angola

mt-verb

angola (imperfect jangola, past participle angolat, verbal noun angolat)

jangola (imperfect)
angolat (participle past)
angolat (noun-from-verb)
angolajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
angolajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
angola (masculine perfect singular third-person)
angolajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
angolajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
angolaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
angolajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
angolajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
angolat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
angolajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
angolajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
angolaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nangola (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tangola (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jangola (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nangolaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tangolaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jangolaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nangola (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tangola (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tangola (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nangolaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tangolaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jangolaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
angola (imperative second-person singular)
angolaw (imperative plural second-person)


fula

singulative of ful: a broad bean (single seed)


rota

Borrowed from Sicilian rota, from Latin rota.


sam

sam (imperfect jsum, active participle sajjem, verbal noun sawm)

jsum (imperfect)
sajjem (active participle)
sawm (noun-from-verb)
somt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
somt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
sam (masculine perfect singular third-person)
somna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
somtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
samu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
somt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
somt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
samet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
somna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
somtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
samu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nsum (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssum (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jsum (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nsumu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssumu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jsumu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nsum (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssum (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
ssum (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nsumu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssumu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jsumu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
sum (imperative second-person singular)
sumu (imperative plural second-person)


jew

Il-mediċina remdisivir għandha ftit jew l-ebda effett fuq iċ-ċansijiet li pazjenti jfiqu mill-Covid-19. Dan jirriżulta minn studju ppubblikat mill-Organizzazzjoni Dinjija għas-Saħħa.

2020 October 16, “Il-WHO: “Il-mediċina remdisivir bi ftit jew l-ebda effett fuq il-kura mill-Covid-19””, in iNews Malta, archived from the original on 2020-11-01:


islam

Borrowed from Italian islam, from Arabic إسْلام (ʔislām). The related word mislem (“Muslim”) was inherited from Arabic, but all other terms are learned borrowings.


kalif

kalifi (plural)
kaliff (alternative)
ħalif (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian califfo. Doublet of ħalif.


Ramadan

Borrowed from Arabic رَمَضَان (ramaḍān). Doublet of inherited Randan (“Lent”).


Albanija

Southeast Europe
Southeast Europe#English

Repubblika tal-Albanija
Repubblika tal-Albanija#Maltese

Albania (a country in Southeast Europe; official name: Repubblika tal-Albanija)


qibla

From Arabic قِبْلة (qibla, “direction of prayer towards Mekka”). The geographically peculiar use for “south” is also found in some dialects of Maghrebi Arabic.


rasul

mt-noun

rasul m (plural rsul or rsiel or rsajjal or irsla or rosol)

rsul (plural)
rsiel (plural)
rsajjal (plural)
irsla (plural)
rosol (plural)

Inherited from Arabic رَسُول (rasūl). Called an “arabism” by Falzon, but this may mean merely that the word was already highly archaic in the mid-19th century. At any rate it was inherited, not introduced later by Muslim captives, because old sources show that the place Għajn Rasul was always understood as “Spring of the Apostle [Paul]”.

(obsolete) Synonym of appostlu (“apostle”)


int

inti (positive)
int (positive)
mintix (negative)
tiegħek (possessive pronoun)
-ek (suffix)
-ok (suffix)
-k (suffix)
-ek (direct-object suffix)
-ok (direct-object suffix)
-k (direct-object suffix)
-lek (indirect-object suffix)

Alternative form of inti: you (second-person singular subject pronoun)


hu

huwa (positive)
hu (positive)
mhuwiex (negative)
mhux (negative)
tiegħu (possessive pronoun)
-u (suffix)
-h (suffix)
-u (direct-object suffix)
-h (direct-object suffix)
-lu (indirect-object suffix)


assista

mt-verb

assista (imperfect jassisti, past participle assistit)

jassisti (imperfect)
assistit (participle past)
assistejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
assistejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
assista (masculine perfect singular third-person)
assistejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
assistejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
assistew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
assistejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
assistejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
assistiet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
assistejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
assistejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
assistew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nassisti (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tassisti (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jassisti (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nassistu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tassistu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jassistu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nassisti (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tassisti (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tassisti (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nassistu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tassistu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jassistu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
assisti (imperative second-person singular)
assistu (imperative plural second-person)


parlament

membru tal-parlament

kamra tal-parlament


iva

From Arabic إِي وَ (ʔī wa-, “yes, by...”), which is to be followed by someone or something to swear by. Common combinations are, for example, إِي وَٱللّٰه (ʔī wa-llāh, “yes, by God”) or إِي وَرَبِّي (ʔī wa-rabbī, “yes, by my Lord”). Eventually the following word was left out. Compare the same in Hijazi Arabic إِيوَه (ʔīwa) and similar forms in other dialects. The shift from w to v is irregular, and iva is perhaps the only inherited Maltese word with this phoneme.

ijwa (alternative)
ija (alternative)
iwa (alternative)


arpa

Pandion haliaetus
Pandion haliaetus#Translingual


buz

buza (singulative)
bwiez (plural)
buzien (plural)
buzijiet (plural plural-of)
buziet (paucal)

Kelli buz wellington twil sa rkobbtejja li bih stajt ngħaddi nċaflas mill-għadajjar […]

2008, Trevor Żahra, Il-Ġenn li Jżommni f’Sikti, Merlin Publishers, →ISBN:

I wore long Wellington boots up to my knees, with which I could wade through the puddles […]


poni

From English pony, perhaps through Italian pony. The pronunciation seems to be spelling-based as it does not quite fit either origin (if from Italian, we should expect /ɔː/, otherwise /ɔw/).


parta

jparti (imperfect)
partejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
partejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
parta (masculine perfect singular third-person)
partejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
partejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
partew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
partejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
partejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
partiet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
partejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
partejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
partew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nparti (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tparti (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jparti (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
npartu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tpartu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jpartu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nparti (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tparti (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tparti (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
npartu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tpartu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jpartu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
parti (imperative second-person singular)
partu (imperative plural second-person)


silta

mt-noun

silta f (plural siltiet, diminutive slejta)


sitt

Coordinate term: (absolute form) sitta


Jemen

Repubblika tal-Jemen
Repubblika tal-Jemen#Maltese

Yemen (a country in Western Asia, in the Middle East; official name: Repubblika tal-Jemen)


kiel

mt-verb

kiel (imperfect jiekol, past participle mikul)

jiekol (imperfect)
mikul (participle past)
kilt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kilt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
kiel (masculine perfect singular third-person)
kilna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kiltu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
kielu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
kilt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kilt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
kielet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
kilna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kiltu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
kielu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
niekol (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tiekol (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jiekol (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nieklu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tieklu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jieklu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
niekol (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tiekol (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tiekol (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nieklu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tieklu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jieklu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
kul (imperative second-person singular)
kulu (imperative plural second-person)

From Arabic أَكَلَ (ʔakala). The expected basic form would be *ekel or *ikel. The initial vowel was deleted by analogy with the forms of the 1st and 2nd persons, where it had been lost by regular reduction of unstressed vowels. The remaining vowel was then lengthened by analogy with a hollow root. Lengthening also occurred in the imperative. Compare ħa (“to take”).

It-tifel qed jiekol issa.


sabbat

jsabbat (imperfect)
sabbatt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
sabbatt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
sabbat (masculine perfect singular third-person)
sabbatna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
sabbattu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
sabbtu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
sabbatt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
sabbatt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
sabbtet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
sabbatna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
sabbattu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
sabbtu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nsabbat (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssabbat (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jsabbat (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nsabbtu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssabbtu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jsabbtu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nsabbat (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssabbat (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
ssabbat (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nsabbtu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssabbtu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jsabbtu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
sabbat (imperative second-person singular)
sabbtu (imperative plural second-person)

From Arabic سَبَّتَ (sabbata), intensive of سَبَتَ (sabata, “to cut, smite, cast down”). The root partly overlaps with س ب ط (s b ṭ), which could explain the Maltese a-vocalism. It is likely that the verb was later associated with and influenced by the unrelated Sicilian sbattiri, Italian sbattere.

ar-root

س ب ط (s b ṭ)


reliġjon

reliġjonijiet (plural)
reliġjoni (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian religione, from Latin religio.


sitta

Coordinate term: (attributive form) sitt


magna

magni (plural)
makna (alternative)
makina (alternative)


terz

Borrowed from Sicilian terzu or Italian terzo.

