Martial Arts

1. އަހަރެން އެއް ދުވަހަށް ފަރިތަކުރުމުގައި ބައިވެރިވެވިދާނެތޯ؟

   Aharen eh dhuvahah farithakurumugai baiverivevidhaanetho?

   May I take part in the training for just one day?

   Usage

   The basic way to ask about dropping in. What you can train in the Maldives is mainly karate and taekwondo, run by association-registered clubs that borrow school halls and community centres in Malé and Hulhumalé. Resort islands have nothing of the kind

   Grammar Note

   The final particle "tho" forms a polite question, more formal in tone than the casual "tha". Dhivehi is verb-final, and it writes its question mark in the Arabic style as "؟"

2. ފުރަތަމަ ފަރިތަކުރުން ބަލާލެވިދާނެތޯ؟

   Furathama farithakurun balaalevidhaanetho?

   May I watch the training first?

   Usage

   For sizing a place up before committing. Maldivian clubs are small and family-like and will hardly ever refuse an onlooker. Sessions run in the evening, kept clear of both the midday heat and the prayer times

   Grammar Note

   Inserting "levi" into a verb expresses ability, and adding "dhaane" softens it into "would be able to" — the standard way to take the edge off a request

3. ކުއްޔަށް އަންގި ލިބޭނެތޯ؟

   Kuyyah angi libeynetho?

   Are there gloves available to rent?

   Usage

   The Maldives imports virtually all its sports equipment, which keeps prices high and choice narrow. Borrowing the club's shared gloves is the practical route and the first session is usually free. Bring your own wraps and mouthguard

   Grammar Note

   "Kuyyah" is the noun "kuli" (rent, hire charge) with a directional ending, meaning "on hire". The verb "libey" carries the sense of something becoming available to you rather than being actively taken

4. އަހަރެންނަކީ އަލަށް ފެށި މީހެއް. ތަޖުރިބާއެއް ނެތް.

   Aharennakee alah feshi meeheh. Thajuribaa-eh neiy.

   I am someone who has only just started. I have no experience.

   Usage

   Saying it up front gets you a lighter session. Maldivian clubs revolve around members who started as children and post no skill grades, so unless you speak up you will be put in with experienced people

   Grammar Note

   The indefinite ending "-eh" attaches to a noun to mean "a, one". Dhivehi borrows heavily from Arabic, and its vocabulary of religion, law and learning is almost entirely of Arabic origin

5. ކުޑަކޮށް މަޑުމަޑުން ކުރައްވާ.

   Kudakoh madumadun kuravvaa.

   Please take it a little more gently.

   Usage

   The shortest way to ask for lower intensity in pad work or paired drills. The Maldives is hot and humid all year, and an unairconditioned hall drains you faster than you expect — so do not hesitate to say it

   Grammar Note

   Doubling "madu" (slow) into "madumadun" softens the degree, a characteristically Dhivehi use of reduplication. "Kuravvaa" is the honorific of "kurey" (to do), used with elders and strangers

6. އަހަރެންގެ ކަކުލަށް ތަދުވޭ، ފައިން ނުޖެހޭނަން.

   Aharenge kakulah thadhuvey, fain nujeheynan.

   My knee hurts, so I will not kick.

   Usage

   Say this before you start. Swap "kakulu" (knee) for "unagandu" (lower back), "mey" (chest) or "aiy" (arm). Medical provision differs island by island, and specialist care means a hospital in Malé or a flight abroad, so caution pays

   Grammar Note

   Possession is marked by the ending "-ge": "aharen" becomes "aharenge" (my). Negation prefixes "nu-" to the verb, turning "jehey" (to strike) into "nujehey" (not to strike)

7. މަހަކަށް އަގަކީ ކޮބާ؟

   Mahakah agakee kobaa?

   What is the fee per month?

   Usage

   For asking a monthly rate. The currency is the Maldivian rufiyaa; dollars work at the resorts but rufiyaa is what circulates in Malé. Club fees are low and are usually settled in cash or through a local transfer app

   Grammar Note

   "Kobaa" originally asks "where", but it serves equally for asking a price or a piece of information. "Mahakah" is "mas" (month) carrying the indefinite and directional endings

8. އެއް ދުވަހަށް އަގަކީ ކޮބާ؟

   Eh dhuvahah agakee kobaa?

   What is the fee for a single day?

   Usage

   The standard way to ask a one-off rate. Local clubs may have no single-session price at all and will sometimes tell you not to worry about it; offering a small amount anyway, or bringing drinks for the group, keeps things graceful

   Grammar Note

   The ending "-akee" presents a topic, roughly "as for X". Dhivehi is strongly agglutinative, stacking function endings onto nouns to mark case and topic

9. އަންހެނުންނަށް ޚާއްޞަ ކްލާހެއް ހުރިތޯ؟

   Anhenunnah khaassa klaaheh hurithoa?

   Is there a class specifically for women?

   Usage

   Self-defence and fitness classes for women have grown in the Maldives, and some clubs set aside slots led by female instructors. As a Muslim country where dress is taken seriously, it is worth checking the arrangements in advance

   Grammar Note

   The ending "-nah" is the dative, "for" or "to". Arabic-derived words such as "khaassa" are written with the extra Thaana letters devised specifically to transcribe Arabic sounds

10. ފަރިތަކުރުން ފެށެނީ ކޮން ގަޑިއެއްގައި؟

    Farithakurun feshenee kon gadi-eh-gai?

