bi

alternative form of b’: used before a consonant cluster


lil

lili (first-person singular)
lilna (first-person plural)
lilek (second-person singular)
lilkom (plural second-person)
lilu (masculine singular third-person)
lilha (feminine singular third-person)
lilhom (plural third-person)
liċ- · lid- · lin- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
liċ- · lid- · lin- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
liċ- · lid- · lin- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
liċ- · lid- · lin- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
lir- · lis- · lit- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
lir- · lis- · lit- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
lir- · lis- · lit- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
lir- · lis- · lit- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
lix- · liz- · liż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
lix- · liz- · liż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
lix- · liz- · liż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
lix- · liz- · liż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
lill- (qamrin-unassimilation)

From Arabic لِ (li). The final -l may be due to backformation from the personal forms, themselves derived by reduplication. Compare Moroccan Arabic ليل (līl, “for”), North Levantine Arabic لإلي (laʔilli, “to me”), لإلك (laʔillak, “to you”), etc., reduplicated personal forms of ل (la). And compare a similar backformation from the personal forms in Maltese lejn.

cog

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

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

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:


sa

Probably from Arabic حَتَّى (ḥattā, “until; as far as; even”). The form, though without doubt unusual, might be explained from earlier *ħta by assimilation in fast speech. Compare Moroccan Arabic حتى (ḥta). Compare also Spanish hasta, which, if related, might point to the existence of an obsolete Maghrebi variant [script needed] (*ḥastā). Joseph Aquilina preferred to derive the Maltese form from a contraction of Italian sino a, variant of fino a (“until; as far as”). Both may also have reinforced each other.

inh

Se nħobbok sal-aħħar nifs ta’ ħajti.

I’ll love you until the last breath of my life.


t'

t’art


fi

alternative form of f’: used before a consonant cluster


basta

Basta li ma jkunx hemm riskju ta‘ konfużjoni.

As long as there is no risk of confusion.


barra

From Arabic بَرًّا (barran, “outside”). Compare Egyptian Arabic برا (barra) and the same in many or most dialects.


mal-

mal-mara

mal-idea

definite form of ma’ used before vowels or qamri consonants.


wara

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

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

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

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


minn

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

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

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

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:


fost

fosti (first-person singular)
fostna (first-person plural)
fostok (second-person singular)
fostkom (plural second-person)
fostu (masculine singular third-person)
fostha (feminine singular third-person)
fosthom (plural third-person)

From f’ + wast (now obsolete), from Arabic فِي وَسْط (fī wasṭ, “in middle [of]”).

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

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


lejn

lejja (first-person singular)
lejna (first-person plural)
lejk (second-person singular)
lejkom (plural second-person)
lejh (masculine singular third-person)
lejha (feminine singular third-person)
lejhom (plural third-person)
lejn iċ- · lejn id- · lejn in- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
lejn iċ- · lejn id- · lejn in- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
lejn iċ- · lejn id- · lejn in- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
lejn iċ- · lejn id- · lejn in- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
lejn ir- · lejn is- · lejn it- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
lejn ir- · lejn is- · lejn it- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
lejn ir- · lejn is- · lejn it- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
lejn ir- · lejn is- · lejn it- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
lejn ix- · lejn iz- · lejn iż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
lejn ix- · lejn iz- · lejn iż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
lejn ix- · lejn iz- · lejn iż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
lejn ix- · lejn iz- · lejn iż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
lejn il- (qamrin-unassimilation)

From Arabic إِلَى أَيْنَ (ʔilā ʔayna). By surface analysis, lil + *ejn. The personal forms are from Arabic إِلَى (ʔilā).

إِلَى أَيْنَ

Arabic إِلَى أَيْنَ (ʔilā ʔayna)

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.

to, toward, towards (in the direction of, arriving at)


għal

għalija (first-person singular)
għalina (first-person plural)
għalik (second-person singular)
għalikom (plural second-person)
għalih (masculine singular third-person)
għaliha (feminine singular third-person)
għalihom (plural third-person)
għaċ- · għad- · għan- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
għaċ- · għad- · għan- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
għaċ- · għad- · għan- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
għaċ- · għad- · għan- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
għar- · għas- · għat- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
għar- · għas- · għat- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
għar- · għas- · għat- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
għar- · għas- · għat- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
għax- · għaz- · għaż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
għax- · għaz- · għaż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
għax- · għaz- · għaż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
għax- · għaz- · għaż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
għall- (qamrin-unassimilation)
għala (alternative)

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:

in consequence of, purpose (of), reason (of), cause (of)


bla

From Arabic بِلا (bi-lā, literally “with not”). By surface analysis, b’ + le.

bla ħalib

Ħarbat, mewwet dawk id-dwieli,
wild il-għaraq tal-ħaddiem,
żomm il-fqir ġol-gorboġ waħdu,
u bla ħobż, bla dawl, bla sliem!