(historical units of measurement) a unit of volume:

for spirits that is officially half an imperial pint (284.1 mL).

for milk and oil that is officially 11+¹⁄₄ imperial fluid ounces (319.6 mL).


terz

mt-adj

terz (feminine singular terza, plural terzi)

terza (feminine singular)
terzi (plural)


bera

mt-verb

bera (imperfect jibri, past participle mibri, verbal noun biri)

jibri (imperfect)
mibri (participle past)
biri (noun-from-verb)
brejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
brejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
bera (masculine perfect singular third-person)
brejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
brejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
brew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
brejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
brejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
briet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
brejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
brejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
brew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nibri (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibri (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jibri (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nibru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jibru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nibri (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibri (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tibri (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nibru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jibru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ibri (imperative second-person singular)
ibru (imperative plural second-person)


gramm

gram (a unit of mass equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram; symbol: g)


herra

herra (imperfect jherri, past participle mherri, verbal noun therrija)

jherri (imperfect)
mherri (participle past)
therrija (noun-from-verb)
herrejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
herrejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
herra (masculine perfect singular third-person)
herrejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
herrejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
herrew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
herrejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
herrejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
herriet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
herrejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
herrejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
herrew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nherri (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
therri (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jherri (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nherru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
therru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jherru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nherri (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
therri (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
therri (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nherru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
therru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jherru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
herri (imperative second-person singular)
herru (imperative plural second-person)

(transitive) to wear out; to cause to deteriorate gradually

(transitive) to tire; to exhaust (a person)


hinn

From Arabic هُنَا (hunā, “here”) or a related form. Compare hawn.

hinna (alternative)
hinni (alternative)
henn (alternative)
henna (alternative)
hinnek (alternative)
hinnhekk (alternative)
hinnhekka (alternative)
hinnekk (alternative)
hinekka (alternative)


falla

falla (imperfect jfalli, past participle fallut)

jfalli (imperfect)
fallut (participle past)
fallejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
fallejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
falla (masculine perfect singular third-person)
fallejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
fallejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
fallew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
fallejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
fallejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
falliet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
fallejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
fallejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
fallew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nfalli (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tfalli (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jfalli (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nfallu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tfallu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jfallu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nfalli (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tfalli (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tfalli (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nfallu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tfallu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jfallu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
falli (imperative second-person singular)
fallu (imperative plural second-person)

Probably borrowed from Italian fallire. At least Italian influence is certain, but compare Arabic فَلَّ (falla, “to go away”), with which it could theoretically have been merged. It is a fairly rare word, but very common in North Levantine Arabic, with which Maltese (though more closely related to Maghrebi dialects) shares some similarities.


kultura

il-kultura Maltija


platt

Borrowed from Italian piatto and/or Sicilian piattu, probably influenced by English plate.

platt ċatt

platt fond


sus

second-person singular imperative of sies


welled

welled (imperfect jwelled, past participle mwelled)

jwelled (imperfect)
mwelled (participle past)
wellidt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
wellidt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
welled (masculine perfect singular third-person)
wellidna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
wellidtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
welldu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
wellidt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
wellidt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
welldet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
wellidna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
wellidtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
welldu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nwelled (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
twelled (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jwelled (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nwelldu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
twelldu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jwelldu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nwelled (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
twelled (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
twelled (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nwelldu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
twelldu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jwelldu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
welled (imperative second-person singular)
welldu (imperative plural second-person)

(transitive) to create, bring forth, cause to exist


saħħa

saħħtejn (dual)
saħħiet (plural)
saħħti (first-person singular)
saħħitna (first-person singular)
saħħtek (second-person singular)
saħħitkom (second-person singular)
saħħtu (masculine singular third-person)
saħħitha (feminine singular third-person)
saħħithom (singular third-person)

Għax meta missieri kien jibni xi gallinar, jew xi xatba, jew xi kannizzata, qatt ma kien jixtri xejn, iżda jlaqqat u jillapazza b’dak li jsib. Imma jiena ma ridtx għarix mibni bl-imbarazz, iżda kamp sabiħ u pulit u b’saħħtu.


nitten

nitten (imperfect jnitten, past participle mnitten, verbal noun tnittin)

jnitten (imperfect)
mnitten (participle past)
tnittin (noun-from-verb)
nittint (first-person masculine perfect singular)
nittint (masculine perfect second-person singular)
nitten (masculine perfect singular third-person)
nittinna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
nittintu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
nittnu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
nittint (feminine first-person perfect singular)
nittint (feminine perfect second-person singular)
nittnet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
nittinna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
nittintu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
nittnu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nnitten (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tnitten (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jnitten (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nnittnu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tnittnu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jnittnu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nnitten (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tnitten (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tnitten (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nnittnu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tnittnu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jnittnu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
nitten (imperative second-person singular)
nittnu (imperative plural second-person)


mans

mt-adj

mans (feminine singular mansa, plural mansi)

mansa (feminine singular)
mansi (plural)


anki

Borrowed from Sicilian anchi, from Latin hanc (“this”) + an uncertain word; see Italian anche for more.

Sadattant, mal-medda tas-snin dan l-antagoniżmu anti-Semitiku baqa’ dejjem jiżdied, anki fost il-Ġermaniżi.

2022, Alfred Massa, Il-Ħarba, Horizons, →ISBN, page 6:


isha

second-person singular imperative of seha


figura

Borrowed from Italian figura, from Latin figūra. Doublet of fgura.


nanna

mt-noun

nanna f (plural nanniet, masculine nannu)

nanniet (plural)
nannu (masculine)
nannti (first-person singular)
nannitna (first-person singular)
nanntek (second-person singular)
nannitkom (second-person singular)
nanntu (masculine singular third-person)
nannitha (feminine singular third-person)
nannithom (singular third-person)


pipa

Borrowed from Sicilian pipa and/or Italian pipa.


-x

From Arabic شَيْء (šayʔ, “thing”). The same negation suffix is found in most North African and some Levantine dialects of Arabic.

jikteb → ma jiktibx ― he writes → he doesn’t write

Used together with the particle ma to negate verbs and adverbs

tikteb → tiktibx or: la tiktibx ― you write → don't write

Used on its own or with the particle la to express a negated imperative


bomba

(figuratively) any big-sized round object


basar

mt-verb

basar (imperfect jobsor, past participle mibsur, verbal noun bsir)

jobsor (imperfect)
mibsur (participle past)
bsir (noun-from-verb)
bsart (first-person masculine perfect singular)
bsart (masculine perfect second-person singular)
basar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
bsarna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
bsartu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
basru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
bsart (feminine first-person perfect singular)
bsart (feminine perfect second-person singular)
basret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
bsarna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
bsartu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
basru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nobsor (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tobsor (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jobsor (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nobsru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tobsru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jobsru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nobsor (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tobsor (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tobsor (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nobsru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tobsru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jobsru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
obsor (imperative second-person singular)
obsru (imperative plural second-person)


militar

Borrowed from Italian militare. Doublet of militari.

