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| | ==Pronunciation guide== | | ==Pronunciation guide== |
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| − | The Maltese alphabet consist of 30 letters. It is usually Semitic in sound. It has short vowels and also long vowels. | + | The Maltese alphabet consists of 30 letters. |
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| − | Some pronunciation hints: the common letter combination ''għ'' is a direct descendant of the Arabic ''ayin'' and is silent most of the time, except: when it is the last letter at the end of a word, or the letter immediately before a silent ''h'', in which case the għ takes on a hard h sound. ''H'' (h) is silent, and ''ħ'' (Ħ) is hard. ''Ġ''(ġ) is soft, and ''g'' (G) is hard. Likewise ''ż'' and ''z'', whilst ''ċ'' and ''j'' are always soft. ''X'' is pronounced "sh", and the ''ie'' group has a prolonged ''ee'' sound.
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| − | In brief:
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| − | Ħ = ''H''at
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| − | Ġ = Lo''dg''e
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| − | G = ''G''oat
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| − | Ż = ''Z''ero
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| − | Z = I''ts''
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| − | Ċ = ''Ch''erry
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| − | J = ''Y''ellow
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| − | X = ''Sh''ogun
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| − | GĦH (Ta''għh''a) = ''H''ers
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| − | -GĦ (Qlu''għ'') = ''H''ound
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| − | IE (J''ie''na) = M''ea''n
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| | ===Vowels=== | | ===Vowels=== |
Revision as of 20:32, 4 June 2010
Maltese is the main language of Malta.
Pronunciation guide
The Maltese alphabet consists of 30 letters.
Vowels
- a
- like 'a' in "after"
- e
- like 'e' in "enter"
- i
- like 'e' in "evil"
- o
- like 'o' in "often"
- u
- like 'u' in "emu"
- ie
- like 'ea' in "mean"
Consonants
- b
- like 'b' in "ball"
- ċ
- like 'ch' in "church"
- d
- like 'd' in "door"
- f
- like 'f' in "fork"
- g
- like 'g' in "gone"
- ġ
- like 'j' in "jump"
- għ
- mostly silent, except at the end of a word or immediately before 'h', in which case, it sounds like 'ħ'
- h
- mostly silent, except at the end of a word, in which case, it sounds like 'ħ'
- ħ
- like 'h' in "hold"
- j
- like 'y' in "yellow"
- k
- like 'c' in "cake"
- l
- like 'l' in "love"
- m
- like 'm' in "make"
- n
- like 'n' in "nice"
- p
- like 'p' in "pig"
- q
- glottal stop, no direct equivalent. Similar to the Cockney English pronunciation of 'tt' in "bottle"
- r
- like 'r' in "rail"
- s
- like 's' in "saw"
- t
- like 't' in "tail"
- v
- like 'v' in "victory"
- w
- like 'w' in "weight"
- x
- like 'sh' in "shore"
- z
- like 'zz' in "pizza"
- ż
- like 'z' in "zero"
Common diphthongs
Phrase list
Basics
- Hello.
- Hello. (Hello)
- Hello. (Goodmorning)
- Bonġu. (BON-ju)
- How are you?
- Kif inti? (kiyf int-ee?)
- Fine, thank you.
- Tajjeb. Grazzi. (TAI-yeb GRUTS-ee)
- What is your name?
- X'jismek? (SHYI-smack?)
- My name is ______ .
- Jisimni ______ . (Yi-SIM-nee_____ .)
- Nice to meet you.
- Għandi pjaċir. (Aandee pia-CHEER)
- Please.
- Jekk jogħġbok. (Yek YOH-jbok)
- Thank you.
- Grazzi. (GRUTS-ee)
- You're welcome.
- Mhux problema. (Moosh pro-bleh-MA)
- Yes.
- Iva. (Eve-a)
- No.
- Le. (Le)
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- Skużi. (SCOO-zee)
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- Skużani. (SCOO-za-nee)
- I'm sorry.
- Jiddispjaċini. (Yid-dis-pya-CHI-NEE)
- Goodbye
- Saħħa. (Sah-ha)
- Goodbye (informal)
- Ċaw. (Ciao)
- I can't speak Maltese [well].
- Ma nitkellimx bil-Malti [tajjeb]. (Ma nit-kel-limsh bill multi [thai-yeb])
- Do you speak English?
