Maltese phrasebook

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 'ts' in "dots"
; ż : like 'z' in "zero"

Common diphthongs

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 . : Ma nitkellimx bil-Malti . (maa nit-kel-limsh bill mal-ti )
; 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 : Fejn hu t-toilet (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.
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. (...)