Maltese phrasebook

Maltese is the main language of Malta. Pronunciation guide The Maltese alphabet consist of 30 letters. It is usually Semitic in sound. It has short vowels and also long vowels. 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. In brief: Ħ = Hat Ġ = Lodge G = Goat Ż = Zero Z = Its Ċ = Cherry J = Yellow X = Shogun GĦH (Tagħha) = Hers -GĦ (Qlugħ) = Hound IE (Jiena) = Mean Vowels a e i o u ie Consonants The consonants that are different from those in English are: ċ Ċ, ġ Ġ (But there is still G), ħ Ħ (There is still h), għ GĦ, ż Ż (There is still z) Common diphthongs Phrase list Basics Hello.  Hello. (Hello ) Hello. (informal)  Bonġu. (BON-dew ) 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.  M'hemmx minn xiex. Yes.  Iva. ( Eve-a) No.  Le. (le) Excuse me. (getting attention)  Skużi. (SCOO-zee ) Excuse me. (begging pardon)  Skużani. ( ) 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) Good night.  . (il-lejl it-tajjeb ) Good night (to sleep)  . ( ) I don't understand.  . (Ma nifhimx ) Where is the toilet[, please?]  fejn hu it-toilet please? 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 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 Taxi Lodging Money Eating The Valletta waterfront is the best place to be to dine out in the evening with a wonderful atmosphere/ Valletta also has a number of nice places, just look into the sidestreets for the very best. Bars For a night on the town, visit the Saint Julians. Saint Julians or Paceville, as its called by the locals boasts most of Malta's popular night clubs. The music ranges from Pop, RnB, Hip Hop, Dance and Rock music. Paceville's night clubs open from 8pm until 4am. Most of the clubs are free to enter and will offer vouchers at the entrance but drinking responsably is advised as police will be on the lookout. Smoking is not permitted inside the clubs and if caught by the POLICE, one may be fined! Shopping Valletta and Sliema, Paola and B'kara and Hamrun are the most places to shop in they usually open from morning 9:00am till noon and then again from 4:00pm till 7:00pm but some of them open all day Driving Authority This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!