satar

satar (imperfect jistor or jostor, past participle mistur, verbal noun satar)

jistor (imperfect)
jostor (imperfect)
mistur (participle past)
satar (noun-from-verb)
start (first-person masculine perfect singular)
start (masculine perfect second-person singular)
satar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
starna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
startu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
satru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
start (feminine first-person perfect singular)
start (feminine perfect second-person singular)
satret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
starna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
startu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
satru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nistor (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tistor (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jistor (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nistru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tistru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jistru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nistor (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tistor (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tistor (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nistru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tistru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jistru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
istor (imperative second-person singular)
istru (imperative plural second-person)
start (first-person masculine perfect singular)
start (masculine perfect second-person singular)
satar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
starna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
startu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
satru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
start (feminine first-person perfect singular)
start (feminine perfect second-person singular)
satret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
starna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
startu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
satru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nostor (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tostor (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jostor (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nostru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tostru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jostru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nostor (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tostor (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tostor (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nostru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tostru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jostru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ostor (imperative second-person singular)
ostru (imperative plural second-person)


takkan

mt-verb

takkan (imperfect jtakkan, past participle mtakkan)

jtakkan (imperfect)
mtakkan (participle past)
takkant (first-person masculine perfect singular)
takkant (masculine perfect second-person singular)
takkan (masculine perfect singular third-person)
takkanna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
takkantu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
takknu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
takkant (feminine first-person perfect singular)
takkant (feminine perfect second-person singular)
takknet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
takkanna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
takkantu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
takknu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
ntakkan (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ttakkan (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jtakkan (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
ntakknu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ttakknu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jtakknu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
ntakkan (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ttakkan (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
ttakkan (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
ntakknu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ttakknu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jtakknu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
takkan (imperative second-person singular)
takknu (imperative plural second-person)

to heel (to perform by the use of the heels, as in dancing, running, etc.)


skur

mt-adjective

skur (feminine singular skura, plural skuri)

skura (feminine singular)
skuri (plural)

Borrowed from Sicilian scuru, from Latin obscurus.

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.


intensiv

intensiv (feminine singular intensiva, plural intensivi)

intensiva (feminine singular)
intensivi (plural)


hawn

From Arabic هَاهُنَا (hāhunā), emphatic form of هُنَا (hunā). Compare North Levantine Arabic هون (hawn, hōn).

hawna (alternative)
haw (alternative)
hawni (alternative)
hawnhekk (alternative)
hawnhekka (alternative)

Madankollu, aġġustament tali ma kienx meqjus meħtieġ hawn.

However, such an adjustment was not considered necessary here.


fejn

From Arabic فِي أَيْنَ (fī ʔayna). By surface analysis, f’ + *ejn. Compare Tunisian Arabic فين (fīn/fāyn), Moroccan Arabic فين (fīn), فاين (fāyin), Hijazi Arabic فين (fēn) and Egyptian Arabic فين (fēn).

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:


twil

twil (feminine singular twila, plural twal, diminutive twajjel, comparative itwal)

twila (feminine singular)
twal (plural)
twajjel (diminutive)
itwal (comparative)

F’din il-foresta hemm ħafna siġar twal.

In this forest there are a lot of tall trees.

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.

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

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:

Int kellek id-dijabete għal żmien twil.


wiesa'

wiesa’ (feminine singular wiesgħa, plural wiesgħa or wesgħin or wisgħin, comparative usa’)

wiesa’ (canonical)
wiesgħa (feminine singular)
wiesgħa (plural)
wesgħin (plural)
wisgħin (plural)
usa’ (comparative)
wasa’ (alternative)

Il-babuni huma omnivori u jieklu varjetà wiesgħa ta’ ikel.

Baboons are omnivorous and eat a wide variety of foods.

Dawn fihom programmi speċifiċi li jitrattaw ma’ oqsma xjentifiċi wiesgħa / wisgħin .

They are made up of specific programmes dealing with broad scientific fields.


tqil

tqil (feminine singular tqila, plural tqal, comparative itqal)

tqila (feminine singular)
tqal (plural)
itqal (comparative)

Il-għażla tar-rebbieħ
kienet tqila bis-sħiħ,
u Marzu Marzellu
fetaħ ir-rixtellu,
u tax-xita fir-raxx
parpar baxx baxx.

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Pika”, in Fl-Arena:


qasir

qasir (feminine singular qasira, plural qosra or qsar or qosor or qosrien or iqsar, diminutive qsajjar, comparative aqsar or iqsar or eqsar)

qasira (feminine singular)
qosra (plural)
qsar (plural)
qosor (plural)
qosrien (plural)
iqsar (plural)
qsajjar (diminutive)
aqsar (comparative)
iqsar (comparative)
eqsar (comparative)


dejjaq

dejjaq (feminine singular dejqa, plural dejqin or dojoq, comparative idjaq)

dejqa (feminine singular)
dejqin (plural)
dojoq (plural)
idjaq (comparative)

From Arabic ضَيِّق (ḍayyiq). The expected form would be *dajjaq due to the originally emphatic ḍ (compare tajjeb). This influence was either levelled out in Maltese or the underlying form was a dissimilated variant dayyiq, ḏayyiq, which exists in several Arabic dialects.


dejjaq

mt-verb

dejjaq (imperfect jdejjaq, past participle mdejjaq)

jdejjaq (imperfect)
mdejjaq (participle past)
dejjaqt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dejjaqt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
dejjaq (masculine perfect singular third-person)
dejjaqna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dejjaqtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
dejqu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
dejjaqt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dejjaqt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
dejqet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
dejjaqna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dejjaqtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
dejqu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
ndejjaq (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ddejjaq (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jdejjaq (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
ndejqu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ddejqu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jdejqu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
ndejjaq (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ddejjaq (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
ddejjaq (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
ndejqu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ddejqu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jdejqu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
dejjaq (imperative second-person singular)
dejqu (imperative plural second-person)

From a merger of Arabic ضَيَّقَ (ḍayyaqa) and ضايَقَ (ḍāyaqa), both from etymology 1.

to bore; to displease; to annoy; to depress


irqiq

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of rqiq


bniedem

mt-noun

bniedem m (plural bnedmin, feminine bniedma)

From Arabic اِبْن آدَم (ibn ʔādam, “man, human”, literally “son of Adam”). By surface analysis, iben + Adam. The Maltese inflections by analogy with an active participle such as riekeb, riekba, rekbin (“riding, astride”).

inh

human, human being, man (male or unspecified sex)


qamla

qmiel (plural)
qmul (plural)
qamliet (paucal)

From Arabic قَمْلة (qamla), singulative of قَمْل (qaml).


dudu

dwied (plural)
dudiet (paucal)
duda (alternative)

Singulative derivation from Arabic دُود (dūd).

imma kif sebaħ l-għada, Alla bagħat dudu li mess is-siġra u din nixfet.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġona 4:7:

New International Version translation: But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered.


ħabel

mt-noun

ħabel m (plural ħbula or (only attested in some placenames) eħbiel, diminutive ħbejjel or ħbejbel)

ħbula (plural)
eħbiel (plural)
ħbejjel (diminutive)
ħbejbel (diminutive)


qoxra

qoxra f (plural qxur, paucal qoxriet, diminutive qxejra)

qxur (plural)
qoxriet (paucal)
qxejra (diminutive)
qixra (alternative)


laħam

laħma (singulative)
laħmijiet (plural)
lħum (plural)
lħumijiet (plural plural-of)


riġel

riġlejn (plural)
riġli (first-person singular)
riġilna (first-person singular)
riġlek (second-person singular)
riġilkom (second-person singular)
riġlu (masculine singular third-person)
riġilha (feminine singular third-person)
riġilhom (singular third-person)

Ir-riġel tal-lemin tal-manikin sewwieq għandu jkun fi pjan vertikali.

The right leg of the driver dummy shall be in a vertical plane.


irkoppa

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of rkoppa


demb

(generally nonstandard) Alternative spelling of denb


qarn

qarn m (plural qrun, diminutive qrajjen or qrajna or qrejna)

qrun (plural)
qrajjen (diminutive)
qrajna (diminutive)
qrejna (diminutive)

Il-bodbod hu s-sultan tal-Greċja, u l-qarn il-kbir li rajtlu bejn għajnejh hu l-ewwel sultan.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Profeta Danjel 8:21:

New International Version translation: The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king.


xaħam

Il-konsum tax-xaħam kuljum għandu jitqassam fuq tliet ikliet prinċipali.

The daily intake of fat should be distributed over three main meals.


melħ

nitfa melħ

U l-mara ta’ Lot ħarset lura minn warajh, u saret plier tal-melħ.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 19:26:

New International Version translation: But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.


xita

From Arabic شِتَاء (šitāʔ, “winter, rainy season, rain”).

inh

U baqgħet nieżla x-xita fuq l-art għal erbgħin jum u erbgħin lejl.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 7:12:

New International Version translation: And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

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:


xita

mt-verb

xita (imperfect jixti, past participle mixti)

jixti (imperfect)
mixti (participle past)
xtejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
xtejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
xita (masculine perfect singular third-person)
xtejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
xtejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
xtew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
xtejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
xtejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
xtiet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
xtejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
xtejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
xtew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nixti (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tixti (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jixti (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nixtu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tixtu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jixtu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nixti (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tixti (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tixti (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nixtu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tixtu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jixtu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ixti (imperative second-person singular)
ixtu (imperative plural second-person)


silġ

From Arabic ثَلْج (ṯalj). Maltese s- (instead of expected t-) may be due to irregular assimilation of [θ] to the following alveolar [l]. The subsequent dissimilation š- → s- under the influence of following -j- would be less surprising (compare e.g. siġra).