Wieħed mill-ġirien, ċertu Ċikku Sinagra, raġel pulit u fuq tiegħu donnu xi ex-surġent tal-militar, kien iħobb joqgħod jippassiġġa tul it-triq kollha.


sistema

Borrowed from Italian sistema, from Latin systēma, from Ancient Greek σύστημα (sústēma).


votant

mt-noun

votant m (plural votanti, feminine votanta)


emigrant

emigrant m (plural emigranti, feminine emigranta)


mandolin

mandolina (singulative)
mandoliniet (paucal)


forn

forn m (plural fran, diminutive frajjen)

From Arabic فُرْن (furn), from Aramaic פורנא / ܦܘܪܢܐ (pūrnā), from Ancient Greek φοῦρνος (phoûrnos), from Latin furnus. There is no reason to doubt the inheritance of the word in Maltese and consider it a borrowing from an Italo-Romance cognate such as Italian forno. The Arabic word is attested early, the outcome forn is expected in Maltese, and so is the plural fran from Arabic أَفْران (ʔafrān). Only the derivative furnar (“baker”) is, of course, a borrowing (widely replacing native ħabbież).


deber

mt-verb

deber (imperfect jidbor, past participle midbur)

jidbor (imperfect)
midbur (participle past)
dbirt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dbirt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
deber (masculine perfect singular third-person)
dbirna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dbirtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
debru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
dbirt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dbirt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
debret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
dbirna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dbirtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
debru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nidbor (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidbor (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jidbor (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nidbru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidbru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jidbru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nidbor (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidbor (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tidbor (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nidbru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidbru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jidbru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
idbor (imperative second-person singular)
idbru (imperative plural second-person)


karfa

kraf (plural)
krafi (plural)
kruf (plural)

From Arabic كَرْفَأَة (karfaʔa). Compare Kabyle akerfa (“chaff”).


minni

first-person singular pronominal form of minn: from me


tama

From Arabic طَمَع (ṭamaʕ, “greed, wish”). The loss of the final għ is regular in this noun, but was generalised throughout the root (and is therefore reflected in the spelling). Compare, however, tema’.


tama

jitma (imperfect)
tmajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
tmajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
tama (masculine perfect singular third-person)
tmajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
tmajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
tmaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
tmajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
tmajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
tmat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
tmajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
tmajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
tmaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nitma (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
titma (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jitma (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nitmaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
titmaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jitmaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nitma (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
titma (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
titma (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nitmaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
titmaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jitmaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
itma (imperative second-person singular)
itmaw (imperative plural second-person)


tikka

Probably inherited from dialectal Arabic تَكّة (takka, “one, piece, morsel, bit, tad”), from Persian تکه (tekke), provided that the borrowing into Arabic happened early enough. Otherwise an independent onomatopoeia could not be ruled out; compare English tick (“checkmark; short moment”).

m+

Ma nafdahx tikka.


x

The twenty-eighth letter of the Maltese alphabet, written in the Latin script.


rama

mt-verb

rama (imperfect jarma, past participle armat, verbal noun armar)

jarma (imperfect)
armat (participle past)
armar (noun-from-verb)
rmajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
rmajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
rama (masculine perfect singular third-person)
rmajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
rmajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
rmaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
rmajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
rmajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
rmat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
rmajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
rmajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
rmaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
narma (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tarma (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jarma (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
narmaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tarmaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jarmaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
narma (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tarma (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tarma (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
narmaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tarmaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jarmaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
arma (imperative second-person singular)
armaw (imperative plural second-person)
arma (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian armari. Sense 3 is from Arabic رَمَعَ (ramaʕa).

(transitive) to arm (to supply with armour or weapons)

Rama ruħu

(reflexive) to arm oneself; to become armed

Alternative form: rama’

(followed by the imperfect) to begin, to start

(transitive) to harness (to place a harness on something)


kisser

kisser (imperfect jkisser, past participle mkisser, verbal noun tiksir)

jkisser (imperfect)
mkisser (participle past)
tiksir (noun-from-verb)
kissirt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kissirt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
kisser (masculine perfect singular third-person)
kissirna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kissirtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
kissru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
kissirt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kissirt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
kissret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
kissirna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kissirtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
kissru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nkisser (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tkisser (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jkisser (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nkissru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tkissru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jkissru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nkisser (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tkisser (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tkisser (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nkissru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tkissru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jkissru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
kisser (imperative second-person singular)
kissru (imperative plural second-person)


tara

third-person feminine singular imperfect of ra


dinja

Din l-għanja hija maħbuba f’ħafna pajjiżi differenti madwar id-dinja kollha.

This song is popular in many different countries throughout the world.


Kosovo

Balkan Peninsula
Balkan Peninsula#English

Kosovo (A partly-recognized country on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe)


dara

jidra (imperfect)
drajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
drajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
dara (masculine perfect singular third-person)
drajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
drajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
draw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
drajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
drajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
drat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
drajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
drajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
draw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nidra (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidra (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jidra (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nidraw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidraw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jidraw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nidra (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidra (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tidra (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nidraw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidraw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jidraw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
idra (imperative second-person singular)
idraw (imperative plural second-person)

to get used to (adapt to something new, make it customary)

to become acquainted with (learn the basics of something new)


dak

dik (feminine)
dawk (plural)
daka (alternative)


ziek

jżik (imperfect)
zika (noun-from-verb)
zikt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
zikt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
ziek (masculine perfect singular third-person)
zikna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ziktu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
zieku (masculine perfect plural third-person)
zikt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
zikt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
zieket (feminine perfect singular third-person)
zikna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ziktu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
zieku (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nzik (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
zzik (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jzik (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nziku (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
zziku (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jziku (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nzik (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
zzik (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
zzik (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nziku (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
zziku (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jziku (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
zik (imperative second-person singular)
ziku (imperative plural second-person)
ċiek (alternative)


kok

mt-noun

kok m (plural kokijiet or koki, feminine koka)

kokijiet (plural)
koki (plural)
koka (feminine)

Borrowed from Sicilian cocu, from Latin coquus.


kennen

mt-verb

kennen (imperfect jkennen, past participle mkennen)

jkennen (imperfect)
mkennen (participle past)
kennint (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kennint (masculine perfect second-person singular)
kennen (masculine perfect singular third-person)
kenninna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kennintu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
kennu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
kennint (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kennint (feminine perfect second-person singular)
kennet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
kenninna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kennintu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
kennu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nkennen (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tkennen (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jkennen (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nkennu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tkennu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jkennu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nkennen (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tkennen (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tkennen (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nkennu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tkennu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jkennu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
kennen (imperative second-person singular)
kennu (imperative plural second-person)


kif

From Arabic كَيْفَ (kayfa). Compare Moroccan Arabic كيف (kīf).

Miexja fil-funeral ta’ kuġintha
mart it-tabib, li mietet fl-aħjar tagħha;
u f’moħħha ħsieb għaddej li t-tabib jista’
kif jgħaddi ftit taż-żmien, jitgħarras magħha.

1966, Anton Buttigieg, “Agnes”, in Ejjew Nidħku Ftit Ieħor:


martel

martel (imperfect jmartel, verbal noun tmartil)

jmartel (imperfect)
tmartil (noun-from-verb)
martilt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
martilt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
martel (masculine perfect singular third-person)
martilna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
martiltu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
martlu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
martilt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
martilt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
martlet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
martilna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
martiltu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
martlu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
mmartel (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tmartel (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jmartel (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
mmartlu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tmartlu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jmartlu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
mmartel (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tmartel (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tmartel (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
mmartlu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tmartlu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jmartlu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
martel (imperative second-person singular)
martlu (imperative plural second-person)

Alternative form of mmartella: to hammer


kus

From Arabic كُوز (kūz), from Middle Persian.


Perù

Repubblika tal-Perù
Repubblika tal-Perù#Maltese

Peru (a country in South America; official name: Repubblika tal-Perù)


sultan

mt-noun

sultan m (plural slaten, feminine sultana, diminutive slajten or slajtan)

slaten (plural)
sultana (feminine)
slajten (diminutive)
slajtan (diminutive)
soltan (alternative)

Is-sema bagħatlu sabi u s-sultan żamm kelmtu!

