Here, life is easy
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Get Ready for Your Maldives’ holiday – Dhivehi for Beginners
The language of the Maldivian population, Dhivehi, is strongly influenced by the major languages of the region, and most similar to the Sinhalese language of Sri Lanka. Given the wide dispersion of islands, it is not surprising that the vocabulary and pronunciation vary from atoll to atoll, with the difference being more significant in the dialects spoken in the southernmost atolls. While Innahura boasts an international team that speak a myriad of languages, we believe that cultural immersion should be a part of every holiday, so don’t shy away from our friendly local team and show your interest in finding out more about them and their beloved country.
Having said that, join us as we introduce you to the basics of the Maldives’ language so you can impress your hosts with some words and phrases when you spend your holiday on our island:
How are you? Haalu kihineh?
Fine, thank you. Ran’galhu, shukuriyaa.
Thank you. Shukuriyaa.
You’re welcome. Maruhabaa.
Life is easy! Ulhen Faseyha!
It’s beautiful here. Varah Reethi rasheh.
Let’s go fishing. Higaa Mahah Dhaan.
Hello. Assalaamu alaikum.
How are you? Kihineh?
Very well. Barabaru.
Very, very well. Varah barabaru!
Here, some additional terms you may come across during your days on the island:
Loabi. Love, darling.
Dhoni. Boat.
Olhu. Water between sandbanks.
Velaa. Turtle.
Miyaaru. Shark.
Giri: Reef pinnacle at a shallow depth
Thila: Reef pinnacle at a greater depth
Kandu: Channel between reefs
Madi: manta
Koamas: dolphins
Interested in learning more about Innahura, its team and local customs? Join the Innahura Walk (and talk), visit a local island and sign up for other excursions to get to appreciate the beauty of the Maldives and its people in its entirety. See the full list of escapes here. And see you at the Maldivian cultural show every Saturday!