Li jkunu mqallgħin bil-ħalla tas-silġ, xħin togħdos fihom il-borra.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb ta' Ġob 6:16:

New International Version translation: when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow,

U meta tiġi x-xitwa erħilha teqred
bir-rxiex, bis-silġ, bil-bard, bir-riħ u rwiefen
il-ħlejjaq qodma: weraq sfajra u morda,
u rix mitbiela,

1949-1952, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Ħolma tan-Natura”, in Qasba mar-Riħ, published 1977:


ġewnaħ

mt-noun

ġewnaħ m (dual ġwinħajn or ġwenħajn, plural ġwienaħ or ġnieħ, diminutive ġwejnaħ)

ġwinħajn (dual)
ġwenħajn (dual)
ġwienaħ (plural)
ġnieħ (plural)
ġwejnaħ (diminutive)

Back-formation from the plural ġwienaħ, itself from Arabic جَوَانِح (jawāniḥ), as if from a four-radical *جَوْنَح (*jawnaḥ), but actually plural of جَانِح (jāniḥ, “side, wing”). Compare also جَنَاح (janāḥ).

Rajtu intom x’għamilt lill-Eġizzjani, u kif lilkom ġarrejtkom fuq il-ġwienaħ tal-ajkli u ressaqtkom lejja.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Eżodu 19:4:

New International Version translation: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

Pereżempju qatt innutajtu s-simetrija bilaterali perfetta tal-ġwienaħ ta’ farfett, tad-denb ta’ pagun, jew għall-inqas tal-wiċċ uman?

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

For example, have you ever noticed the perfect bilateral symmetry of a butterfly’s wings, a peacock’s tail, or at least the human face?


qas

(colloquial) Contraction of lanqas: not even, nor


qell

jqell (imperfect)
qellejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
qellejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
qell (masculine perfect singular third-person)
qellejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
qellejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
qellew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
qellejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
qellejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
qellet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
qellejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
qellejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
qellew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nqell (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tqell (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jqell (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nqellu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tqellu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jqellu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nqell (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tqell (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tqell (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nqellu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tqellu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jqellu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
qell (imperative second-person singular)
qellu (imperative plural second-person)
qall (alternative)


seha

mt-verb

seha (imperfect jisha, verbal noun sehi or sehu)

jisha (imperfect)
sehi (noun-from-verb)
sehu (noun-from-verb)
shejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
shejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
seha (masculine perfect singular third-person)
shejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
shejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
shew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
shejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
shejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
shiet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
shejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
shejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
shew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nisha (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tisha (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jisha (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nishew (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tishew (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jishew (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nisha (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tisha (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tisha (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nishew (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tishew (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jishew (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
isha (imperative second-person singular)
ishew (imperative plural second-person)


tarras

mt-noun

tarras m (plural tarrasin, feminine tarrasa)


flok

floki (first-person singular)
flokna (first-person plural)
flokok (second-person singular)
flokkom (plural second-person)
floku (masculine singular third-person)
flokha (feminine singular third-person)
flokhom (plural third-person)

Univerbation of f’ (“in”) + lok (“spot, stead”).


dandan

mt-verb

dandan (imperfect jdandan, past participle mdandan, verbal noun dandin)

jdandan (imperfect)
mdandan (participle past)
dandin (noun-from-verb)
dandant (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dandant (masculine perfect second-person singular)
dandan (masculine perfect singular third-person)
dandanna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dandantu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
dandnu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
dandant (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dandant (feminine perfect second-person singular)
dandnet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
dandanna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dandantu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
dandnu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
ndandan (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ddandan (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jdandan (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
ndandnu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ddandnu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jdandnu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
ndandan (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ddandan (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
ddandan (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
ndandnu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ddandnu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jdandnu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
dandan (imperative second-person singular)
dandnu (imperative plural second-person)


ġlieda

From Arabic جِلاد (jilād, “sword fight”), جِدال (jidāl, “fight, quarrel”).

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:


bala'

bala’ (imperfect jibla’, past participle miblugħ, verbal noun bligħ or blugħ)

bala’ (canonical)
jibla’ (imperfect)
miblugħ (participle past)
bligħ (noun-from-verb)
blugħ (noun-from-verb)
blajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
blajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
bala’ (masculine perfect singular third-person)
blajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
blajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
balgħu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
blajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
blajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
balgħet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
blajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
blajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
balgħu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nibla’ (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibla’ (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jibla’ (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nibalgħu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibalgħu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jibalgħu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nibla’ (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibla’ (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tibla’ (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nibalgħu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibalgħu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jibalgħu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ibla’ (imperative second-person singular)
ibalgħu (imperative plural second-person)


sparvier

Eurasian sparrowhawk
Eurasian sparrowhawk

Accipiter nisus
Accipiter nisus#Translingual


ċurkett

Borrowed from Sicilian circhettu, diminutive of circu (“circle, ring”), from Latin circus, from Ancient Greek κίρκος (kírkos).


mexa

mexa (imperfect jimxi, past participle mimxi, active participle miexi, verbal noun mixi)

jimxi (imperfect)
mimxi (participle past)
miexi (active participle)
mixi (noun-from-verb)
mxejt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
mxejt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
mexa (masculine perfect singular third-person)
mxejna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
mxejtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
mxew (masculine perfect plural third-person)
mxejt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
mxejt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
mxiet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
mxejna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
mxejtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
mxew (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nimxi (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timxi (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jimxi (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nimxu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
timxu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jimxu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nimxi (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timxi (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
timxi (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nimxu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
timxu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jimxu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
imxi (imperative second-person singular)
imxu (imperative plural second-person)

Kulħadd jimxi, kollox lajma,
jirkeb biss xi sinjur kbir:
bini l-għatx u tawni nixrob
minn ġos-satal fuq il-bir.

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Pjazza”, in Fl-Arena:

follow in someone's footsteps
follow in someone's footsteps

to follow in someone's footsteps [with fuq or wara]


mieles

mt-adjective

mieles (feminine singular mielsa, plural milsin)

mielsa (feminine singular)
milsin (plural)

From Arabic مَالِس (mālis), dialectal variant of مَلِس (malis). Compare Moroccan Arabic مالس (mālis).


sider

isdra (plural)
sdur (plural)
sdura (plural)
sidri (first-person singular)
sidirna (first-person singular)
sidrek (second-person singular)
sidirkom (second-person singular)
sidru (masculine singular third-person)
sidirha (feminine singular third-person)
sidirhom (singular third-person)

(anatomy) a woman’s breasts collectively


ponta

Borrowed from Sicilian and/or Italian punta, from Latin puncta. Compare with related punt, which is a later borrowing where the stressed short /u/ (which older Maltese did not have) was retained.


għerq

mt-noun

għerq m (plural għeruq, diminutive għerejjaq or għerejjeq)

għeruq (plural)
għerejjaq (diminutive)
għerejjeq (diminutive)

Għeruqi nfirxu sa ħdejn l-ilma, u billejl kelli n-nida fuq il-friegħi.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb ta' Ġob 29:19:

New International Version translation: My roots will reach to the water, and the dew will lie all night on my branches.

Ejja ‘l hawn, la tibżax minni,
bil-katina ma norbtokx;
norbtok biss bl-għeruq ta’ qalbi,
f’ħajti kollha ma nħollokx.

1975, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Kappella tal-Paċi”, in L-Għanja tas-Sittin:


Vjetnam

Vietnam (a country in Southeast Asia; official name: Repubblika Soċjalista tal-Vjetnam)


għar

għar m (plural għerien or għorien, diminutive għawajjar)

għerien (plural)
għorien (plural)
għawajjar (diminutive)

Il-ħamiem ibejtu u jorqdu fuq irdumijiet jew fl-għerien.

Rock doves nest and roost on cliffs or within caves.


ġeru

ġeru m (plural ġriewi or (Gozo) ġriewa, feminine ġerwa, diminutive ġrejju)

ġriewi (plural)
ġriewa (plural)
ġerwa (feminine)
ġrejju (diminutive)
ġarun (alternative)


fellus

fellus m (plural flieles, diminutive flejles)

Inherited from dialectal Maghrebi Arabic (compare Tunisian Arabic فَلّوس (fallūs), Libyan Arabic فِلُّوس (fillūs), Moroccan Arabic فلوس (fallūs)), from a Berber language, from Latin pullus.

Ġerusalemm, Ġerusalemm, int li toqtol il-profeti u tħaġġar il-messaġġiera mibgħutin lilek, kemm-il darba ridt niġbor lil uliedek bħalma l-qroqqa tiġbor il-flieles taħt ġwenħajha, u int ma ridtx!

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 23:37:

New International Version translation: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.

Ġerusalemm! Ġerusalemm! Int li toqtol il-profeti u tħaġġar il-messaġġiera li jibgħatlek Alla; kemm ridt niġbor lil uliedek bħalma l-qroqqa tiġbor il-flieles tagħha taħt ġwenħajha, u int ma ridtx!