(dated, historical or figurative) king, monarch, ruler


depress

mt-adjective

depress (feminine singular depressa, plural depressi)

depressa (feminine singular)
depressi (plural)
dipress (alternative)


appellant

mt-noun

appellant m (plural appellanti, feminine appellanta)

appellanti (plural)
appellanta (feminine)


appellant

mt-adjective

appellant (feminine singular appellanta, plural appellanti)

appellanta (feminine singular)
appellanti (plural)


silla

French honeysuckle (Hedysarum coronarium)


venda

terminus (end point of a transport system)


sid

mt-noun

sid m (plural sjied or sidien, feminine sidt)

sjied (plural)
sidien (plural)
sidt (feminine)

From Arabic سَيِّد (sayyid), widely also pronounced سِيد (sīd) in dialects.


musulman

mt-adjective

musulman (feminine singular musulmana, plural musulmani)

musulmana (feminine singular)
musulmani (plural)

Borrowed from Italian musulmano, from Ottoman Turkish, from Persian مسلمان (mosalmân), from Arabic مُسْلِم (muslim), whence also inherited Maltese mislem (“Muslim”, noun).

Muslim (of persons, peoples, cultures: pertaining to Islam)


assassina

mt-verb

assassina (imperfect jassassina, past participle assassinat, verbal noun assassinar)

jassassina (imperfect)
assassinat (participle past)
assassinar (noun-from-verb)
assassinajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
assassinajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
assassina (masculine perfect singular third-person)
assassinajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
assassinajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
assassinaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
assassinajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
assassinajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
assassinat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
assassinajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
assassinajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
assassinaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nassassina (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tassassina (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jassassina (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nassassinaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tassassinaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jassassinaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nassassina (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tassassina (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tassassina (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nassassinaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tassassinaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jassassinaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
assassina (imperative second-person singular)
assassinaw (imperative plural second-person)
assassna (alternative)


festa

mt-noun

festa f (plural festi, diminutive festin)

Borrowed from Sicilian festa and/or Italian festa.


Russja

Federazzjoni Russa
Federazzjoni Russa#Maltese

Russia (A transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and North Asia; official name: Federazzjoni Russa)


Russu

mt-adjective

Russu (feminine singular Russa, plural Russi)

Russa (feminine singular)
Russi (plural)

Russian (of, from or relating to Russia)


Russu

Russian (native or inhabitant of Russia) (male or of unspecified gender)


Federazzjoni Russa

Russian Federation (official name of Russia)


tars

mt-noun

tars m (plural trus, diminutive trajjes)

From Arabic تَرْس (tars), from Ancient Greek θῠρεός (thŭreós).


fera

mt-verb

fera (imperfect jferi, past participle ferit)

jferi (imperfect)
ferit (participle past)
ferejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ferejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
fera (masculine perfect singular third-person)
ferejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ferejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
ferew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
ferejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ferejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
feriet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
ferejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ferejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
ferew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nferi (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tferi (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jferi (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nferu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tferu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jferu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nferi (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tferi (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tferi (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nferu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tferu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jferu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
feri (imperative second-person singular)
feru (imperative plural second-person)

Borrowed from Italian ferire, from Latin ferire.


malli

Univerbation of ma’ + li, literally “with what”.


kotor

mt-verb

kotor (imperfect joktor, verbal noun ktir)

joktor (imperfect)
ktir (noun-from-verb)
ktort (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ktort (masculine perfect second-person singular)
kotor (masculine perfect singular third-person)
ktorna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ktortu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
kotru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
ktort (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ktort (feminine perfect second-person singular)
kotrot (feminine perfect singular third-person)
ktorna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ktortu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
kotru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
noktor (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
toktor (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
joktor (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
noktru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
toktru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
joktru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
noktor (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
toktor (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
toktor (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
noktru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
toktru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
joktru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
oktor (imperative second-person singular)
oktru (imperative plural second-person)


kanta

kanta (imperfect jkanta, past participle kantat, verbal noun kantar)

jkanta (imperfect)
kantat (participle past)
kantar (noun-from-verb)
kantajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kantajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
kanta (masculine perfect singular third-person)
kantajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kantajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
kantaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
kantajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kantajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
kantat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
kantajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kantajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
kantaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nkanta (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tkanta (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jkanta (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nkantaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tkantaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jkantaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nkanta (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tkanta (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tkanta (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nkantaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tkantaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jkantaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
kanta (imperative second-person singular)
kantaw (imperative plural second-person)

Borrowed from Sicilian cantari and/or Italian cantare, from Latin cantare.

Inkantalek.


tarka

Borrowed from Sicilian tarca, variant of targa, ultimately from Proto-Germanic *targǭ.


liba

From Arabic لِبَأ (libaʔ, “beestings”). The vulgar sense after the thick consistency of such milk.

(possibly archaic) beestings, colostrum (first milk after giving birth)

Ħarġet ħafna liba minn żobbu wara li ħxieni.

A lot of cum came out of his dick after he fucked me.

Kemm int liba, terġax teħodli l-lapes.

You’re such a bastard, don’t take my pencil again.

(vulgar) arsehole, asshole, bastard, cunt, dick, dickhead, cruel, contemptible, brutal


estrada

estrada (imperfect jestrada, past participle estradat, verbal noun estradar or stradar)

jestrada (imperfect)
estradat (participle past)
estradar (noun-from-verb)
stradar (noun-from-verb)
estradajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
estradajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
estrada (masculine perfect singular third-person)
estradajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
estradajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
estradaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
estradajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
estradajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
estradat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
estradajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
estradajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
estradaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nestrada (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
testrada (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jestrada (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nestradaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
testradaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jestradaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nestrada (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
testrada (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
testrada (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nestradaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
testradaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jestradaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
estrada (imperative second-person singular)
estradaw (imperative plural second-person)


mell

mell (imperfect jmell, verbal noun mella)

jmell (imperfect)
mella (noun-from-verb)
mellejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
mellejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
mell (masculine perfect singular third-person)
mellejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
mellejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
mellew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
mellejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
mellejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
mellet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
mellejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
mellejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
mellew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
mmell (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tmell (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jmell (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
mmellu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tmellu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jmellu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
mmell (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tmell (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tmell (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
mmellu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tmellu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jmellu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
mell (imperative second-person singular)
mellu (imperative plural second-person)


lett

mt-adj

lett (feminine singular letta, plural letti)

letta (feminine singular)
letti (plural)

quddiesa letta

(liturgy) low, without music or ceremonials


lett

Alternative form: letta

(nautical) fishing line with large hooks

(nautical) main rope tied to fishing pots


kell

kell- (canonical)
ikoll (imperfect)
kelli (first-person singular)
kellna (first-person plural)
kellek (second-person singular)
kellkom (plural second-person)
kellu (masculine singular third-person)
kellha (feminine singular third-person)
kellhom (plural third-person)

Univerbation of kien (“was”) + l- (“to”).

univerbation

Kelli ktieb.

I had a book. (literally, “It was to me a book.”)

Ir-raġel kellu ktieb.

The man had a book. (literally, “The man it was to him a book.”)

Il-Ħajja ma’ l-għarajjes
daret kollha daħkana;
għalihom ferħ biss kellha
u daqq u żfin u għana,
xita ta’ ross, xewqiet
f’għomor mimli għaxqiet;

1975, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Ħajja u l-Għarajjes”, in L-Għanja tas-Sittin:

Kelli nikteb ktieb.

(literally, “It was to me (that) I write a book.”)

Imnalla għajjatlu Fredu u kellu jwaqqaf l-eloġju ta’ nannuh, għax naħseb l-istorja li kien imiss kienet li għandu xi gżira privata.

