The Maltese alphabet consists of 30 letters. NOTE: The examples given in this guide follow the pronunciation in British English, which might be different than American English.
===Vowels===
===Vowels===
Line 32:
Line 32:
; p : like 'p' in "pig"
; p : like 'p' in "pig"
; q : glottal stop, no direct equivalent. Similar to the Cockney English pronunciation of 'tt' in "bottle"
; q : glottal stop, no direct equivalent. Similar to the Cockney English pronunciation of 'tt' in "bottle"
−
; r : like 'r' in "rail"
+
; r : like 'r' in "rail". Rolled like the Spanish 'r'.
The Maltese alphabet consists of 30 letters. NOTE: The examples given in this guide follow the pronunciation in British English, which might be different than American English.
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". Rolled like the Spanish 'r'.
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 'ts' in "dots"
ż
like 'z' in "zero"
Common diphthongs
Phrase list
Basics
Common signs
All of the common signs in Malta (such as Open and Close) are written either in English, or using international symbols, so travellers should not have a problem.
Hello.
Hello. (HEH-low)
Hello (informal)
Aw (AA-w)
Hello. (Good morning)
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-smeck?)
My name is ______.
Jisimni ______. (yi-SIM-nee_____ .)
Nice to meet you.
Għandi pjaċir. (AAn-dee pya-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-CHEE-NEE)
Goodbye
Saħħa. (SAH-ha)
Goodbye (informal)
Ċaw. (CHA-W)
I can't speak Maltese [well].
Ma nitkellimx bil-Malti [tajjeb]. (maa nit-kel-limsh bill mal-ti [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! (AAT-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. (maa ni-fimx)
Where is the toilet[, please?]
Fejn hu t-toilet[, jekk jogħġbok?] (feyn ooh it TOY-litt, yek YOH-jbok?)
Problems
Leave me alone.
Ħallini. (hahl-LEE-nee)
Don't touch me!
Tmissnix! (tmiss-NEESH)
I'll call the police.
Se ngħajjat il-pulizija. (se NIGH-yat ill poo-lits-EE-ya)
Police!
Pulizija! (poo-lits-EE-ya!)
Stop! Thief!
Waqqfuh! Ħalliel! (wa-eh-FOOH! hahl-LIEL!)
I need your help.
Tista' tgħini? (tis-TA tey-nee?)
It's an emergency.
Emergenza. (eh-mer-GEN-sa)
I'm lost.
Intlift. (in-tlift)
I lost my bag.
Tlift il-basket. (tlift ill BUS-ket)
I lost my wallet.
Tlift il-wallet. (tlift ill WOH-let)
I'm sick.
Imradt. (im-rudt)
I've been injured.
Weġġajt. (WEDGE-iyt)
I need a doctor.
Għandi bżonn tabib. (AAndi bzon TAA-bib)
Can I use your phone?
Nista' nużalek it-telefon? (nis-TAA noo-ZAA-lek it te-le-fon?)
Numbers
1
wieħed (WEE-hed)
2
tnejn (tneyn)
3
tlieta (TLEE-ta)
4
erbgħa (EHR-ba)
5
ħamsa (HAM-sa)
6
sitta (SIT-ta)
7
sebgħa (SEH-ba)
8
tmienja (tmeehn-ya)
9
disgħa (DIH-sa)
10
għaxra (AA-shra)
11
ħdax (hdash)
12
tnax (tnash)
13
tlettax (tleht-TAASH)
14
erbatax (ehr-ba-TAASH)
15
ħmistax (hmiss-TAASH)
16
sittax (sit-TAASH)
17
sbatax (zba-TAASH)
18
tmintax (tmin-TAASH)
19
dsatax (tsa-TAASH)
20
għoxrin (osh-REEN)
21
wieħed u għoxrin (WEE-hed oo osh-REEN)
22
tnejn u għoxrin (tneyn oo osh-REEN)
23
tlieta u għoxrin (TLEE-ta oo osh-REEN)
30
tletin (tleh-TEEN)
40
erbgħin (ehr-BAYN)
50
ħamsin (hum-SEEN)
60
sittin (sit-TEEN)
70
sebgħin (seh-BAYN)
80
tmenin (tmeh-NEEN)
90
disgħin (dih-SAYN)
100
mija (MEE-ya)
101
mija u wieħed (MEE-ya oo WEE-hed)
200
mitejn (mee-TEYN)
300
tliet mija (tlet MEE-ya)
1000
elf (elf)
2000
elfejn (el-FAYN)
1,000,000
miljun (mill-YOON)
number _____ (train, bus, etc.)
numru _____ (noo-mroo)
half
nofs (nofs)
less
inqas (IN-aas)
more
iktar (ICK-tar)
Note: Some phrasing involving numbers may be difficult to catch for anyone not familiar with the Maltese language.