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Luqa 13:34:


ferħ

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:

Ta’ ferħ u serħ imlietni, u bħall-għasafar
u l-friefet jien għamilt: minn fjur għal fjur
ħsiebi tar bħal farfett, taħt siġra kbira
qalbi fesdqet il-għana bħal għasfur.

1970, Anton Buttigieg, “Fil-Ġnien”, in Fl-Arena:

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

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


ferħ

From Arabic فَرْخ (farḵ, “chick”, formerly also “young of any animal”).


ġnien

mt-noun

ġnien m (plural ġonna, diminutive ġnejna)

From Arabic جِنَان (jinān), plural of جَنَّة (janna). Compare Tunisian Arabic جنان (“garden”).


bewsa

bewsa f (dual bewstejn, plural bewsiet, diminutive bwejsa)

bewstejn (dual)
bewsiet (plural)
bwejsa (diminutive)


sajf

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.


sodda

From Arabic سُدّة (sudda, “door, threshold; seat, bed”, originally apparently “entrance area of a tent”).


xadin

mt-noun

xadin m (plural xadini, feminine xadina)

From dialectal Arabic, from Persian شادی (šâdi, “monkey”). Compare Algerian Arabic شادي (šādi, “monkey”) and Gulf Arabic شاذي (šāḏi, “monkey”).


xadina

female equivalent of xadin (“monkey, ape”)


ħmar

(figuratively) ignorant, foolish person; jackass


ħmar

jiħmar (imperfect)
ħmart (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ħmart (masculine perfect second-person singular)
ħmar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
ħmarna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ħmartu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
ħmaru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
ħmart (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ħmart (feminine perfect second-person singular)
ħmaret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
ħmarna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ħmartu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
ħmaru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
niħmar (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tiħmar (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jiħmar (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
niħmaru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tiħmaru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jiħmaru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
niħmar (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tiħmar (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tiħmar (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
niħmaru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tiħmaru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jiħmaru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ħmar (imperative second-person singular)
ħmaru (imperative plural second-person)


seqer

seqer m (plural isqra or soqra, diminutive sejqer or swejqer)

isqra (plural)
soqra (plural)
sejqer (diminutive)
swejqer (diminutive)

From Arabic صَقْر (ṣaqr). The expected form would *saqar due to the originally emphatic ṣ, but this articulation was dissimilated against the q (as in several other words).


żebbuġa

żebbuġtejn (dual)
żbiebeġ (plural)
żebbuġiet (paucal)

singulative of żebbuġ: an olive (single fruit)


kelba

female equivalent of kelb: bitch (female dog)


rikeb

mt-verb

rikeb (imperfect jirkeb, active participle riekeb, verbal noun rkib or rikbien or rkub)

jirkeb (imperfect)
riekeb (active participle)
rkib (noun-from-verb)
rikbien (noun-from-verb)
rkub (noun-from-verb)
rkibt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
rkibt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
rikeb (masculine perfect singular third-person)
rkibna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
rkibtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
rikbu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
rkibt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
rkibt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
rikbet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
rkibna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
rkibtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
rikbu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nirkeb (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tirkeb (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jirkeb (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nirkbu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tirkbu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jirkbu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nirkeb (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tirkeb (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tirkeb (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nirkbu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tirkbu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jirkbu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
irkeb (imperative second-person singular)
irkbu (imperative plural second-person)

Everyone walks, everything is sluggish,
only some great lord rides:
I was thirsty and they gave me a drink
from the bucket inside the well.


ħanżir

mt-noun

ħanżir m (plural ħnieżer, feminine ħanżira)


qażquż

From the verb qażqaż (“to grunt”), from regional Arabic قَزْقَزَ (qazqaza), قَصْقَصَ (qaṣqaṣa, “to cry, call, make noise”).


ħanżira

ħanżira f (plural ħnieżer, masculine ħanżir)

female equivalent of ħanżir: sow; female pig


kiseb

mt-verb

kiseb (imperfect jikseb, past participle miksub)

jikseb (imperfect)
miksub (participle past)
ksibt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ksibt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
kiseb (masculine perfect singular third-person)
ksibna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ksibtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
kisbu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
ksibt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ksibt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
kisbet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
ksibna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ksibtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
kisbu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nikseb (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tikseb (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jikseb (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
niksbu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tiksbu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jiksbu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nikseb (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tikseb (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tikseb (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
niksbu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tiksbu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jiksbu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ikseb (imperative second-person singular)
iksbu (imperative plural second-person)

to acquire; to obtain; to win (get through effort)


kiber

jikber (imperfect)
kbirt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kbirt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
kiber (masculine perfect singular third-person)
kbirna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
kbirtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
kibru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
kbirt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kbirt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
kibret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
kbirna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
kbirtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
kibru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nikber (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tikber (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jikber (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nikbru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tikbru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jikbru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nikber (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tikber (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tikber (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nikbru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tikbru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jikbru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ikber (imperative second-person singular)
ikbru (imperative plural second-person)

to grow (in general, e.g. children, plants, knowledge, etc.)


gideb

gideb (imperfect jigdeb, past participle migdub, verbal noun gideb)

jigdeb (imperfect)
migdub (participle past)
gideb (noun-from-verb)
gdibt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
gdibt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
gideb (masculine perfect singular third-person)
gdibna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
gdibtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
gidbu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
gdibt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
gdibt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
gidbet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
gdibna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
gdibtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
gidbu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nigdeb (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tigdeb (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jigdeb (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nigdbu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tigdbu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jigdbu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nigdeb (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tigdeb (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tigdeb (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nigdbu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tigdbu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jigdbu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
igdeb (imperative second-person singular)
igdbu (imperative plural second-person)

From Arabic كَذَبَ (kaḏaba). The shift [kd] → [ɡd] is a regular assimilation, but the [ɡ] was then irregularly generalised throughout the root.


gideb

From Arabic كِذْب (kiḏb), كَذِب (kaḏib).

Il-gideb huwa dnub.

Dak li qal kien kollu gideb.

verbal noun of gideb:
that which is untrue, lies


gidem

gidem (imperfect jigdem, past participle migdum)

jigdem (imperfect)
migdum (participle past)
gdimt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
gdimt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
gidem (masculine perfect singular third-person)
gdimna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
gdimtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
gidmu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
gdimt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
gdimt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
gidmet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
gdimna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
gdimtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
gidmu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nigdem (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tigdem (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jigdem (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nigdmu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tigdmu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jigdmu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nigdem (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tigdem (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tigdem (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nigdmu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tigdmu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jigdmu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
igdem (imperative second-person singular)
igdmu (imperative plural second-person)

From Arabic كَدَمَ (kadama, “to bite, bite off”) with g- by generalisation of regular assimilation in the inflected forms (as also in gideb).


ġuvni

Borrowed from Sicilian giùvini, from Latin iuvenis.


tfajjel

mt-noun

tfajjel m (plural tfajlin, feminine tfajla)

From Arabic طُفَيْل (ṭufayl, now only used in the sense of “parasite”), diminutive of طِفْل (ṭifl, “child”), whence Maltese tifel.

inh

Arabic طُفَيْل


bagħal

mt-noun

bagħal m (plural bgħula or ibgħal or bgħal, feminine bagħla, diminutive bgħajjel)

bgħula (plural)
ibgħal (plural)
bgħal (plural)
bagħla (feminine)
bgħajjel (diminutive)
bagħli (first-person singular)
bagħalna (first-person singular)
bagħlek (second-person singular)
bagħalkom (second-person singular)
bagħlu (masculine singular third-person)
bagħalha (feminine singular third-person)
bagħalhom (singular third-person)


bagħal

jbagħal (imperfect)
bagħalt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
bagħalt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
bagħal (masculine perfect singular third-person)
bagħalna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
bagħaltu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
bagħlu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
bagħalt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
bagħalt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
bagħlet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
bagħalna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
bagħaltu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
bagħlu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nbagħal (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tbagħal (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jbagħal (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nbagħlu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tbagħlu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jbagħlu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nbagħal (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tbagħal (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tbagħal (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nbagħlu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tbagħlu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jbagħlu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
bagħal (imperative second-person singular)
bagħlu (imperative plural second-person)


bhima

bhima f (plural bhejjem, diminutive bhejma)

Il-bhejjem jintużaw biex jaħartu l-għelieqi.

a beast; an animal, usually either as livestock or as a wild and/or dangerous creature

Li ma kontx bhima, tiġi toqtolli ’l oħti?!

The brute that you are, how dare you kill my sister?!