2018, Antoinette Borg, Amina, Merlin Publishers, →ISBN:

(with following verb) to be obligatory for; to be necessary for; expresses English have to, must


bellus

Eventually from Latin villus, vellus (“hair, fleece”). Aquilina apparently seeks to derive it directly from this noun, comparing fellus (“chick”), from Latin pullus. However, the word must then have passed from Latin through Berber into Arabic, which seems unlikely. Much more probably it is from the adjective villosus, whence French velours (“velvet”). Compare also Italian velluto. The Maltese b- is probably due to adaptation of the un-Arabic v-, though there is an (unrelated?) Arabic بَلاس (balās), بُلُس (bulus, “hair-cloth”), which might have influenced the form.


kont

first/second-person singular perfect of kien


skola

mt-noun

skola f (plural skejjel or skajjel or (obsolete) skoli)

skejjel (plural)
skajjel (plural)
skoli (obsolete plural)
iskola (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian scola, from Latin schola, from Ancient Greek σχολή (skholḗ).

school (an institution dedicated to teaching and learning)

school (the followers of a particular doctrine)

school (a department/institute at a college or university)


dalam

jidlam (imperfect)
dlamt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dlamt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
dalam (masculine perfect singular third-person)
dlamna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dlamtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
dalmu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
dlamt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dlamt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
dalmet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
dlamna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dlamtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
dalmu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nidlam (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidlam (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jidlam (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nidalmu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidalmu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jidalmu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nidlam (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidlam (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tidlam (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nidalmu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidalmu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jidalmu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
idlam (imperative second-person singular)
idalmu (imperative plural second-person)


jum

jumejn (dual)
jiem (plural)
jumi (first-person singular)
jumna (first-person singular)
jumek (second-person singular)
jumkom (second-person singular)
jumu (masculine singular third-person)
jumha (feminine singular third-person)
jumhom (singular third-person)

day (period when a person is awake and experiences things)


kelb

kelb m (plural klieb, feminine kelba, diminutive klejjeb)

klieb (plural)
kelba (feminine)
klejjeb (diminutive)

Fl-interess ta’ iġene tajba, aħsel idejk qabel tagħti l-pilloli lill-kelb.

In the interests of good hygiene, wash your hands before administering the tablets to the dog.

X’int kelb, għala tittrattaha hekk lil martek?

You’re such a bastard, why do you treat your wife like that?

(figuratively) cruel person, bastard, cunt, dick, dickhead


kiri

From Arabic كِرَاء (kirāʔ). Doublet of kera.


labra

From Arabic الإبْرة (al-ʔibra), from إبْرة (ʔibra, “needle”) with fused definite article ال (al-).


lupu

Dicentrarchus labrax
Dicentrarchus labrax#Translingual


marad

jimrad (imperfect)
mradt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
mradt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
marad (masculine perfect singular third-person)
mradna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
mradtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
mardu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
mradt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
mradt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
mardet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
mradna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
mradtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
mardu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nimrad (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timrad (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jimrad (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nimardu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timardu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jimardu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nimrad (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timrad (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
timrad (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nimardu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timardu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jimardu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
imrad (imperative second-person singular)
imardu (imperative plural second-person)


ras

ras f (dual (uncommon) rasejn, plural rjus, diminutive rwajsa)

rasejn (dual uncommon)
rjus (plural)
rwajsa (diminutive)

From Arabic رَأْس (raʔs). The word is masculine in standard Arabic, but the feminine is found in some dialects, so there is no need to assume influence by Sicilian testa (though this is not ruled out).

X’sejra ġġibilna ġewwa l-fardal tiegħek.
ja Sena Ġdida?
Ah! biegħed minna
il-għelt, il-ġlied,
id-demm bejn l-aħwa;
rażżan ir-regħba u l-ġibdiet tal-ħakma,
rattab l-irjus u l-qlub,
ġibilna s-sabar ta’ xulxin, l-imħabba,
ġibilna l-għaqda,
ġibilna s-sliem,
ġibilna l-ħelsien!

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Lis-Sena l-Ġdida 1964”, in Fl-Arena:

(measure word for livestock or people in a crowd) a single animal or person.


siker

jisker (imperfect)
skirt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
skirt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
siker (masculine perfect singular third-person)
skirna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
skirtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
sikru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
skirt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
skirt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
sikret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
skirna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
skirtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
sikru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nisker (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tisker (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jisker (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
niskru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tiskru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jiskru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nisker (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tisker (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tisker (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
niskru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tiskru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jiskru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
isker (imperative second-person singular)
iskru (imperative plural second-person)

Jien, li fl-imħabba kelli biss sensiela twila ta’ diżappunti; jien li kont bdejt nemmen li qatt mhu se nsib lil min iħobbni, issa kont ħassejt li f’salt wieħed seħħ miraklu. Kont skirt bl-imħabba.


landa

suldati tal-landa


parir

Borrowed from Sicilian pariri, from Latin parēre (“to seem”).


fis

From Arabic فِي سَاعَة (fī sāʕa, “in a short time”). Compare Moroccan Arabic فيساع (fīsāʕ).

inh

Lejn din l-għaqda fis nittajru,
 Xjuħ u żgħażagħ ħaddemin.
 Leħen sbejjaħ lilna jsejjaħ,
 Biex ningħaqdu f’dan il-ħin.

1930, “Innu tal-Partit Laburista”, Manwel Pace (lyrics), Ġużè Diacono (music):

To this union we all flock at once,
 Workers old and young.
 A beautiful voice calls out to us
 That at this time we shall unite.


arra

Unknown. Compare Moroccan Arabic أرى (ʔarra, “giddyup”) and Italian arri.


farfar

mt-verb

farfar (imperfect jfarfar, past participle mfarfar)

jfarfar (imperfect)
mfarfar (participle past)
farfart (first-person masculine perfect singular)
farfart (masculine perfect second-person singular)
farfar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
farfarna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
farfartu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
farfru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
farfart (feminine first-person perfect singular)
farfart (feminine perfect second-person singular)
farfret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
farfarna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
farfartu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
farfru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nfarfar (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tfarfar (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jfarfar (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nfarfru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tfarfru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jfarfru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nfarfar (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tfarfar (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tfarfar (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nfarfru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tfarfru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jfarfru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
farfar (imperative second-person singular)
farfru (imperative plural second-person)


mantar

mantar (imperfect jmantar, past participle mmantar, verbal noun tmantir)

jmantar (imperfect)
mmantar (participle past)
tmantir (noun-from-verb)
mantart (first-person masculine perfect singular)
mantart (masculine perfect second-person singular)
mantar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
mantarna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
mantartu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
mantru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
mantart (feminine first-person perfect singular)
mantart (feminine perfect second-person singular)
mantret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
mantarna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
mantartu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
mantru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
mmantar (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tmantar (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jmantar (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
mmantru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tmantru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jmantru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
mmantar (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tmantar (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tmantar (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
mmantru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tmantru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jmantru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
mantar (imperative second-person singular)
mantru (imperative plural second-person)


delu

mt-noun

delu m (plural idilwa or delijiet or dliewa or dliewi)

idilwa (plural)
delijiet (plural)
dliewa (plural)
dliewi (plural)


serp

serp m (plural sriep, feminine serpa, diminutive srejjep)

sriep (plural)
serpa (feminine)
srejjep (diminutive)

Kleopatra qatlet ruħha b’idejha b’gidma ta’ serp velenuż.

Cleopatra single-handedly killed herself with the bite of a poisonous snake.


sar

mt-verb

sar (imperfect jsir, past participle misjur, verbal noun sajran)

jsir (imperfect)
misjur (participle past)
sajran (noun-from-verb)
sirt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
sirt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
sar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
sirna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
sirtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
saru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
sirt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
sirt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
saret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
sirna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
sirtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
saru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nsir (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssir (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jsir (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nsiru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssiru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jsiru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nsir (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssir (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
ssir (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nsiru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssiru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jsiru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
sir (imperative second-person singular)
siru (imperative plural second-person)

Studjat il-Latin u saret għalliema.

f’żarbun ġa ssikkat. irkiekel dahri
tat-terrakotta － ’kk tmisshom,
isiru frak. dil-belt tentakli waħedha －
għoddha qalftitni fatat.