Time
now
issa (is-SAH)
later
iktar tard (ick-TAR tard)
before
qabel (AA-bel)
morning
filgħodu (fill-O-doo)
afternoon
wara n-nofsinhar (WAA-rah in nofs-in-aar)
evening
filgħaxija (fill-AA-shee-ya)
night
bil-lejl (bill leyl)
Clock time
Note that 'one o'clock' and 'two o'clock' are exceptions to the rule of reading clock time. Times between 'three o'clock' to 'eleven o'clock' are told normally and told normally by using the numbers.
one o'clock AM
is-siegħa ta' filgħodu (is SEE-yah tah fill-O-doo)
two o'clock AM
is-sagħtejn ta' filgħodu (is SAH-teyn tah fill-O-doo)
three o'clock AM
it-tlieta ta' filgħodu (it TLIH-ta tah fill-O-doo)
noon
nofsinhar (nofs-in-aar)
one o'clock PM
is-siegħa ta' wara n-nofsinhar (is SEE-yah tah WAA-rah in nofs-in-aar)
two o'clock PM
is-sagħtejn ta' wara n-nofsinhar (is SAH-teyn tah WAA-rah in nofs-in-aar)
three o'clock AM
it-tlieta ta' wara n-nofsinhar (it TLIH-ta tah WAA-rah in nofs-in-aar)
midnight
nofsilejl (nofs-ill-leyl)
Duration
_____ minute(s)
_____ minuta(minuti) (mih-NOO-tah (mih-NOO-tee))
_____ hour(s)
_____ siegħa(t) (see-aa (see-aat))
_____ day(s)
_____ jum(jiem) (yoom (yiem))
_____ week(s)
_____ ġimgħa(t) (jim-aa (jim-aat))
_____ month(s)
_____ xahar(xhur) (xaar (xoor))
_____ year(s)
_____ sena(snin) (se-na (snin))
Days
today
illum (il-LOOM)
yesterday
ilbieraħ (il-BIH-rah)
tomorrow
għada (AA-da)
this week
dil-ġimgħa (dill jim-aa)
last week
il-ġimgħa l-oħra (ill jim-aa loh-ra)
next week
il-ġimgħa ddieħla (ill jim-aa id-dih-la)
Sunday
Il-Ħadd (ill hut)
Monday
It-Tnejn (it tneyn)
Tuesday
It-Tlieta (it TLEE-ta)
Wednesday
L-Erbgħa (LEHR-ba)
Thursday
Il-Ħamis (ill ham-EES)
Friday
Il-Ġimgħa (ill jim-aa)
Saturday
Is-Sibt (iss sibt)
Months
January
Jannar (yan-NAR)
February
Frar (frar)
March
Marzu (mar-tsoo)
April
April (aap-REEL)
May
Mejju (MAY-yoo)
June
Ġunju (JOON-yoo)
July
Lulju (LOO-lyu)
August
Awwissu (aaw-WIS-soo)
September
Settembru (set-TEM-bru)
October
Ottubru (ot-TOO-broo)
November
Novembru (noh-VEM-broo)
December
Diċembru (dee-CHEM-broo)
Writing time and date
Colours
black
iswed (ISS-wet)
white
abjad (AHB-yat)
gray
griż (grees)
red
aħmar (AHH-mar)
blue
blu (blu)
yellow
isfar (ISS-far)
green
aħdar (AHH-dar)
orange
oranġjo (oh-RAHN-jyo)
purple
vjola (VYO-lah)
brown
kannella (kahn-NEL-lah)
pink
roża (RO-sa)
Transportation
Note that there are no trains in Malta, so asking train relating information will not be necessary.
Place Names
In general, the name of the language is not the same as the country. eg. Spanja → Spain, Spanjol → Spanish Amerika → America, Amerikan → American
Canada
Kanada (KA-naa-daa)
England
Ingilterra (ING-eel-TER-raa)
France
Franza (FRAN-tsa)
Italy
Italja (IT-al-yaa)
Germany
Ġermanja (GER-maan-yaa)
Holland
Olanda (OL-aan-daa)
Australia
Awstralja (AUW-straal-yaa)
Finland
Filandja (FEEL-aand-yaa)
Russia
Russja (RU-ss-YAA)
Belgium
Belġu (BEL-guu)
Luxembourg
Lussenburgu (LUS-sen-buur-guu)
Poland
Polonja (POL-on-yaa)
Croatia
Kroazja (CROW-aats-yaa)
Denmark
Danimarka (DA-nee-maar-kaa)
Scandinavia
Skandinavja (SKAAN-deen-aav-yaa)
Sicily
Sqalijja (SEU-aalee-yyaa)
Europe
Ewropa (EW-ro-paa)
Africa
Afrika (AF-ree-kaa)
Bus and train
How much is a ticket to _____?
Kemm hu biljett għal _____? (kemm oo bill-YET aal ______)
One ticket to _____, please.
Biljett wieħed għal _____, jekk jogħġbok. (bill-YET WEE-hed aal ________, yek YOH-jbok)
