Thaana Alphabet

The Thaana Alphabet is the writing system used for the Dhivehi language, spoken in the Maldives. It is one of the few alphabets in the world that was created relatively recently, around the 18th century. Thaana is written from right to left, similar to Arabic, but it has its own unique set of letters and sounds.

Unlike most scripts, Thaana’s letters were originally derived from Arabic numerals and local symbols, giving it a distinctive look. The alphabet includes 24 consonants and uses vowel signs placed above or below the consonant to represent different vowel sounds. This makes the script both compact and efficient.

The Thaana script beautifully represents the Maldivian identity, blending cultural influences from South Asia and the Islamic world. Today, it remains an essential part of everyday communication, education, and official writing in the Maldives.