2022, Nadia Mifsud, meta tinfetaq il-folla, Ede Books, →ISBN:

Sirt nifhem xi jfisser tkun fqir.

I came to understand what it means to be poor.

(with imperfect verb) to come to; to start to

Is-soppa qed issir.

(intransitive, of food) to be cooking; to become ready; to be in the oven, on the hob


sist

first/second-person singular perfect of sies


sella

sella (imperfect jselli, verbal noun tislija)

jselli (imperfect)
tislija (noun-from-verb)
sellejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
sellejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
sella (masculine perfect singular third-person)
sellejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
sellejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
sellew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
sellejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
sellejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
selliet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
sellejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
sellejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
sellew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nselli (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
sselli (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jselli (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nsellu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssellu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jsellu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nselli (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
sselli (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
sselli (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nsellu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssellu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jsellu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
selli (imperative second-person singular)
sellu (imperative plural second-person)

From Arabic صَلَّى (ṣallā, “to pray”, also “to pray for somebody, to bless”). Regarding the e-vocalism and the verbal noun tislija there may have been a merger with Arabic سَلَّى (sallā, “to amuse, entertain, comfort”). See the doublet salla for more.


tinda

From a variant of Sicilian tenna or Italian tenda.


plier

From Italo-Romance (compare Italian piliere), from Old French piler, from Vulgar Latin *pilāre, derived from pila.


mara

mt-noun

mara f (construct state mart or (archaic) mrat, plural nisa, masculine raġel or żewġ)

mart (construct)
mrat (archaic construct)
nisa (plural)
raġel (masculine)
żewġ (masculine)
marti (first-person singular)
martna (first-person singular)
martek (second-person singular)
martkom (second-person singular)
martu (masculine singular third-person)
martha (feminine singular third-person)
marthom (singular third-person)
mrati (first-person singular)
mratna (first-person singular)
mratek (second-person singular)
mratkom (second-person singular)
mratu (masculine singular third-person)
mratha (feminine singular third-person)
mrathom (singular third-person)

From Arabic اِمْرَأة (imraʔa, “woman; wife”). Formally, a backformation from the latter’s definite form اَلْمَرْأة (al-marʔa) as in most modern Arabic dialects.

kull skuża
f’soċjetà kkankrata
li ma tridx taf b’mara
sakemm m’hemmx kwota
li ma tridx taf b’mara
sakemm ma tridx tivvota

2023, Keith Borg, magħġuna fit-tbenġil, Ede Books, →ISBN:


tina

From Arabic تِينة (tīna), singulative of تِين (tīn).

singulative of tin: a fig (single fruit)


bini

From Arabic بِناء (bināʔ). The final -i either by influence of binja or as a relict of word-final imala, for whose existence in older Maltese there is good evidence (it may have been lost through influence of the Romance feminine -a); compare also biki from Arabic بُكاء (bukāʔ).

Synonym of binja (“a building, structure”).


spalla

spallejn (dual)
spalel (plural)
spallti (first-person singular)
spallitna (first-person singular)
spalltek (second-person singular)
spallitkom (second-person singular)
spalltu (masculine singular third-person)
spallitha (feminine singular third-person)
spallithom (singular third-person)
ispalla (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian spalla or an older variant of Sicilian spadda, both from Latin spatula.


inti

inti (positive)
int (positive)
mintix (negative)
tiegħek (possessive pronoun)
-ek (suffix)
-ok (suffix)
-k (suffix)
-ek (direct-object suffix)
-ok (direct-object suffix)
-k (direct-object suffix)
-lek (indirect-object suffix)
int (alternative)

From Arabic أَنْتَ (ʔanta, “you [masculine]”) and أَنْتِ (ʔanti, “you [feminine]”).

inh

you (second-person singular subject pronoun) (generally distinguished as being feminine version of int)


sena

is-sena li għaddiet

is-sena l-oħra

is-sena d-dieħla

is-sena li ġejja

is-sena li jmiss

Qalbi xebgħet bil-bejta
li dejjem ta’ kull sena
titwaqqa’ kull ħarifa,
u kull April tinbena,

1949-1952, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Bejta ta’ Dejjem”, in Qasba mar-Riħ, published 1977:


llum

Contraction of il-jum (literally “the day”), from Arabic اَلْيَوْمَ (al-yawma).


kamin

Borrowed from Italian camino and/or Sicilian caminu.


buli

mt-adj

buli (feminine singular bulija, plural bulin)

bulija (feminine singular)
bulin (plural)


wati

mt-adjective

wati (feminine singular watja, plural watjin)

watja (feminine singular)
watjin (plural)


tari

tari (feminine singular tarja, plural tarja or torja or tarjin)

tarja (feminine singular)
tarja (plural)
torja (plural)
tarjin (plural)
tieri (alternative)

From Arabic طَرِيّ (ṭariyy), reanalysed in the form of a present participle.


tastiera

tastieri (plural)
tastatura (alternative)


mut

second-person singular imperative of miet


sapun

sapuna (singulative)
spapen (plural)
spajjen (plural)
sapuniet (paucal)

Ultimately from Latin sāpō, from Proto-Germanic *saipǭ. The word was probably inherited from Arabic صَابُون (ṣābūn), which is clearly old enough to have passed into Maltese. The -p- does of course betray influence by cognate Sicilian sapuni, but does not prove borrowing.

inh

Arabic صَابُون (ṣābūn)


ħalq

mt-noun

ħalq m (plural ħluq, diminutive ħlejjaq or ħlajjaq)

ħluq (plural)
ħlejjaq (diminutive)
ħlajjaq (diminutive)
ħalqi (first-person singular)
ħalqna (first-person singular)
ħalqek (second-person singular)
ħalqkom (second-person singular)
ħalqu (masculine singular third-person)
ħalqha (feminine singular third-person)
ħalqhom (singular third-person)

From Arabic حَلْق (ḥalq, “throat”). Cognate with Gulf Arabic حلج (ḥalj, “mouth”).

Għandu tlett iħluq x’jitma’.

(figurative) an eater, a person to be fed

il-ħalq tal-ixkora


kamra

Eventually from Latin camera, from Ancient Greek καμάρα (kamára). It is possible that the form was inherited from Arabic قَمْرَة (qamra), but this depends on the age of this borrowing (said to be from Italo-Romance). Otherwise a borrowing from Sicilian càmmara, càmmira. The plural kmamar seems to reflect the Sicilian gemination. Doublet of kamera and ċimnija.

“IMMA … mhux se teħlisha ħafif għal li għamilt, Amina. Ma nistax nibqa’ nwissik biss u int tibqa’ tagħmel ta’ rasek. Dawn il-jumejn, illum u għada, se tqattagħhom f’kamra waħdek, f’dan is-sular. Mhux se tattendi lezzjonijiet —”


hedan

hedin (feminine)
hedawn (plural)
hedana (alternative)

From Arabic هٰذَا (hāḏā). For the -n see dan.

(now rare, dated) emphatic form of dan (“this”)


wera

mt-verb

wera (imperfect juri, past participle muri)

juri (imperfect)
muri (participle past)
wrejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
wrejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
wera (masculine perfect singular third-person)
wrejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
wrejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
wrew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
wrejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
wrejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
wriet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
wrejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
wrejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
wrew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nuri (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
turi (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
juri (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nuru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
turu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
juru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nuri (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
turi (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
turi (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nuru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
turu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
juru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
uri (imperative second-person singular)
uru (imperative plural second-person)

From Arabic أَرَى (ʔarā), factitive IV. stem of رَأَى (raʔā), whence Maltese ra (“to see”). The Maltese perfect forms are backformations from the imperfect.

