Romanisation of Maldivian

The representation of the Maldivian language in the Latin script varies from one scheme to another.

Major romanization methods

The following are the major romanisation methods for Maldivian:

Malé Latin

Main article: Malé Latin

Malé Latin is a romanisation for Maldivian used as the official script from 1976 to 1978. It continues to be the most used method of romanisation for the Maldivian Language.

ISO 15919

Main article: ISO 15919

ISO 15919 can be used to romanise Maldivian. Xavier Romero-Frias uses this scheme in his book The Maldive Islanders - A study of the popular culture of an ancient ocean kingdom.

Table

Consonants

Thaana	Malé Latin	ISO 15919	IPA transcription
ހ	h	h	[h]
ށ	sh	ṣ	[ʂ]
ނ	n	n	[n]
ރ	r	r	[ɾ]
ބ	b	b	[b]
ޅ	l	ḷ	[ɭ]
ކ	k	k	[k]
ވ	v	v	[ʋ]
މ	m	m	[m]
ފ	f	f	[f]
ދ	dh	d	[d̪]
ތ	th	t	[t̪]
ލ	l	l	[l]
ގ	g	g	[ɡ]
ޏ	gn	ñ	[ɲ]
ސ	s	s	[s̺]
ޑ	d	ḍ	[ɖ]
ޒ	z	z	[z̺]
ޓ	t	ṭ	[ʈ]
ޔ	y	y	[j]
ޕ	p	p	[p]
ޖ	j	j	[dʒ]
ޗ	ch	c	[tʃ]

Vowels

Thaana	Malé Latin	ISO 15919	IPA transcription
އަ	a	a	[a]
އާ	aa	ā	[aː]
އި	i	i	[i]
އީ	ee	ī	[iː]
އު	u	u	[u]
އޫ	oo	ū	[uː]
އެ	e	e	[e]
އޭ	ey	ē	[eː]
އޮ	o	o	[o]
އޯ	oa	ō	[oː]