The short answer
English works everywhere in Maldives tourism, so nothing here is compulsory. But a few Dhivehi words open doors on local islands: greet with assalaamu alaikum, thank with shukuriyyaa (a word Indian travellers already know from shukriya), and learn one sentence for vegetarian food. Dhivehi is an Indo-Aryan language related to Sinhala, written right to left in the Thaana script.
The five phrases that matter most
އައްސަލާމު ޢަލައިކުމް
assalaamu alaikum
Hello (formal greeting)
नमस्ते (औपचारिक इस्लामी अभिवादन)
ޝުކުރިއްޔާ
shukuriyyaa
Thank you
धन्यवाद
އިނގިރޭސިން ވާހަކަ ދައްކަން އިނގޭތަ؟
ingireysin vaahaka dhakkan ingeytha?
Do you speak English?
क्या आप अंग्रेज़ी बोलते हैं?
އަހަރެން މަހެއް ނުކަން
aharen maheh nukan
I am a vegetarian (I do not eat meat)
मैं शाकाहारी हूं (मैं मांस नहीं खाता)
މީތި ކިހާވަރަކަހ؟
meethi kihaavarakah?
How much is this?
इसकी कीमत कितनी है?
All the phrases
Greetings and thanks
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello (formal greeting) | އައްސަލާމު ޢަލައިކުމް | assalaamu alaikum | नमस्ते (औपचारिक इस्लामी अभिवादन) |
| Hello, informal (how is it going?) | ކިހިނެހް؟ | kihineh? | कैसे हो? (अनौपचारिक हैलो) |
| Good morning | ބައްއަޖޖެވުރި ހެނދުނެހް | baajjaveri hendhuneh | सुप्रभात |
| Good evening | ބައްއަޖޖެވުރި ހަވީރެހް | baajjaveri haveereh | शुभ संध्या |
| Good night | ބައްއަޖޖެވުރި ރެޔގަޑެ | baajjaveri reygade | शुभ रात्रि |
| Goodbye | ދަނީ | dhanee | अलविदा |
| Thank you | ޝުކުރިއްޔާ | shukuriyyaa | धन्यवाद |
| Welcome (also the reply to thank you) | މަރުޙަބާ | maruhabaa | स्वागत है (धन्यवाद का जवाब भी) |
| What is your name? | ކޮން ނަމެއް ކިޔަނީ؟ | kon nameh kiyanee? | आपका नाम क्या है? |
| My name is ... | އަހަރެންގެ ނަމަކީ ... | aharenge namakee ... | मेरा नाम ... है |
Getting help
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | އިނގިރޭސިން ވާހަކަ ދައްކަން އިނގޭތަ؟ | ingireysin vaahaka dhakkan ingeytha? | क्या आप अंग्रेज़ी बोलते हैं? |
| I do not understand | އަހަނނަކަހ ނޭނގުނު | ahannakah neyngunu | मैं समझा / समझी नहीं |
| Please speak slowly | މަޑުމަޑުނ ވާހަކަ ދެކކި ދާނެތަ؟ | madumadun vaahaka dhekki dhaanetha? | कृपया धीरे बोलिए |
| Yes | އާނ | aan | हां |
| No | ނޫނ | noon | नहीं |
| Excuse me / sorry | މަޢާފް ކުރޭ | ma'aaf kurey | माफ़ कीजिए |
| Please | އަދެސ ކޮހފަ | adhes kohfa | कृपया |
Food (vegetarian, Jain, allergies)
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| I am a vegetarian (I do not eat meat) | އަހަރެން މަހެއް ނުކަން | aharen maheh nukan | मैं शाकाहारी हूं (मैं मांस नहीं खाता) |
| I do not eat fish | އަހަރެން މަސެއް ނުކަން | aharen maseh nukan | मैं मछली नहीं खाता |
| Very tasty | ވަރަހ މީރު | varah meeru | बहुत स्वादिष्ट |
| Water | ފެން | fen | पानी |
| Enjoy your meal | މީރުކޮން ކާލަޗޗޭ | meerukon kaalacchey | भोजन का आनंद लीजिए |
Directions and transport
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where is the toilet? | ކޮބަ ފާހަނަ؟ | kobaa faahana? | टॉयलेट कहां है? |
| Boat (traditional wooden boat) | ދޯނި | dhoani | नाव (पारंपरिक लकड़ी की नाव) |
Shopping and numbers
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | މީތި ކިހާވަރަކަހ؟ | meethi kihaavarakah? | इसकी कीमत कितनी है? |
Emergency
| English | Local script | How to say it | हिन्दी |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help! | ސަލާމައި! | salaamai! | मदद! |
| Stop! | މަޑު ކުރޭ! | madu kurey! | रुको! |
| Call the police! | ސިފާނަހ ގުޅާބަ! | sifaannah gulhaaba! | पुलिस को बुलाइए! |
Save or print
Save the top phrases as a picture to send to your parents, or print the whole sheet.
The five phrases that matter most
- Hello (formal greeting) / नमस्ते (औपचारिक इस्लामी अभिवादन)
- އައްސަލާމު ޢަލައިކުމް (assalaamu alaikum)
- Thank you / धन्यवाद
- ޝުކުރިއްޔާ (shukuriyyaa)
- Do you speak English? / क्या आप अंग्रेज़ी बोलते हैं?
- އިނގިރޭސިން ވާހަކަ ދައްކަން އިނގޭތަ؟ (ingireysin vaahaka dhakkan ingeytha?)
- I am a vegetarian (I do not eat meat) / मैं शाकाहारी हूं (मैं मांस नहीं खाता)
- އަހަރެން މަހެއް ނުކަން (aharen maheh nukan)
- How much is this? / इसकी कीमत कितनी है?
- މީތި ކިހާވަރަކަހ؟ (meethi kihaavarakah?)
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Quick questions
Sources
- Dhiffushi Island Guide: Dhivehi phrases for travellers · checked 30 Oct 2026
- Omniglot: Useful phrases in Maldivian (Dhivehi), with Thaana script · checked 30 Oct 2026