(figuratively) brute, hard-hearted person


bidwi

bidwi m (plural bdiewa or (obsolete) bdiewi or (obsolete) bidwin or (obsolete) bidwijin, feminine bidwija)

bdiewa (plural)
bdiewi (obsolete plural)
bidwin (obsolete plural)
bidwijin (obsolete plural)
bidwija (feminine)

From Arabic بَدَوِيّ (badawiyy, “bedouin, nomad, herdsman”).


bidwi

mt-adjective

bidwi (feminine singular bidwija, plural bidwin)

bidwija (feminine singular)
bidwin (plural)


ċirasa

Borrowed from Sicilian cirasa, from Vulgar Latin ceresia.


għażeb

mt-noun

għażeb m (plural għożżieb or għożżieba or għewieżeb or għożba, feminine għażba, diminutive għewejżeb)

għożżieb (plural)
għożżieba (plural)
għewieżeb (plural)
għożba (plural)
għażba (feminine)
għewejżeb (diminutive)


xebba

xebba f (plural xebbiet, masculine xebb, diminutive xbejba)

xebbiet (plural)
xebb (masculine)
xbejba (diminutive)

From Arabic شَابَّة (šābba), feminine of شابّ (šābb). By surface analysis, xebb + -a.

female adolescent or young woman; girl (in this sense)

bachelorette, damsel (unmarried girl or woman)

(religion or dated) virgin, maiden (girl or woman without sexual experience)


xatt

xatt m (plural xtut, diminutive xtajta or xtajjet)

xtut (plural)
xtajta (diminutive)
xtajjet (diminutive)

beach; shore; bank; quay (any strip of land by a natural body of water)


xewk

xewka (singulative)
xwiek (plural)
xewkiet (paucal)

Jien tlajt fuq l-ogħla muntanja, rajt il-baħar qed imewweġ.
 Xewka daħlet ġewwa qalbi, meta smajt li se tiżżewweġ.

Traditional (lyrics and music), “Ja ħanina”, performed by Frans Baldacchino:

I went up to the highest mountain, watched the sea wave back and forth.
 A thorn had pierced my heart when I heard that you would marry.


sieħeb

sħab (plural)
sieħba (feminine)
sieħbi (first-person singular)
seħibna (first-person singular)
sieħbek (second-person singular)
seħibkom (second-person singular)
sieħbu (masculine singular third-person)
seħibha (feminine singular third-person)
seħibhom (singular third-person)


sieħeb

mt-verb

sieħeb (imperfect jsieħeb, past participle msieħeb)

jsieħeb (imperfect)
msieħeb (participle past)
seħibt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
seħibt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
sieħeb (masculine perfect singular third-person)
seħibna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
seħibtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
sieħbu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
seħibt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
seħibt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
sieħbet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
seħibna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
seħibtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
sieħbu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nsieħeb (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssieħeb (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jsieħeb (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nsieħbu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssieħbu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jsieħbu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nsieħeb (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssieħeb (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
ssieħeb (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nsieħbu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssieħbu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jsieħbu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
sieħeb (imperative second-person singular)
sieħbu (imperative plural second-person)


waqt

mt-noun

waqt m (plural waqtiet or waqtijiet or wqat)

waqtiet (plural)
waqtijiet (plural)
wqat (plural)

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:


Sqallija

From Arabic صِقِلِّيَّة (ṣiqilliyya). One of the very few geographical names from outside Malta that were inherited.

Sicily (The largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, an autonomous region of Italy, close to Africa and separated from Tunisia and Libya by the Strait of Sicily)


sama'

sama’ (canonical)
smajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
smajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
sama’ (masculine perfect singular third-person)
smajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
smajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
samgħu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
smajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
smajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
samgħet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
smajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
smajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
samgħu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nisma’ (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tisma’ (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jisma’ (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nisamgħu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tisamgħu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jisamgħu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nisma’ (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tisma’ (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tisma’ (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nisamgħu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tisamgħu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jisamgħu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
isma’ (imperative second-person singular)
isamgħu (imperative plural second-person)


tala'

mt-verb

tala’ (imperfect jitla’, past participle mitlugħ, verbal noun tlugħ or tligħ)

tala’ (canonical)
jitla’ (imperfect)
mitlugħ (participle past)
tlugħ (noun-from-verb)
tligħ (noun-from-verb)
tlajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
tlajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
tala’ (masculine perfect singular third-person)
tlajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
tlajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
talgħu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
tlajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
tlajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
talgħet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
tlajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
tlajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
talgħu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nitla’ (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
titla’ (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jitla’ (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nitalgħu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
titalgħu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jitalgħu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nitla’ (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
titla’ (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
titla’ (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nitalgħu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
titalgħu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jitalgħu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
itla’ (imperative second-person singular)
italgħu (imperative plural second-person)


baqa'

baqa’ (imperfect jibqa’, verbal noun baqgħa)

baqa’ (canonical)
jibqa’ (imperfect)
baqgħa (noun-from-verb)
bqajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
bqajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
baqa’ (masculine perfect singular third-person)
bqajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
bqajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
baqgħu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
bqajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
bqajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
baqgħet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
bqajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
bqajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
baqgħu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nibqa’ (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibqa’ (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jibqa’ (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nibqgħu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibqgħu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jibqgħu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nibqa’ (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibqa’ (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tibqa’ (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nibqgħu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibqgħu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jibqgħu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ibqa’ (imperative second-person singular)
ibqgħu (imperative plural second-person)

From Arabic بَقِيَ (baqiya). The final root letter għ was added by analogy: When għ began to be vowelised, the paradigm generally remained distinct from the paradigm of actual vocalic verbs on the basis of vowel colour; compare smajt (“I heard”) from sama’, Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʕa), versus bdejt (“I began”), from beda, Arabic بَدَأَ (badaʔa). However, in the verb baqa’ the vowel colour had been influenced by the preceding q (bqajt), and thus was it eventually integrated into the għ-class. Compare the same in ltaqa’ (“to meet”), from اِلْتَقَى (iltaqā).

Used with a following active participle to convey a continuous action

Used with an intransitive verb in the imperfect to convey a habitual or repeated action

Used with a transitive verb in the imperfect to convey a continuous action


bela'

bela’ (imperfect jibla’, past participle miblugħ, verbal noun bligħ or blugħ)

bela’ (canonical)
jibla’ (imperfect)
miblugħ (participle past)
bligħ (noun-from-verb)
blugħ (noun-from-verb)
blajt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
blajt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
bela’ (masculine perfect singular third-person)
blajna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
blajtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
belgħu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
blajt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
blajt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
belgħet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
blajna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
blajtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
belgħu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nibla’ (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibla’ (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jibla’ (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nibilgħu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibilgħu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jibilgħu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nibla’ (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibla’ (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tibla’ (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nibilgħu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibilgħu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jibilgħu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ibla’ (imperative second-person singular)
ibilgħu (imperative plural second-person)
bala’ (alternative)


berred

berred (imperfect jberred, past participle mberred)

jberred (imperfect)
mberred (participle past)
berridt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
berridt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
berred (masculine perfect singular third-person)
berridna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
berridtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
berrdu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
berridt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
berridt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
berrdet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
berridna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
berridtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
berrdu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nberred (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tberred (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jberred (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nberrdu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tberrdu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jberrdu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nberred (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tberred (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tberred (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nberrdu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tberrdu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jberrdu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
berred (imperative second-person singular)
berrdu (imperative plural second-person)


dineb

dineb (imperfect jidneb, active participle midneb)

jidneb (imperfect)
midneb (active participle)
dnibt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dnibt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
dineb (masculine perfect singular third-person)
dnibna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dnibtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
dinbu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
dnibt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dnibt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
dinbet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
dnibna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dnibtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
dinbu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nidneb (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidneb (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jidneb (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nidinbu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidinbu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jidinbu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nidneb (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidneb (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tidneb (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nidinbu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidinbu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jidinbu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
idneb (imperative second-person singular)
idinbu (imperative plural second-person)

fall into temptation
fall into temptation

(figurative) to fall into temptation of a meal


bidel

bidel (imperfect jibdel, past participle mibdul, verbal noun bdil)

jibdel (imperfect)
mibdul (participle past)
bdil (noun-from-verb)
bdilt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
bdilt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
bidel (masculine perfect singular third-person)
bdilna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
bdiltu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
bidlu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
bdilt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
bdilt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
bidlet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
bdilna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
bdiltu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
bidlu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nibdel (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibdel (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jibdel (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nibdlu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tibdlu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jibdlu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nibdel (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibdel (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tibdel (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nibdlu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tibdlu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jibdlu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ibdel (imperative second-person singular)
ibdlu (imperative plural second-person)

(with the preposition ma’) to exchange something with/for something


dafar

dafar (imperfect jidfor, past participle midfur, verbal noun dfir)

jidfor (imperfect)
midfur (participle past)
dfir (noun-from-verb)
dfart (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dfart (masculine perfect second-person singular)
dafar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
dfarna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
dfartu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
dafru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
dfart (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dfart (feminine perfect second-person singular)
dafret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
dfarna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
dfartu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
dafru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nidfor (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidfor (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jidfor (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nidfru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tidfru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jidfru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nidfor (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidfor (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tidfor (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nidfru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tidfru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jidfru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
idfor (imperative second-person singular)
idfru (imperative plural second-person)


ħoloq

ħoloq (imperfect joħloq, past participle maħluq)

joħloq (imperfect)
maħluq (participle past)
ħloqt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ħloqt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
ħoloq (masculine perfect singular third-person)
ħloqna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ħloqtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
ħolqu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
ħloqt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ħloqt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
ħolqot (feminine perfect singular third-person)
ħloqna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ħloqtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
ħolqu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
noħloq (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
toħloq (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
joħloq (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
noħolqu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
toħolqu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
joħolqu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
noħloq (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
toħloq (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
toħloq (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
noħolqu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
toħolqu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
joħolqu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
oħloq (imperative second-person singular)
oħolqu (imperative plural second-person)

In the original sense “to be born, develop” from Arabic خُلِقَ (ḵuliqa), passive of خَلَقَ (ḵalaqa). This passive form has also survived in most modern Arabic dialects. In Maltese, however, it has now been reinterpreted as a mere byform of the active.