- Titkellem bl-Ingliz? (Tit-kel-lem blin-gleez?)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- Hawn xi ħadd jitkellem bl-Ingliz? (Awn shi hut jit-kel-lem blin-gleez?)
- Help!
- Ajjut! (I-yut!)
- Look out!
- Attent! (Ut-tent!)
- Good morning.
- Bonġu. (BON-ju)
- Good day.
- Il-ġurnata t-tajba. (Ill JUR-na-ta it THAI-ba)
- Good evening.
- Bonswa. (BON-swaa)
- Good night.
- Il-lejl it-tajjeb. (Ill leyl it THAI-yeb)
- I don't understand.
- Ma nifhimx. (Ma ni-fimx)
- Where is the toilet[, please?]
- Fejn hu t-toilet[, jekk jogħġbok?] (Feyn ooh it TOY-litt, yek YOH-jbok?)
- Money
- Flus
Problems
You're welcome in Maltese is "Merhba Bik" (mair-h-ba beek).
Numbers
One - wieħed
Two - tnejn
Three - tlieta
Four - erbgħa
Five - ħames
Six - sitta
Seven - sebgħa
Eight - tmienja
Nine - disgħa
Ten - għaxra
Eleven - ħdax
Twelve - tnax
Thirteen - tlettax
Fourteen - erbatax
Fifteen - ħmistax
Sixteen - sittax
Seventeen - sbatax
Eighteen - tmintax
Nineteen - dsatax
Twenty - għoxrin
Twenty-one - wieħed u għoxrin (ie. one and twenty)
Thirty - tletin
Forty - erbgħin
Fifty - ħamsin
Sixty - sittin
Seventy - sebgħin
Eighty - tmenin
Ninety - disgħin
Hundred - mija
Thousand - elf
Hundred Thousand - mitt elf
Million - milljun
Billion - billjun
Time
Clock time
1am: Is-siegħa ta' filgħodu
2am: Is-sagħtejn ta' filgħodu
3am: It-tlieta ta' filgħodu
4am: L-erbgħa ta' filgħodu
5am: Il-ħamsa ta' filgħodu
6am: Is-sitta ta' filgħodu
7am: Is-sebgħa ta' filgħodu
8am: It-tmienja ta' filghodu
9am: Id-disgħa ta' filgħodu
10am: L-għaxra ta' filgħodu
11am: Il-ħdax ta' filgħodu
Noon: Nofsinhar
1pm: Is-siegħa ta' wara nofsinhar
2pm: Is-saghtejn ta' wara nofsinar
etc.. (Till 5pm)
6pm: Is-sitta ta' filgħaxija
7pm: Is-sebgħa ta' filgħaxija
etc.. (Till 1pm)
Midnight: Nofs il-lejl
Duration
Second - sekonda (pl. sekondi)
Minute - minuta (pl. minuti)
Hour - siegħa (pl. siegħat)
Day - ġurnata (pl. ġranet)
Week - ġimgħa (pl. ġimgħat)
Month - xahar (pl. xhur)
Year - sena (pl. snin)
Century - seklu (pl. sekli)
Millennium - millennju (pl. millennji)
Days
Monday - it-Tnejn (it-tneyn)
Tuesday - it-Tlieta (it-tleeta)
Wednesday - l-Erbgħa (l-erba)
Thursday - il-Ħamis (il-hamees)
Friday - il-Ġimgħa (il-jimah)
Saturday - is-Sibt (is-sipt)
Sunday - il-Ħadd (il-hatt)
Months
January - Jannar
February - Frar
March - Marzu
April - April
May - Mejju
June - Ġunju
July - Lulju
August - Awissu
September - Settembru
October - Ottubru
November - Novermbru
December - Diċembru
Writing time and date
Colours
Red - Aħmar
Purple - Vjola
Orange - Oranġjo
Black - Iswed
Green - Aħdar
White - Abjad
Yellow - Isfar
Indigo - Ikħal
Blue - Blu
Grey - Griż
Transportation
Car: Karozza
Public Bus: Karozza tal-linja
Van: Vann
Ship: Vapur
Boat: Daghjsa
Aeroplane: Ajruplan
Bus and train
Directions
Left - xellug
Right - lemin
Centre - fin-nofs
Straight - dritt
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