. The future construction ވާނެ signals an expected result, with the subject understood from context.

Notes like these come with every AIRTranslate translation, so you learn why locals phrase it that way as you go.

How Dhivehi differs

Dhivehi in Thaana script; Malé standard.

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Localization Notes explaining why locals say it that way