(archaic, in the perfect) to be born; to develop physically; to grow up


ħonoq

ħonoq (imperfect joħnoq, past participle maħnuq, verbal noun ħniq or ħnuq)

joħnoq (imperfect)
maħnuq (participle past)
ħniq (noun-from-verb)
ħnuq (noun-from-verb)
ħnoqt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ħnoqt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
ħonoq (masculine perfect singular third-person)
ħnoqna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ħnoqtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
ħonqu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
ħnoqt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ħnoqt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
ħonqot (feminine perfect singular third-person)
ħnoqna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ħnoqtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
ħonqu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
noħnoq (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
toħnoq (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
joħnoq (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
noħonqu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
toħonqu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
joħonqu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
noħnoq (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
toħnoq (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
toħnoq (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
noħonqu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
toħonqu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
joħonqu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
oħnoq (imperative second-person singular)
oħonqu (imperative plural second-person)
ħanaq (alternative)

(figurative) to stall, to choke off (e.g. a development)

(figurative) to overcrowd, to jam (e.g. a street)


ħanaq

ħanaq (imperfect jaħnaq, past participle maħnuq, verbal noun ħniq or ħnuq)

jaħnaq (imperfect)
maħnuq (participle past)
ħniq (noun-from-verb)
ħnuq (noun-from-verb)
ħnaqt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ħnaqt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
ħanaq (masculine perfect singular third-person)
ħnaqna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
ħnaqtu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
ħanqu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
ħnaqt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ħnaqt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
ħanqet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
ħnaqna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
ħnaqtu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
ħanqu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
naħnaq (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
taħnaq (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jaħnaq (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
naħanqu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
taħanqu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jaħanqu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
naħnaq (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
taħnaq (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
taħnaq (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
naħanqu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
taħanqu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jaħanqu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
aħnaq (imperative second-person singular)
aħanqu (imperative plural second-person)


pejjep

pejjep (imperfect jpejjep, past participle mpejjep, verbal noun tipjip)

jpejjep (imperfect)
mpejjep (participle past)
tipjip (noun-from-verb)
pejjipt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
pejjipt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
pejjep (masculine perfect singular third-person)
pejjipna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
pejjiptu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
pejpu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
pejjipt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
pejjipt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
pejpet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
pejjipna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
pejjiptu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
pejpu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
npejjep (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tpejjep (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jpejjep (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
npejpu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tpejpu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jpejpu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
npejjep (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tpejjep (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tpejjep (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
npejpu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tpejpu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jpejpu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
pejjep (imperative second-person singular)
pejpu (imperative plural second-person)

It-tifel ipejjep sigarett.


qoffa

mt-noun

qoffa f (dual qofftejn, plural qofof or qfief, paucal qoffiet, diminutive qfejfa or qoffina)

qofftejn (dual)
qofof (plural)
qfief (plural)
qoffiet (paucal)
qfejfa (diminutive)
qoffina (diminutive)


xitan

ix-xitan (canonical masculine)
Xitan (alternative)

(religion) the Devil; Satan (lord of all demons and adversary of God)


vuċi

Borrowed from Sicilian vuci, from Latin vōx.


gremxul

gremxula (singulative)
gremxuliet (paucal)
drenxul (alternative)
dremxul (alternative)

Unknown, suggested Arabic دَرَمَ (darama, “to run with short steps (said of a hare or hedgehog); to be thick and salient (said of houghs)”) + شَوِل (šawil), شَوْل (šawl, “agile, swift”).

der

gremxula griża

gremxula ħadra

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:

pipefish
greater pipefish (Syngnathus acus)

straightnose pipefish (Nerophis ophidion)

pipefish
broadnosed pipefish (Syngnathus typhle)


qatra

mt-noun

qatra f (dual qtajrtejn, plural qtar or qtari or qtajjar, paucal qatriet, diminutive qtajra)

qtajrtejn (dual)
qtar (plural)
qtari (plural)
qtajjar (plural)
qatriet (paucal)
qtajra (diminutive)


ħaruf

ħaruf m (plural ħrief, feminine ħarufa, diminutive ħrejjef or ħrajjef or ħwajref)

ħrief (plural)
ħarufa (feminine)
ħrejjef (diminutive)
ħrajjef (diminutive)
ħwajref (diminutive)


qarib

From Arabic قَرِيب (qarīb). Doublet of the adjective qrib (“close, near”).


qmis

qmis f (plural qomos, diminutive qmejsa)


żjara

żjara f (plural żjajjar, paucal żjarat or żjariet)

żjajjar (plural)
żjarat (paucal)
żjariet (paucal)


nbid

nbid m (dual (obsolete) nbidejn, plural nbejjed)

nbidejn (dual obsolete)
nbejjed (plural)
inbid (alternative)

Huma jieklu ħobż il-ħażen, u jixorbu nbid il-vjolenza.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-proverbji 4:17:

New International Version translation: They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

Jagħtik Alla min-nida tas-smewwiet, u mill-frott tal-art, kotra ta’ qamħ u nbid.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 27:28:

New International Version translation: May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness— an abundance of grain and new wine.

U jagħmel il-Mulej tal-eżerċti għall-popli kollha fuq din il-muntanja, mejda b’ikel fin, mejda bi nbejjed ħelwa, b’laħam imsemmen bil-mudullun, u nbejjed fini.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 25:6:

New International Version translation: On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines.


knisja

knisja f (plural knejjes, diminutive knejsa)

knejjes (plural)
knejsa (diminutive)
Knisja (alternative)

From Arabic كَنِيسَة (kanīsa). Compare Tunisian Arabic كنيسية (knīsiyya), Moroccan Arabic كنيسية (knīsiyya), كنيسة (knīsa).

church (institution; religious organization)


armel

armel m (plural romol, feminine armla, diminutive rmajjel)

romol (plural)
armla (feminine)
rmajjel (diminutive)


romol

jormol (imperfect)
rmolt (first-person masculine perfect singular)
rmolt (masculine perfect second-person singular)
romol (masculine perfect singular third-person)
rmolna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
rmoltu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
romlu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
rmolt (feminine first-person perfect singular)
rmolt (feminine perfect second-person singular)
romlot (feminine perfect singular third-person)
rmolna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
rmoltu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
romlu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
normol (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tormol (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jormol (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
noromlu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
toromlu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
joromlu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
normol (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tormol (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tormol (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
noromlu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
toromlu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
joromlu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
ormol (imperative second-person singular)
oromlu (imperative plural second-person)


barmil

barmil m (plural bramel, diminutive brajmel)

From Arabic بِرْمِيل (birmīl, “barrel”), from Old Spanish barril, of uncertain origin.


beċċun

beċċun m (plural bċieċen, feminine beċċuna, diminutive bċejċen)

bċieċen (plural)
beċċuna (feminine)
bċejċen (diminutive)

Early borrowing (with b- for p-) from Sicilian picciuni, from Latin pīpiōnem, of onomatopoeic origin.


bċieċen

/ˈpt͡ʃɪː.t͡ʃɛn/


bekkum

bkiekem (plural)
bekkun (alternative)
baqqum (alternative)


fenka

female equivalent of fenek: female rabbit


fekruna

fekruna f (plural fkieren, paucal fekruniet)

Inherited from Maghrebi Arabic, from a Berber language. Compare Tunisian Arabic فكرون (fakrūn), Moroccan Arabic فكرون (fakrūn).

Sittax-il ferħ ta’ fekruna faqqsu minn bejta fil-Bajja tal-Għadira. Il-frieħ tal-fkieren dehru joħorġu mill-bejta għall-ħabta tad-9.30 p.m. tal-bieraħ wara perjodu ta’ inkubazzjoni li kien meqjus li kien suċċess.

2020 September 23, “Ifaqqsu 16-il ferħ ta’ fekruna fil-Bajja tal-Għadira; Mistennijin ifaqqsu aktar fil-jiem li ġejjin”, in iNews Malta, archived from the original on 2020-11-01:

Sixteen tortoise hatchlings have hatched from a nest in Għadira Bay. The tortoise hatchlings appeared leaving the nest at exactly 9.30 p.m. last night after an incubation period which has been considered successful.


dubbien

dubbiena (singulative)
dbieben (plural)
dubbiniet (paucal)


nemliet

paucal of nemla: 2 to 10 ants; a small number of individual ants


qanfud

qanfud m (plural qniefed, feminine qanfuda)

From Arabic قُنْفُذ (qunfuḏ), through a common Maghrebi variant with a long ū for the second vowel; compare Tunisian Arabic قنفود (qanfūd), Moroccan Arabic قنفود (qanfūd).


tebut

U Ġużeppi miet ta’ mija u għaxar snin; ibbalzmawh u qegħduh f’tebut l-Eġittu.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 50:26:

New International Version translation: So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.


uċuħ

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of wċuħ


ħlieqa

Probably identical to ħliqa (“creature”), which see. Artificially distinguished in spelling as -i- and -ie- are merged before -q-. The sense “joke” then from “something unreal, made up”, “a creation of one’s wit”. Compare in classical Arabic أَحادِيث الخَلْق (ʔaḥādīṯ al-ḵalq, “fables of a storyteller”).

cog

أَحادِيث الخَلْق


ħlieqa

أَحادِيث الخَلْق


dgħajsa

→ English: dghaisa

Inherited from dialectal Arabic; compare Tunisian Arabic دغيسة (dḡīsa, “lightship”). Apparently a diminutive form.

