# Maltese phrasebook

Maltese (Malti) 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 'i' in "if"

#### o

    like 'o' in "often"

#### u

    like 'oo' in "too"

#### 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 'ts' in "dots"

#### ż

    like 'z' in "zero"

### Common diphthongs
## Phrase list
### Basics
#### 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)

#### 1,000

    elf (elf)

#### 2,000

    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. e.g. 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)

##### Where does this bus go?

    Għal fejn hi din? (aal feyn ee deen?)

##### Where is the bus to _____?

    Fejn hi tal-linja għal _____? (...)

##### Does this bus stop in _____?

    Din tieqaf _____? (...)

##### When does the bus for _____ leave?

    Fiex ħin titlaq titlaq għal _____? (...)

##### When will this bus arrive in _____?

    Fiex ħin tasal f' _____? (...)

#### Directions
##### How do I get to _____ ?

    Kif nasal sa ______? (keef NAH-sal saa _______)

##### ...the bus station?

    ...it-terminus? (it ter-MIH-nus)

##### ...the airport?

    ...l-ajruport? (liy-roo-PORT)

##### ...the youth hostel?

    ...il-hostel? (ill hoss-TEL)

##### ...the _____ hotel?

    ...il-_____ hotel? (ill ______ ho-TEL)

##### ...the American/Canadian/Australian/British embassy?

    ...l-ambaxxata Amerikana/Kanadiża/Awstraljana/Ingliża? (lam-baash-shaa-ta aa-meh-ree-KAA-na/kaa-naa-DEE-sa/aaw-stral-YAA-na/een-GLEE-sa)

##### Where are there a lot of...

    Fejn hemm ħafna... (feyn emm haaf-na...)

##### ...hotels?

    ...hotels? (ho-tels?)

##### ...restaurants?

    ...ristoranti? (ris-to)

##### ...bars?

    ...bars? (bars)

##### ...sites to see?

    ...affarijiet x'tara? (af-fa-REE-jiet SHTA-raa)

##### Can you show me on the map?

    Tista' turini fuq il-mappa? (tis-taa tu-REE-nee foo-UH ill map-pa?)

##### street

    triq (trih-uh)

##### Turn left.

    Dur fuq ix-xellug. (...)

##### Turn right.

    Dur fuq il-lemin. (...)

##### left

    xellug (...)

##### right

    lemin (...)

##### straight ahead

    ibqa' miexi (...)

##### towards the _____

    lejn il- _____ (...)

##### past the _____

    aqbez il- _____ (...)

##### before the _____

    qabel il- _____ (...)

##### Watch for the _____.

    Stenna sakemm tara il- _____. (...)

##### intersection

    salib it-toroq (...)

##### north

    tramuntana (...)

##### south

    nofsinhar (...)

##### east

    lvant (...)

##### west

    punent (...)

##### uphill

    fit-telgħa (...)

##### downhill

    fin-niżla (...)

#### Taxi
##### Taxi!

    Taxi! (...)

##### Take me to _____, please.

    Ħudni sal- _____, jekk jogħġbok. (...)

##### How much does it cost to get to _____?

    Kemm tiswa biex tasal sal- _____? (...)

##### Take me there, please.

    Ħudni s'hemm, jekk jogħġbok. (...)