e

Onomatopoeic. Compare Italian eh and English eh.

Used as a hook, to request that the listener express an opinion about what has been said

Used to emphasize the (often negative) emotion felt by the speaker


ta

Din hija ħaġa importanti, ta, tinsihiex.

This is important, you know, don’t forget it.

Postpositioned after a statement, used for minor emphasis.


mela

From Arabic بَلَى (balā, “why, certainly!, yes, of course!”), in dialects also with prefixed m-. Compare South Levantine Arabic مبلا (mbala) and Gulf Arabic امبلة (ambala).

inh

Alternative form: mmela

Mela, ħa nibdew!


alla

From the proper noun Alla (“God”), from Arabic الله (allāh). The Arabic is not used as a common noun, for which related إلٰه (ʔilāh).

Tini il-mobajl, alla!

Oh God! (expressing shock, frustration, or anger)


uu

Uu aqbad u mur!

Used to express impatience (the lengthier the more impatient).

Uu xbin kif ħa ddejjaqni!


iva

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

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


arra

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


żobb

Iż-żobb, ħbatt subgħi ma’ sieq il-mejda.

Oh fuck, I stubbed my toe against the foot of the table.

(vulgar) Expressing dismay or discontent.

Xi ż-żobb qed tgħid?

(vulgar) Used as an intensifier, similar to "what the fuck"


ammen

Borrowed from Italian ammen, from Latin amen, from Ancient Greek ἀμήν (amḗn), from Hebrew אָמֵן (ʾāmēn).


jj

/ˈjɛk ˈjɔˤːd͡ʒ.bɔk/

/ˈjɛk jɔˤːˈd͡ʒɔp.kɔm/


bħu

Bħu għaliha


baħħ

Inherited from dialectal Arabic. Compare Tunisian Arabic, Moroccan Arabic, and North Levantine Arabic بح (baḥḥ, “gone”, interjection).


mnalla

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

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


allaħares

Univerbation of Alla + ħares, literally “God is guarding.”.


jessu għalik

jessu għalik ! (canonical)
jassu għalik (alternative)

Unknown. Aquilina rejects a derivation from Arabic يَا سَلام (yā salām). The required contraction of sliem into -ssu is indeed unlikely. However, Aquilina’s own connection with Arabic يَسَّ (yassa, “to journey”) seems even less plausible.
The phrase is reminiscent of dialectal Arabic الله عَلَيْك (allāh ʕalayk), which often has the same sense of “bravo!, well done!”. The word jessu would then be Christian Arabic يَسُوع (yasūʕ, “Jesus”). The unexpected gemination is not problematic in this exclamatory context. However, it is questionable whether يَسُوع (yasūʕ) was ever used in Malta. While there were Arabic-speaking missionaries, no Christian Arabic names are found. Moreover, the Islamic name form Għisa is attested (though it is not entirely clear whether the Maltese actually used it among themselves or knew it mainly through Muslim slaves).

m+

الله عَلَيْك

(archaic, especially to a child) bravo!, well done!


il-għodwa t-tajba

l-għodwa t-tajba
l-għodwa t-tajba#Maltese


leqq

The same enhanced pronunciation /laʔ/ or even /laʔ.ʔa/ is heard in dialectal Arabic.

(colloquial) no, nope; an alternative form of le


aħħ

From dialectal Arabic. Compare Hijazi Arabic أح (aḥḥ), and Hebrew אח (ákh).


jekk jogħġbok

/ˈjɛk ˈjɔˤːd͡ʒ.bɔk/

Alternative form: (abbreviation) jj


is-sliem għalikom

From Arabic السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ (as-salāmu ʕalaykum, “peace be upon you”).

inh

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ

peace be upon you (mostly used during Catholic masses by priests to greet)


bonġu

Alternative form: bonġornu


ajma

Probably from Italian ahimè. Or else, as according to Aquilina, from aj + ma.


ommi ma

Used to express worry or shock: oh my; mamma mia


il-Alla

ilalla (alternative)
ilallu (alternative)

(vulgar, blasphemous) oh my God; God damn


boqq

boq (alternative)
buq (alternative)
buqq (alternative)

Taf jekk għandekx biżżejjed flus? / Boqq, naħseb li għandu jkolli biżżejjed.

Do you know if you have enough money? / I dunno, I think I should have enough.

Used to express indecision or uncertainty; dunno


Alla jbierek

To express happiness for someone, God bless


talahawn

Univerbation of tala (“come!”) + hawn (“here”). tala is from Arabic تَعَالَ (taʕāla, “come!”).

univerbation

talahaw (alternative)
talhaw (alternative)
talhawn (alternative)
talawn (alternative)


ta' xejn

you're welcome (said in response to an expression of gratitude)


addijo

alternative form of addiju: goodbye, farewell


bonasera

alternative form of bonasira: good evening


il-paċi magħkom

is-sliem għalikom
is-sliem għalikom#Maltese

synonym of is-sliem għalikom: peace be upon you (mostly used during Catholic masses by priests to greet)


m'hemmx imniex

/ˌmɛmʃ‿ɪmˈnɪːʃ/

Literally, “there isn't from what (to thank for)”.


eħe

(colloquial) synonym of iva: yes, yep, yeah


aremm

(colloquial) contraction of ara hemm (“look out!”)


nirra

According to Aquilina, it is a contraction of min + ra, literally “someone sees” (nirrak < mirrak < min rak). Compare the common expression min rak mgħallaq (“May you be hanged”, literally “someone sees you hanged”).

Nirrah jaqa’.

ill-wishing [with attached object pronoun or noun ‘subject of wish’, along with imperfect clause]

+obj

attached&object&pronoun/noun<subject of wish> + imperfect&clause

attached object pronoun noun ‘subject of wish’ along with imperfect clause

Nirra Alla jsewwi.

good wishes [with attached object pronoun or noun ‘subject of wish’, along with imperfect clause]


daxkien

Univerbation of dan + x’kien, literally “what was this?”.

univ

Used to express surprise or curiosity about an unexpected event. Roughly translates to: “Really?”; “What's the occasion?”; “What’s going on here?”