Dan minħabba l-interess li dejjem wera għat-tagħlim ferm qabel il-Griegi u r-Rumani.

2022, Alfred Massa, Il-Ħarba, Horizons, →ISBN, page 5:


ferm

mt-adjective

ferm (feminine singular ferma, plural fermi or friem, comparative ifrem)

ferma (feminine singular)
fermi (plural)
friem (plural)
ifrem (comparative)


wara

waraji (first-person singular)
warajna (first-person plural)
warajek (second-person singular)
warajkom (plural second-person)
waraju (masculine singular third-person)
warajha (feminine singular third-person)
warajhom (plural third-person)
wrajja (first-person singular)
wrajna (first-person plural)
wrajk (second-person singular)
wrajkom (plural second-person)
wrajh (masculine singular third-person)
wrajha (feminine singular third-person)
wrajhom (plural third-person)

From Arabic وَرَاء (warāʔ, “behind, beyond”).

Wara l-bibien,
fit-tul tat-toroq twal,
batejt
il-għeja
il-qtigħ ta’ qalb,
batejt fuq kollox il-mistħija;
iżda ġarrabt ukoll
il-ferħ u l-għaxqa
li kull tallab iħoss
x’ħin jasal wisq għajjien bil-ħorġa f’idu
bil-ħobż għand ommu mġewħa.

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “It-Tallab”, in Fl-Arena:


stilla

mt-noun

stilla f (plural stilel or (less common) stilli)

stilel (plural)
stilli (plural uncommon)
istilla (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian stidda, stilla, from Latin stēlla.


bist

first/second-person singular perfect of bies


fina

first-person plural pronominal form of f’: in us


belti

mt-adjective

belti (feminine singular beltija, plural beltin)

beltija (feminine singular)
beltin (plural)

Vallettan (of or pertaining to Valletta, the capital of Malta)


folla

Borrowed from Italian folla and/or from an older (perhaps subseded) variant of Sicilian fuḍḍa, both derived from Latin fullare (“to bump, trample”), perhaps influenced by Proto-Germanic *fulką (“folk”). Compare French foule.

Niftakar li kont mort mal-folla u ma’ sħabi ta’ l-Azzjoni Kattolika biex nilqgħuh fi dħul iż-Żejtun.


omm

mt-noun

omm f (plural ommijiet, masculine missier or bu)

ommijiet (plural)
missier (masculine)
bu (masculine)
ommi (first-person singular)
ommna (first-person singular)
ommok (second-person singular)
ommkom (second-person singular)
ommu (masculine singular third-person)
ommha (feminine singular third-person)
ommhom (singular third-person)

U Adam semma lil martu Eva għax hi kienet omm il-ħajjin kollha.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 3:20:

King James Version translation: And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.


raġel

rġiel (plural)
mara (feminine)
raġli (first-person singular)
raġelna (first-person singular)
raġlek (second-person singular)
raġelkom (second-person singular)
raġlu (masculine singular third-person)
raġelha (feminine singular third-person)
raġelhom (singular third-person)


profond

mt-adjective

profond (feminine singular profonda, plural profondi)

profonda (feminine singular)
profondi (plural)


minn

minni (first-person singular)
minna (first-person plural)
minnek (second-person singular)
minnkom (plural second-person)
minnu (masculine singular third-person)
minnha (feminine singular third-person)
minnhom (plural third-person)
miċ- · mid- · min- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
miċ- · mid- · min- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
miċ- · mid- · min- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
miċ- · mid- · min- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
mir- · mis- · mit- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
mir- · mis- · mit- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
mir- · mis- · mit- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
mir- · mis- · mit- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
mix- · miz- · miż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
mix- · miz- · miż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
mix- · miz- · miż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
mix- · miz- · miż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
mill- (qamrin-unassimilation)

taħt it-tbissima
falza ta’ wiċċi
kien hemm in-niket
u dwejjaq kbar
u biża’ minnek.

u lili firdu minn mal-art għal dejjem,
u jien sfajt blata u gżira l-aktar ċkejkna,
bi ftit faqqiegħ u ftit gremxul sewdieni
ngħix ħajja waħdi.

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral”, in Fanali bil-Lejl:

U waqt li nħares fuq ta’ qalbi x-xitla
tat-tifkiriet tinbet tifkira ġdida,
b’warda ta’ swied il-qalb fejn tilma demgħa
minn ħbub għajnejja.

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Fuq Qabar Oħti”, in Fanali bil-Lejl:


immens

immens (feminine singular immensa, plural immensi)

immensa (feminine singular)
immensi (plural)


Bulgarija

Bulgaria (a country in Southeast Europe)


kolera

Ultimately from Latin cholera, from Ancient Greek χολέρᾰ (kholéră).


imita

mt-verb

imita (imperfect jimita, past participle imitat, verbal noun imitar)

jimita (imperfect)
imitat (participle past)
imitar (noun-from-verb)
imitajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
imitajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
imita (masculine perfect singular third-person)
imitajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
imitajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
imitaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
imitajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
imitajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
imitat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
imitajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
imitajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
imitaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nimita (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timita (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jimita (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nimitaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timitaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jimitaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nimita (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timita (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
timita (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nimitaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timitaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jimitaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
imita (imperative second-person singular)
imitaw (imperative plural second-person)


importa

importa (imperfect jimporta, past participle importat)

jimporta (imperfect)
importat (participle past)
importajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
importajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
importa (masculine perfect singular third-person)
importajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
importajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
importaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
importajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
importajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
importat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
importajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
importajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
importaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nimporta (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timporta (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jimporta (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nimportaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timportaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jimportaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nimporta (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timporta (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
timporta (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nimportaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timportaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jimportaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
importa (imperative second-person singular)
importaw (imperative plural second-person)
mporta (alternative)

Borrowed from Italian importare, from Latin importare.


importa

jimporta (imperfect)
importajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
importajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
importa (masculine perfect singular third-person)
importajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
importajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
importaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
importajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
importajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
importat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
importajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
importajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
importaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nimporta (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timporta (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jimporta (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nimportaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timportaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jimportaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nimporta (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timporta (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
timporta (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nimportaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timportaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jimportaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
importa (imperative second-person singular)
importaw (imperative plural second-person)
mporta (alternative)

Alteration of the older form, which is from Sicilian mpurtari, after the Italian above and after importanti (“important”).

Alternative form of impurta (“to matter”)


mira

From Italian mira or its Sicilian equivalent.

Ma lħaqniex il-miri tagħna.


blu

From Sicilian and/or Italian blu, from Old French bloe, from Frankish *blāu, from Proto-Germanic *blēwaz.


abjad

mt-adjective

abjad (feminine singular bajda, plural bojod)

bajda (feminine singular)
bojod (plural)


dura

From Arabic دَوْرَة (dawra). Doublet of dawra.

a hut used by hunters and birdcatchers as a watching place


brillant

brillanti (plural)
birlant (alternative)


Spanja

Renju ta’ Spanja
Renju ta' Spanja#Maltese

Spain (a country in Southern Europe, including most of the Iberian peninsula; official name: Renju ta’ Spanja)


argumenta

mt-verb

argumenta (imperfect jargumenta, past participle argumentat, verbal noun argumentar)

jargumenta (imperfect)
argumentat (participle past)
argumentar (noun-from-verb)
argumentajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
argumentajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
argumenta (masculine perfect singular third-person)
argumentajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
argumentajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
argumentaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
argumentajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
argumentajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
argumentat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
argumentajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
argumentajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
argumentaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nargumenta (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
targumenta (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jargumenta (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nargumentaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
targumentaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jargumentaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nargumenta (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
targumenta (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
targumenta (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nargumentaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
targumentaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jargumentaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
argumenta (imperative second-person singular)
argumentaw (imperative plural second-person)


sultana

Il-Għanja ta’ Żgħożiti
- bil-ferħ insiġtha jien, -
hi għanja lis-Sbuħija
Sultana tal-ħolqien.