Hekk ukoll, meta kienu qegħdin jinqerdu l-ġganti l-kbar, fuq dgħajsa skansat it-tama tad-dinja u, immexxija minn idek, ħalliet lid-dinja żerriegħa ta’ nisel ġdid.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Għerf 14:6:

King James Version translation: For in the old time also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world governed by thy hand escaped in a weak vessel, and left to all ages a seed of generation.

Bniedem għaqli ma jobgħodx il-Liġi, u min juri wiċċ b’ieħor fil-ħarsien tagħha qisu dgħajsa fil-maltemp.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Għerf ta' Ġesú Bin Sirak 33:2:

King James Version translation: A wise man hateth not the law; but he that is an hypocrite therein is as a ship in a storm.

Minnufih telqu d-dgħajsa u lil missierhom, u marru warajh.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, San Mattew 4:22:

New International Version translation: and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.


ħadd

ħaddejn (plural)
ħaddi (first-person singular)
ħaddna (first-person singular)
ħaddek (second-person singular)
ħaddkom (second-person singular)
ħaddu (masculine singular third-person)
ħaddha (feminine singular third-person)
ħaddhom (singular third-person)

kollox għafsa. kollox fastidju. forsi
għax għadu (wisq) kmieni. forsi.
għax dallejl xtaqt stajt nimtedd maġenbek
u dalgħodu stenbaħt
b’subgħajja mwebbla għal ponn ramel
u d-diqa mwebsa ma’ ħaddejja.

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


ħadd

From Arabic أَحَد (ʔaḥad, “one, anybody”).

Kulħadd jibża’ u ħadd ma jabbuża jmissu!

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

Għafastha għax emozzjonata ħafna u għandi bżonn kbir li nħoss lil xi ħadd qrib tiegħi.

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


ħadd

From Arabic أَحَد (ʔaḥad, “Sunday, the first day of the week”).


gendus

Probably of Berber origin. Compare Kabyle agenduz (“calf”).


għoġol

mt-noun

għoġol m (plural għoġġiela or għeġejjel, feminine għoġla)

għoġġiela (plural)
għeġejjel (plural)
għoġla (feminine)

/ˈɔˤː.d͡ʒɔl/


għoġġiela

/ɔdˈd͡ʒɪːla/

/ɔˤːdˈd͡ʒɪːla/


għonq

għenuq (plural)
għonqi (first-person singular)
għonqna (first-person singular)
għonqek (second-person singular)
għonqkom (second-person singular)
għonqu (masculine singular third-person)
għonqha (feminine singular third-person)
għonqhom (singular third-person)


żarmuġ

żarmuġ m (plural żrameġ, paucal żarmuġiet, feminine żarmuġa, diminutive żrajmeġ)

żrameġ (plural)
żarmuġiet (paucal)
żarmuġa (feminine)
żrajmeġ (diminutive)
żermuċ (alternative)


qaws

qaws m (plural qwas or qwajjes, diminutive qwajjes)

qwas (plural)
qwajjes (plural)
qwajjes (diminutive)


sikkina

sikkina f (plural skieken, diminutive skejkna)

From Arabic سِكِّينَة (sikkīna), alternative form of سِكِّين (sikkīn).

U nissaħħar nisma’ dak it-tvenvin xħin tibda tiddwella mas-sikkina bil-ħila u l-ħeffa tal-aqwa gwerrier.


qorti

Borrowed from Sicilian curti, corti, from Latin cohors.


sellum

From a variant of Arabic سُلَّم (sullam). Cognate with Moroccan Arabic سلوم (sallūm).


mħadda

mħaded (plural)
mħaddiet (plural)
imħadda (alternative)


muftieħ

muftieħ m (plural mfietaħ, diminutive mfejtaħ)


musrana

From Arabic مُصْرَان (muṣrān). Compare Tunisian Arabic مصرانة (muṣrāna), Moroccan Arabic مصران (maṣrān).


muntun

Borrowed from Sicilian muntuni, from Latin moltō, from Gaulish *multon-, from Proto-Celtic *moltos (“wether”). The plural mtaten instead of expected *mnaten seems to imply that the singular was formerly (also) pronounced *muttun.

laħam tal-muntun


Nisrani

Nisrani m (plural Nsara, feminine Nisranija)

Nisrani ġdid

sar Nisrani

Konna għadna noqogħdu fid-dar ta’ Triq San Piju X u mal-ħajt tal-kamra ta’ l-ikel niftakar imdendla biċċa tila kbira u li fuqha ħija kien qed ipinġi galjun ta’ l-Insara

Christian (member of the Christian religion)

(more specifically) Roman Catholic (adherent to the Roman Catholic Church)


Nisrani

mt-adjective

Nisrani (feminine singular Nisranija, plural Nsara)

Nisranija (feminine singular)
Nsara (plural)

din Nisrani ― Christianity

reliġjon Nisranija ― Christianity

Christian (of, like or relating to Christianity or Christians)

(more specifically) Roman Catholic (of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church)


Nisranija

mt-noun

Nisranija f (plural Nsara, masculine Nisrani)

inh

نَصْرَانِيَّة


Nisranija

نَصْرَانِيَّة


saħħar

mt-noun

saħħar m (plural sħaħar, feminine saħħara)


saħħar

mt-verb

saħħar (imperfect jsaħħar, past participle msaħħar, verbal noun tisħir)

jsaħħar (imperfect)
msaħħar (participle past)
tisħir (noun-from-verb)
saħħart (first-person masculine perfect singular)
saħħart (masculine perfect second-person singular)
saħħar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
saħħarna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
saħħartu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
saħħru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
saħħart (feminine first-person perfect singular)
saħħart (feminine perfect second-person singular)
saħħret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
saħħarna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
saħħartu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
saħħru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nsaħħar (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssaħħar (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jsaħħar (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nsaħħru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
ssaħħru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jsaħħru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nsaħħar (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssaħħar (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
ssaħħar (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nsaħħru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
ssaħħru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jsaħħru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
saħħar (imperative second-person singular)
saħħru (imperative plural second-person)


saħħara

mt-noun

saħħara f (plural sħaħar, masculine saħħar)

inh

Arabic سَحَّارَة (saḥḥāra)


żunżan

mt-noun

żunżan m (plural żnażan or żunżan, paucal żunżaniet, feminine żunżana)

żnażan (plural)
żunżan (plural)
żunżaniet (paucal)
żunżana (feminine)


bergħud

inh

Arabic بُرْغُوث (burḡūṯ)


gżira

mt-noun

gżira f (plural gżejjer or gżiriet, diminutive gżejra)

gżejjer (plural)
gżiriet (plural)
gżejra (diminutive)
ġżira (alternative)

From Arabic جَزِيرَة (jazīra). The affrication of the initial consonant was blocked, or early on reverted, under the influence of the following alveolar fricative. Compare Moroccan Arabic جزيرة (gzīra).

Ir-Repubblika ta’ Malta tikkonsisti minn arċipelago ta’ seba’ gżejjer.

The Republic of Malta consists of an archipelago of seven islands.

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

Tal-għaġeb kif tweġibna bil-ġustizzja tiegħek, o Alla tas-salvazzjoni tagħna. Int tama ta’ min jgħix fi truf l-art u fi gżejjer fl-ibħra mbiegħda.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tas-Salmi 65:6:

New International Version translation: You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas

Għax wasal jum il-qerda tal-Filistin ilkoll kemm huma, biex jinqered għal Tir u għal Sidon, kull min għad fadal jgħinhom. Għax il-Mulej se jeqred il-Filistin, il-bqija tal-gżira ta’ Kaftor.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Profeta Ġeremija 47:4:

New International Version translation: For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines and to remove all survivors who could help Tyre and Sidon. The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.

Għid lil Tir, sultana fuq dħul il-baħar, neguzjanta tal-popli f’ħafna gżejjer, dan jgħid Sidi l-Mulej; Tir, int għedt: ‘Jiena ġifen ta’ ġmiel bla qjies!’

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Profeta Eżekjel 27:3:

New International Version translation: Say to Tyre, situated at the gateway to the sea, merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘You say, Tyre, “I am perfect in beauty.”

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.


bejta

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:

U tela’ għas-sur, wisq imgħaddab,
u kaxkar kull xitla, kull żrara,
u l-bejta dlonk ħataf, ġarr miegħu
bl-għasafar, jaħasra xi ħsara!

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Il-Bejta fis-Sur”, in Mill-Gallerija ta’ Żgħożiti:


ġriewi

/ˈd͡ʒrɪː.wɪ/


senduq

senduq m (plural sniedaq, diminutive snejdaq)

Jekk jitqiegħdu fuq il-gverta, għandhom jingħalqu ġo kabinett jew senduq.