    What time does the training start?

    Usage

    Daily life here is punctuated by the five prayer times, and sessions are slotted around them. During Ramadan daytime training disappears altogether and the club gathers late at night after the evening prayers, so the timetable changes completely with the season

    Grammar Note

    The interrogative "kon" precedes a noun to give "which X". Time and place are marked by the ending "-gai", so "gadi-eh-gai" means "at some hour"

11. އަތުގައި ބެންޑޭޖް އަޅާނެ ގޮތް ދަސްކޮށްދެއްވާ.

    Athugai bendeyj alhaane goiy dhaskoh dhevvaa.

    Please teach me how to put the wraps on my hands.

    Usage

    Gloves without wraps risk your knuckles and wrist. Wraps are hard to come by in the Maldives, sold only in the handful of shops that carry imported sports goods. Learn the sequence on day one while the coach wraps you

    Grammar Note

    "Dhaskurey" (to learn) plus "dhey" (to give) yields "dhaskoh dhey" (to teach). The frame for "the way to do X" places "goiy" after the future form of the verb

12. ސްޕާރިން ކުރެވޭނީ ކޮންއިރަކުން؟

    Spaarin kurevenee kon-irakun?

    From when will I be able to spar?

    Usage

    For asking when you can move into sparring. It is gated behind the coach's approval because of injury risk, and the usual answer is a few sessions to settle your basics. On smaller islands medical facilities are thin, and staying on the pads is often the wiser choice for a visitor

    Grammar Note

    "Kurevey" is the potential form of "kurey" (to do), meaning "can be done". Recent loanwords come mostly straight from English and are written out phonetically in Thaana

13. މިތާ ފެންވަރާލެވޭނެ ތަނެއް ހުރިތޯ؟

    Mithaa fenvaraalevene thaneh hurithoa?

    Is there somewhere here to wash?

    Usage

    Clubs borrowing a school hall often have no shower at all. Fresh water is precious on Maldivian islands, most of which rely on desalinated seawater, so a long shower is not the done thing. Bring your own towel and change of clothes

    Grammar Note

    "Fenvaraa" compounds "fen" (water) with "varaa" (to pour over oneself). The verb "huri" states the existence of a thing or place, while people take "ulhey" instead

14. މުބާރާތްތައް ބާއްވަނީ ކޮންތާކު؟

    Mubaaraaiy-thah baavvanee konthaaku?

    Where are the tournaments held?

    Usage

    Maldivian martial arts tournaments run a few times a year in the indoor arenas and school halls of Malé and Hulhumalé under the national associations. With the country spread across atolls, competitors from outer islands need a boat or a flight, which keeps the number of events small

    Grammar Note

    Plurality is marked by "-thah" after the noun, though people often take other forms. "Baavvanee" is the ongoing-descriptive form of "baavvaa" (to place, to stage)

15. އަތް މައްޗަށް ނަގާ! މޫނު ސަލާމަތްކުރޭ!

    Aiy machah nagaa! Moonu salaamaiy kurey!

    Hands up! Protect your face!

    Usage

    Said by the coach — the most frequent cue during pad work and paired drills. English runs deep in Maldivian schooling, so the calls often come out half in English. They are short and sharp with no rudeness intended

    Grammar Note

    A command is the bare verb stem with no subject. To soften it you add "bala" or switch to the honorific "kuravvaa". "Salaamaiy" comes from Arabic and means safety

16. ބާރަށް ޖަހާ! ބިރު ނުގަނޭ!

    Baarah jahaa! Biru nuganey!

    Hit hard! Do not be afraid!

    Usage

    Said by the coach holding the pads when full power is wanted. A tentative strike is harder on your wrist than a committed one, so take it as permission to let go

    Grammar Note

    A negative command prefixes "nu-" to the verb. "Birugganey" (to be afraid) joins "biru" (fear) with "ganey" (to take) — Dhivehi characteristically expresses emotion as something one takes on

17. ފަސް މިނެޓް އަރާމުކޮށްލާ، ފެން ބޯ!

    Fas minute araamu kohlaa, fen bo!

    Take five minutes and drink some water!

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Temperatures hover around thirty degrees all year with high humidity, and in an unairconditioned hall a drink between rounds is not optional. Tap water is not drunk straight, so bring bottled water

    Grammar Note

    Adding "-laa" to a verb gives it a light, brief flavour, "just do it for a moment". Numerals precede the noun, so "fas minute" is five minutes

18. މިއަދަށް ނިމުނީ. ވަރަށް ރަނގަޅު!

    Miadhah nimunee. Varah rangalhu!

    That is it for today. Very good!

    Usage

    The coach's closing line; "shukuriyyaa" (thank you) is all you need in reply. Tipping is not a custom, though saying you will come again goes down well. Circles in Malé are small, and after one visit you will be greeted by name

    Grammar Note

    "Nimunee" is the completed form of "nimey" (to end), stating that something is over. "Varah" precedes an adjective to intensify it

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