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Għanja ta’ Żgħożiti”, in Mill-Gallerija ta’ Żgħożiti:

female equivalent of sultan; a queen; a female monarch or ruler, or the wife of a male one


Venere

Borrowed from Italian Venere, from Latin Venus.

planets of the Solar System: pjaneti tas-Sistema Solari: Merkurju · Venere

Il-Ħamra · Ġove · Saturnu · Uranu · Nettunu [edit]


balja

jbalji (imperfect)
baljejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
baljejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
balja (masculine perfect singular third-person)
baljejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
baljejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
baljew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
baljejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
baljejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
baljiet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
baljejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
baljejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
baljew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nbalji (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tbalji (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jbalji (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nbalju (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tbalju (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jbalju (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nbalji (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tbalji (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tbalji (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nbalju (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tbalju (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jbalju (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
balji (imperative second-person singular)
balju (imperative plural second-person)

Alternative form of bbalija: to oscilate; to be unsteady


lema

jilma (imperfect)
lmejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
lmejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
lema (masculine perfect singular third-person)
lmejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
lmejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
lmew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
lmejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
lmejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
lmiet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
lmejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
lmejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
lmew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nilma (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tilma (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jilma (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nilmew (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tilmew (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jilmew (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nilma (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tilma (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tilma (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nilmew (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tilmew (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jilmew (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ilma (imperative second-person singular)
ilmew (imperative plural second-person)
lmajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
lmajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
lama (masculine perfect singular third-person)
lmajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
lmajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
lmaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
lmajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
lmajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
lmat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
lmajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
lmajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
lmaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nilma (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tilma (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jilma (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nilmaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tilmaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jilmaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nilma (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tilma (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tilma (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nilmaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tilmaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jilmaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ilma (imperative second-person singular)
ilmaw (imperative plural second-person)
lema’ (alternative)

From Arabic لَمَعَ (lamaʕa). The original inflection with a final għ is now less common (see above). Otherwise the root was reanalysed as ending in a semivowel. For this case, moreover, there exist two conjugations (one with -a- in all forms and one of the type of beda).


fela

fela (imperfect jifli, past participle mifli, verbal noun fili)

jifli (imperfect)
mifli (participle past)
fili (noun-from-verb)
flejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
flejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
fela (masculine perfect singular third-person)
flejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
flejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
flew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
flejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
flejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
fliet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
flejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
flejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
flew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nifli (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tifli (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jifli (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
niflu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tiflu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jiflu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nifli (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tifli (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tifli (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
niflu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tiflu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jiflu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ifli (imperative second-person singular)
iflu (imperative plural second-person)

From Arabic فَلَى (falā, “to louse, inspect someone’s head for lice”).

inh

to scrutinise, inspect carefully, assess


saltan

mt-verb

saltan (imperfect jsaltan, past participle msaltan)

jsaltan (imperfect)
msaltan (participle past)
saltant (first-person masculine perfect singular)
saltant (masculine perfect second-person singular)
saltan (masculine perfect singular third-person)
saltanna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
saltantu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
saltnu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
saltant (feminine first-person perfect singular)
saltant (feminine perfect second-person singular)
saltnet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
saltanna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
saltantu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
saltnu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nsaltan (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssaltan (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jsaltan (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nsaltnu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssaltnu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jsaltnu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nsaltan (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssaltan (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
ssaltan (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nsaltnu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssaltnu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jsaltnu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
saltan (imperative second-person singular)
saltnu (imperative plural second-person)


libes

libes (imperfect jilbes, past participle milbus, active participle liebes)

jilbes (imperfect)
milbus (participle past)
liebes (active participle)
lbist (first-person masculine perfect singular)
lbist (masculine perfect second-person singular)
libes (masculine perfect singular third-person)
lbisna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
lbistu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
libsu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
lbist (feminine first-person perfect singular)
lbist (feminine perfect second-person singular)
libset (feminine perfect singular third-person)
lbisna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
lbistu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
libsu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nilbes (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tilbes (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jilbes (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nilbsu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tilbsu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jilbsu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nilbes (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tilbes (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tilbes (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nilbsu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tilbsu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jilbsu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ilbes (imperative second-person singular)
ilbsu (imperative plural second-person)

Fis-sajf il-għolja
libset il-libsa skura
tal-ħaxix niexef.

Anton Buttigieg, “Ħajku 236”, in Il-Muża bil-Kimono:

In summer the hill
put on the brown frock
of the fried grass.

(intransitive) to dress oneself, to get dressed


tazza

Borrowed from Sicilian and/or Italian tazza, from Arabic طَسّة (ṭassa), variant of طَسْت (ṭast), from Middle Persian tšt' (tašt).

Il-Għanja tiegħi tazza
mimlija min-nixxiegħa
tal-ferħ li ssaqqi u tkabbar
il-ħlejjaq fir-rebbiegħa.


adula

adula (imperfect jadula, past participle adulat, verbal noun adular)

jadula (imperfect)
adulat (participle past)
adular (noun-from-verb)
adulajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
adulajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
adula (masculine perfect singular third-person)
adulajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
adulajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
adulaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
adulajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
adulajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
adulat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
adulajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
adulajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
adulaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nadula (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tadula (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jadula (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nadulaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tadulaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jadulaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nadula (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tadula (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tadula (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nadulaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tadulaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jadulaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
adula (imperative second-person singular)
adulaw (imperative plural second-person)


adultera

adultera (imperfect jadultera, past participle adulterat, verbal noun adulterar)

jadultera (imperfect)
adulterat (participle past)
adulterar (noun-from-verb)
adulterajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
adulterajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
adultera (masculine perfect singular third-person)
adulterajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
adulterajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
adulteraw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
adulterajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
adulterajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
adulterat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
adulterajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
adulterajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
adulteraw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nadultera (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tadultera (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jadultera (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nadulteraw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tadulteraw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jadulteraw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nadultera (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tadultera (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tadultera (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nadulteraw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tadulteraw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jadulteraw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
adultera (imperative second-person singular)
adulteraw (imperative plural second-person)


altera

altera (imperfect jaltera, past participle alterat, verbal noun alterar)

jaltera (imperfect)
alterat (participle past)
alterar (noun-from-verb)
alterajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
alterajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
altera (masculine perfect singular third-person)
alterajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
alterajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
alteraw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
alterajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
alterajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
alterat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
alterajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
alterajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
alteraw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
naltera (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
taltera (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jaltera (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nalteraw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
talteraw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jalteraw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
naltera (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
taltera (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
taltera (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nalteraw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
talteraw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jalteraw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
altera (imperative second-person singular)
alteraw (imperative plural second-person)


arresta

arresta (imperfect jarresta, past participle arrestat, verbal noun arrestar)

jarresta (imperfect)
arrestat (participle past)
arrestar (noun-from-verb)
arrestajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
arrestajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
arresta (masculine perfect singular third-person)
arrestajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
arrestajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
arrestaw (masculine perfect plural third-person)
arrestajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
arrestajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
arrestat (feminine perfect singular third-person)
arrestajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
arrestajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
arrestaw (feminine perfect plural third-person)
narresta (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tarresta (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jarresta (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
narrestaw (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tarrestaw (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jarrestaw (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
narresta (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tarresta (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tarresta (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
narrestaw (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tarrestaw (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jarrestaw (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
arresta (imperative second-person singular)
arrestaw (imperative plural second-person)