If placed on deck, they must be enclosed in a cabinet or chest.


saltna

saltna f (plural saltniet, diminutive slajtna)

saltniet (plural)
slajtna (diminutive)
saltnija (alternative)
sultanija (alternative)

(now chiefly historical or figurative) kingdom, realm


suffara

suffara f (plural sfafar, diminutive sfajfra)

sfafar (plural)
sfajfra (diminutive)
saffara (alternative)

whistle (device used to make a whistling sound)


għatu

From Arabic غِطَاء (ḡiṭāʔ). However, the final -u is hardly explainable from this form; hence probably merged with غَطْو (ḡaṭw, “the act of covering”).

inh

Arabic غِطَاء (ḡiṭāʔ)


moħħ

mħuħ (plural)
moħħi (first-person singular)
moħħna (first-person singular)
moħħok (second-person singular)
moħħkom (second-person singular)
moħħu (masculine singular third-person)
moħħha (feminine singular third-person)
moħħhom (singular third-person)

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:

brain, mind (ability for rational thought)


kilwa

mt-noun

kilwa f (dual kilwtejn or kilwejn, plural kliewi, paucal kilwiet)

kilwtejn (dual)
kilwejn (dual)
kliewi (plural)
kilwiet (paucal)
kiliwti (first-person singular)
kilwitna (first-person singular)
kiliwtek (second-person singular)
kilwitkom (second-person singular)
kiliwtu (masculine singular third-person)
kilwitha (feminine singular third-person)
kilwithom (singular third-person)


għaksa

Perhaps from Arabic عَجُز (ʕajuz, “buttocks; hindlegs; rear of anything”). For the phonetics compare the argumentation at għakkes.


inħobbok

Inħobbok ħafna.


qroqqa

Inherited from dialectal Arabic. The exactly corresponding form is found in Tunisian Arabic قرقّة (ʔruʔʔa, qroqqa, “brooding hen”), South Levantine Arabic قرقة (ʔruʔʔa, qruqqa, “brooding hen”). Compare also North Levantine Arabic قرقة (ʔirʔa, qirqa), كركة (krikka). Related with Arabic قَرَّقَ (qarraqa), كَرَّكَ (karraka, “to cluck”), eventually onomatopoetic.


qorq

Of Arabic origin. Related to Andalusian Arabic "qurq" and "gurg" in rural Tunisian and Algerian Arabic.


imħabba

post-consonantal and alternative basic form of mħabba


żgħożija

żgħożiti (first-person singular)
żgħożitna (first-person singular)
żgħożitek (second-person singular)
żgħożitkom (second-person singular)
żgħożitu (masculine singular third-person)
żgħożitha (feminine singular third-person)
żgħożithom (singular third-person)

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:

youth (part of life following childhood)


ġawhra

singulative of ġawhar: a jewel, pearl, piece of jewellery


ġawhar

a piece of jewellery, a jewel or precious ornament, especially a pearl

(figurative) anything precious, a jewel, treasure (e.g. historical, natural)


namra

Native derivation from the root, which is from Sicilian nnamurari, itself derived from Latin amor. Compare Italian innamorare, French enamourer.


rixiet

paucal of rixa: 2 to 10 feathers; a small number of individual feathers


wardiet

paucal of ward: 2 to 10 roses; a small number of individual roses


żebbuġiet

paucal of żebbuġa: 2 to 10 olives; a small number of individual olives


rummiena

singulative of rummien: a pomegranate (single fruit)


rummien

rummiena (singulative)
rumminiet (paucal)

pomegranate, pomegranates (several fruits; pomegranate as a mass, taste, species)


berquq

berquqa (singulative)
berquqiet (paucal)

From Arabic بَرْقُوق (barqūq), from Classical Syriac ܒܰܪܩܽܘܩܳܐ (barqūqā), from Ancient Greek πραικόκῐον (praikókĭon), from Latin praecox (“overripe”).


ħanfusa

From Arabic خُنْفُسَاء (ḵunfusāʔ), compare Tunisian Arabic خنفوسة (“beetle”).

inh

Arabic خُنْفُسَاء (ḵunfusāʔ)


ħuttaf

ħuttafa (singulative)
ħuttafiet (paucal)
ħottaf (alternative)

Arabic خُطَّاف (ḵuṭṭāf)


ċawl

ċawla (singulative)
ċawlu (singulative)
ċwal (plural)
ċawliet (paucal)

Coloeus monedula
Coloeus monedula#Translingual

(figuratively, in the singulative) chatterbox (talkative person)


għasfur tal-bejt

Passer domesticus
Passer domesticus#Translingual


Maltija

mt-noun

Maltija f (plural Maltin, masculine Malti)

female Maltese (female native or inhabitant of Malta)


subien

Coordinate term: bniet

aħwa subien

ulied subien

studenti subien

male students (literally, “students guys”)

specifically male plural of tifel (“child; boy”) and żagħżugħ (“young person”), also used as an apposition with other words to specify the male


bews

verbal noun of bies: several kisses; a period of kissing; the act of kissing as such


għadu

Inherited from Arabic عَدُوّ (ʕaduww). The plural għedewwa continues Arabic عَداوة (ʕadāwa, “enmity”), reinterpreted as plural by analogy with forms like qraba, Nsara.


għadu

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.


teorista

mt-noun

teorista m or f by sense (plural teoristi)


farruġ

Coracias garrulus
Coracias garrulus#Translingual


għabex

sunset, dusk, twilight (period between daylight and darkness)


Għawdex

From Arabic غَوْدَش (ḡawdaš), eventually probably from a Phoenician root 𐤂-𐤅-𐤋 (g-w-l), meaning something like “turn around”. If this derivation is correct, the Arabs must have got the name from Ancient Greek Γαύδος (Gaúdos), Γαύλος (Gaúlos), perhaps through Latin Gaudos, Gaulos. The specifics of the borrowing are related to the question of the pre-Arabic language of Malta and whether there was any population continuity after the conquest.

Gozo (The second-largest island of the Republic of Malta)


Għawdxi

mt-adjective

Għawdxi (feminine singular Għawdxija, plural Għawdxin)

Għawdxija (feminine singular)
Għawdxin (plural)

/ˈaˤːw.t͡ʃɪ/


Għawdxi

/ˈaˤːw.t͡ʃɪ/


Ġwann

Borrowed from Sicilian Giuvanni (older probably also *Giuanni, compare Sardinian Giuanni), from Latin Iohannes, from Ancient Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוחנן (Yōḥānān).

Ġwanni (alternative)
Ġovanni (alternative)
Ġanni (alternative)

a male given name from Sicilian [in turn from Latin, in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English John


dnub

From Arabic ذُنُوب (ḏunūb), plural of ذَنْب (ḏanb, “sin, sinful or blameworthy act, blame, moral guilt”). The Arabic plural was reanalysed as a singular, perhaps due to the notion, chiefly (though not exclusively) Christian, of sin as a continuing state, rather than only a repeatable act. For this “state of sin”, Arabic uses خَطِيئة (ḵaṭīʔa) or less often مَعْصِية (maʕṣiya).


demgħa

mt-noun

demgħa f (dual demagħtejn, plural dmugħ, paucal demgħat)

demagħtejn (dual)
dmugħ (plural)
demgħat (paucal)

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:

tear (drop of clear salty liquid from the eyes)


sbejjaħ

mt-adjective

sbejjaħ (feminine singular sbejħa, plural sbejħin)

sbejħa (feminine singular)
sbejħin (plural)

diminutive of sabiħ: pretty, nice, beautiful


kubrit

kubrita (singulative)
kubritiet (paucal)
kebrit (alternative)
kibrit (alternative)


kukkudrill

Borrowed from Italian coccodrillo, with metathesis from Latin crocodīlus, from Ancient Greek κροκόδειλος (krokódeilos).

“O bniedem, għanni lamentazzjoni għall-Fargħun, sultan tal-Eġittu, u għidlu: Int tistħajlek iljun fost il-ġnus, imma int bħall-kukkudrill fl-ibħra, u terfa’ rasek minn ġox-xmajjar, u tħawwad l-ilma b’riġlejk, u ddardar ix-xmajjar tiegħek.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Profeta Eżekjel 32:2:

New International Version translation: “Son of man, take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: “‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas thrashing about in your streams, churning the water with your feet and muddying the streams.


nejka

(vulgar) a fuck (single act of sexual intercourse)


ġens

society (people of one’s country or community as a whole)

(biology, taxonomy) genus (rank in a taxonomic classification)


poplu

Borrowed from Sicilian pòpulu, from Latin populus (“people”).

people (a group of persons forming or belonging to a particular nation)


safra

a trip, voyage abroad, an instance of such travel


triq

mt-noun

triq f (plural toroq, paucal triqat, diminutive trejqa)

toroq (plural)
triqat (paucal)
trejqa (diminutive)

From Arabic طَرِيق (ṭarīq, “path, way, road”) and طَرِيقة (ṭarīqa).

inh

Setgħet ġibdet lejn il-Mellieħa, mit-triq jew mill-passaġġ, jew qabdet it-triq tal-Imġiebaħ, inkella minn ħdejn il-lukanda għan-naħa t’Għajn Ħadid, jew jista’ jkun anke telqet lejn Forti Campbell iktar kmieni, qabel ma wasalt jien.

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:

street, road, way (any trail of some width for the movement of pedestrians or wheeled vehicles)

way, route (set of directions that one follows)


kafè

Borrowed from Sicilian cafè, from Ottoman Turkish قهوه (kahve), from Arabic قَهْوة (qahwa).


ħurrieq

ħurrieqa (singulative)
ħurriqiet (paucal)
ħorrieq (alternative)
ħorriq (alternative)

Urtica dioica
Urtica dioica#Translingual


bniet

aħwa bniet

ulied bniet

studenti bniet

female students (literally, “students girls”)

used as an apposition with gender-neutral plurals referring to relatives or young people, in order to specify the feminine


bniet

third-person feminine singular perfect of bena


ġuvnott

Borrowed from Sicilian giuvanottu. Compare Italian giovanotto.


għargħar

mt-verb

għargħar (imperfect jgħargħar, past participle mgħargħar)

jgħargħar (imperfect)
mgħargħar (participle past)
għargħart (first-person masculine perfect singular)
għargħart (masculine perfect second-person singular)
għargħar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
għargħarna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
għargħartu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
għargħru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
għargħart (feminine first-person perfect singular)
għargħart (feminine perfect second-person singular)
għargħret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
għargħarna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
għargħartu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
għargħru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
ngħargħar (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tgħargħar (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jgħargħar (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
ngħargħru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tgħargħru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jgħargħru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
ngħargħar (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tgħargħar (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tgħargħar (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
ngħargħru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tgħargħru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jgħargħru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
għargħar (imperative second-person singular)
għargħru (imperative plural second-person)

From Arabic غَرْغَرَ (ḡarḡara, “to gurgle”), of onomatopoetic origin.


għargħar

From Arabic عَرْعار (ʕarʕār), variant of عَرْعَر (ʕarʕar, “juniper”).


tfajla

mt-noun

tfajla f (plural tfajliet, masculine tfajjel)

From Arabic طُفَيْلة (ṭufayla), diminutive of طِفْلة (ṭifla, “female child”), whence Maltese tifla. By surface analysis, tfajjel + -a.

female adolescent or young woman; girl (in this sense)


ħelu

mt-adjective

ħelu (feminine singular ħelwa, plural ħelwin, diminutive ħlejju, comparative oħla or eħla or iħla)

ħelwa (feminine singular)
ħelwin (plural)
ħlejju (diminutive)
oħla (comparative)
eħla (comparative)
iħla (comparative)


għarus

mt-noun

għarus m (plural għarajjes, feminine għarusa)

From Arabic عَرُوس (ʿarūs, usually “bride”, but also “bridegroom”). Used the same way in city dialects of Tunisia. Possibly in part a backformation from the marked feminine għarusa, from Arabic عَرُوسة (ʕarūsa, “bride”). The commoner Arabic word for “bridegroom” is عَرِيس (ʕarīs).

inh

Arabic عَرُوس

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:


bejjiegħ

mt-noun

bejjiegħ m (plural bejjiegħa, feminine bejjiegħa)


aħbar

aħbarijiet (plural)
aħbari (first-person singular)
aħbarna (first-person singular)
aħbarek (second-person singular)
aħbarkom (second-person singular)
aħbaru (masculine singular third-person)
aħbarha (feminine singular third-person)
aħbarhom (singular third-person)

From Arabic أَخْبار (ʔaḵbār), plural of خَبَر (ḵabar). The feminine gender in Maltese is a remnant of the original plural construction.

U Ġakobb għarraf lil Rakel li hu kien ħu missierha u bin Rebekka. U hi telqet tiġri tagħti l-aħbar lil missierha.

c. 2015, Il-Bibbja : il-Kotba Mqaddsa, 5th edition, Valletta: Ghaqda Biblika Maltija, →OCLC, Il-Ktieb tal-Ġenesi 29:12:

New International Version translation: He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.

a piece of news; a notice, message, report

(in the plural) news; also in the sense of a broadcast


skorpjun

Borrowed from Sicilian scorpiuni, from Latin scorpiō, from Ancient Greek σκορπίος (skorpíos).


xitla

xitla f (plural xtieli or xitel or xtiel or xtul or xtejjel, paucal xitliet, diminutive xtejla)

xtieli (plural)
xitel (plural)
xtiel (plural)
xtul (plural)
xtejjel (plural)
xitliet (paucal)
xtejla (diminutive)


għakrux

Origin uncertain. Perhaps related to Moroccan Arabic عقروش (ʕaqrūš, “messy, tousled”, of hair) if the whorls of the snail shell were compared to curls. Variation between q and k occurs more often in the vicinity of għ; compare għakreb, għanqbut.

cog

Coordinate term: bebbux

Hemm ħafna iktar speċi ta’ bebbux. Fost oħrajn hemm ukoll il-bebbux tal-baħar. L-Għawdxin isejħu bebbuxu lil dak tal-baħar. Dak tal-art jgħidulu għakrux.

2020 February 4, “Il-Bebbuxu”, in Television Malta, archived from the original on 2022-09-27:

There are many other species of snails. Among others there are also sea snails. The Gozitans say bebbuxu only for a sea snail. A land snail they will call għakrux.


xebb

mt-noun

xebb m (plural xbieb, feminine xebba, diminutive xbejb)

xbieb (plural)
xebba (feminine)
xbejb (diminutive)

(archaic) male adolescent or young man; youth


għattuqa

għattuqa f (plural għawwietaq, paucal għattuqiet, diminutive għetejqa)

għawwietaq (plural)
għattuqiet (paucal)
għetejqa (diminutive)

From Arabic عَتُّوقَة (ʕattūqa). Compare Tunisian Arabic عتوقة (ʕattūqa, “pullet”), Algerian Arabic عتوقة (ʕattūqa, “pullet”), Moroccan Arabic عتوقة (ʕattūqa, “pullet; young girl”).


taġen

mt-noun

taġen m (plural twaġen or taġnijiet, diminutive twajġen)

twaġen (plural)
taġnijiet (plural)
twajġen (diminutive)


serq

Kien mixli bis-serq.

verbal noun of seraq: the act of stealing; theft, robbery, (also) kidnapping


sqaq

sqaq m (plural sqaqien or squq or sqaqijiet, diminutive sqajjaq)

sqaqien (plural)
squq (plural)
sqaqijiet (plural)
sqajjaq (diminutive)
isqaq (alternative)


isqof

From Arabic أُسْقُف (ʔusquf), from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος (epískopos). One of the specifically Christian words in Maltese that were inherited from Arabic, suggesting that there were Arabic-speaking Christians in Malta during the Islamic reign. Otherwise, the words must have been brought in by missionaries during the re-Christianisation process. These missionaries would probably have been Sicilians who had learnt Arabic, though it is also imaginable that some of them were brought in from Christian communities on the Arabic-speaking mainland.


dawra

From Arabic دَوْرَة (dawra). By surface analysis, dawr + -a. Doublet of dura.


dawra

facelift, service (of a car, a bus, etc.)


duttur

duttur m (plural dutturi, feminine dottoressa)

dutturi (plural)
dottoressa (feminine)
dottur (alternative)
Dott. (alternative)

Borrowed from Sicilian dutturi, from Latin doctor.

doctor (person holding a doctorate (Ph.D., M.D.))


gidi

gidi m (plural gidjien or gidien, feminine gidja)

gidjien (plural)
gidien (plural)
gidja (feminine)
ġidi (alternative)


żokra

żokra f (plural żokor or żkieri, paucal żokriet)

żokor (plural)
żkieri (plural)
żokriet (paucal)

From Arabic زُكْرَة (zukra, “small hose”), thus probably originally referring to the umbilical cord or navel-string.


għex

mt-verb

għex (imperfect jgħix, past participle megħjux or (substandard) mgħix)

jgħix (imperfect)
megħjux (participle past)
mgħix (participle past)
għext (first-person masculine perfect singular)
għext (masculine perfect second-person singular)
għex (masculine perfect singular third-person)
għexna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
għextu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
għexu (masculine perfect plural third-person)
għext (feminine first-person perfect singular)
għext (feminine perfect second-person singular)
għexet (feminine perfect singular third-person)
għexna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
għextu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
għexu (feminine perfect plural third-person)
ngħix (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tgħix (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jgħix (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
ngħixu (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tgħixu (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jgħixu (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
ngħix (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tgħix (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tgħix (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
ngħixu (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tgħixu (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jgħixu (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
għix (imperative second-person singular)
għixu (imperative plural second-person)

(intransitive) to live, dwell (have permanent residence)

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

(transitive) to live something, to experience


abitant

mt-noun

abitant m (plural abitanti, feminine abitanta)


naxar

mt-verb

naxar (imperfect jonxor, past participle minxur, verbal noun nxir)

jonxor (imperfect)
minxur (participle past)
nxir (noun-from-verb)
nxart (first-person masculine perfect singular)
nxart (masculine perfect second-person singular)
naxar (masculine perfect singular third-person)
nxarna (first-person masculine perfect singular)
nxartu (masculine perfect plural second-person)
naxru (masculine perfect plural third-person)
nxart (feminine first-person perfect singular)
nxart (feminine perfect second-person singular)
naxret (feminine perfect singular third-person)
nxarna (feminine first-person perfect singular)
nxartu (feminine perfect plural second-person)
naxru (feminine perfect plural third-person)
nonxor (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tonxor (imperfect masculine second-person singular)
jonxor (imperfect masculine singular third-person)
nonxru (first-person imperfect masculine singular)
tonxru (imperfect masculine plural second-person)
jonxru (imperfect masculine plural third-person)
nonxor (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tonxor (feminine imperfect second-person singular)
tonxor (feminine imperfect singular third-person)
nonxru (feminine first-person imperfect singular)
tonxru (feminine imperfect plural second-person)
jonxru (feminine imperfect plural third-person)
onxor (imperative second-person singular)
onxru (imperative plural second-person)