1949, Anton Buttigieg, “Ir-Riħ u l-Bnazzi”, in Mill-Gallerija ta’ Żgħożiti:

Destroy, kill those vines,
the offspring of the worker’s sweat,
keep the poor man in the hovel alone,
without bread, without light, without peace!

without (an ingredient, means, concomitant, quality)


kontra

kontrija (first-person singular)
kontrina (first-person plural)
kontrik (second-person singular)
kontrikom (plural second-person)
kontrih (masculine singular third-person)
kontriha (feminine singular third-person)
kontrihom (plural third-person)

Borrowed from Sicilian contra and/or Italian contra, both from Latin contra.


tul

tul is-snin

tul il-lejl


b'

b’ (canonical)
bija (first-person singular)
bina (first-person plural)
bik (second-person singular)
bikom (plural second-person)
bih (masculine singular third-person)
biha (feminine singular third-person)
bihom (plural third-person)
biċ- · bid- · bin- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
biċ- · bid- · bin- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
biċ- · bid- · bin- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
biċ- · bid- · bin- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
bir- · bis- · bit- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
bir- · bis- · bit- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
bir- · bis- · bit- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
bir- · bis- · bit- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
bix- · biz- · biż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
bix- · biz- · biż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
bix- · biz- · biż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
bix- · biz- · biż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
†bil- (qamrin-unassimilation)
†form is bl- before a vowel (qamrin-unassimilation)
bi (alternative)
imb (alternative)

with (chiefly an ingredient, means, concomitant, quality)

erbgħa b’erbgħa jiġu sittax

għamel erbgħa b’erbgħa


imb

Univerbation of ma’ + b’, fossilised in fixed impressions.

wiċċ imb wiċċ

ras imb ras

riħ imb riħ

mpar

mbilli

alternative form of b’ used in a few expressions


għand

għandi (first-person positive singular)
għandek (positive second-person singular)
għandu (masculine positive singular third-person)
għandha (feminine positive singular third-person)
għandna (first-person plural positive)
għandkom (plural positive second-person)
għandhom (plural positive third-person)
mgħandix (first-person negative singular)
mgħandekx (negative second-person singular)
mgħandux (masculine negative singular third-person)
mgħandhiex (feminine negative singular third-person)
mgħandniex (first-person negative plural)
mgħandkomx (negative plural second-person)
mgħandhomx (negative plural third-person)

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


ta'

ta’ (canonical)
tiegħi (first-person singular)
tagħna (first-person plural)
tiegħek (second-person singular)
tagħkom (plural second-person)
tiegħu (masculine singular third-person)
tagħha (feminine singular third-person)
tagħhom (plural third-person)
taċ- · tad- · tan- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
taċ- · tad- · tan- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
taċ- · tad- · tan- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
taċ- · tad- · tan- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
tar- · tas- · tat- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
tar- · tas- · tat- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
tar- · tas- · tat- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
tar- · tas- · tat- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
tax- · taz- · taż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
tax- · taz- · taż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
tax- · taz- · taż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
tax- · taz- · taż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
tal- (qamrin-unassimilation)
t’ (alternative before-vowel)

From older Maltese bita, mita, from Arabic مَتَاع (matāʕ, “thing, possession”). Compare Tunisian Arabic متاع (mtāʕ), Moroccan Arabic تاع (tāʕ), نتاع (ntāʕ), North Levantine Arabic تاع (tāʕ), Egyptian Arabic بتاع (bitāʕ), all used as possessive markers.

il-qabar ta’ Xmun

il-fehma tiegħu

his opinion (literally, “the opinion of him”)

il-parti kbira tan-nies

stejjer tal-waħx

horror stories (literally, “stories of horror”)

Expresses the possessive or genitive: of, 's

it-temp ta’ għada

il-ħajja ta’ kuljum

everyday life (literally, “the life of everyday”)

Used to connect an attributive adverb with its noun.

id-dinja ta’ madwarek

the world around you (literally, “the world of around you”)

ir-rabta ta’ bejnietna

the bond between us (literally, “the bond of between us”)

nisa ta’ taħt il-21 sena

women under 21 years (literally, “women of under 21 years”)

it-tlieta ta’ filgħodu

three a.m. (literally, “three of in the morning”)

Used to connect an attributive prepositional phrase with its noun (in this case more idiomatically restricted).

tal-ħanut

tal-ħalib

tal-ġobon ― cheesemonger

tal-baħar

tax-xema’ ― candlemaker

taċ-ċiċri

tal-biljetti

tal-kagħak ― kagħak seller

tal-karawett


ma'

ma’ (canonical)
miegħi (first-person singular)
magħna (first-person plural)
miegħek (second-person singular)
magħkom (plural second-person)
miegħu (masculine singular third-person)
magħha (feminine singular third-person)
magħhom (plural third-person)
maċ- · mad- · man- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
maċ- · mad- · man- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
maċ- · mad- · man- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
maċ- · mad- · man- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
mar- · mas- · mat- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
mar- · mas- · mat- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
mar- · mas- · mat- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
mar- · mas- · mat- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
max- · maz- · maż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
max- · maz- · maż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
max- · maz- · maż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
max- · maz- · maż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
mal- (qamrin-unassimilation)

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:


ħdejn

ħdejja (first-person singular)
ħdejna (first-person plural)
ħdejk (second-person singular)
ħdejkom (plural second-person)
ħdejh (masculine singular third-person)
ħdejha (feminine singular third-person)
ħdejhom (plural third-person)
ħdejn iċ- · ħdejn id- · ħdejn in- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn iċ- · ħdejn id- · ħdejn in- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn iċ- · ħdejn id- · ħdejn in- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn iċ- · ħdejn id- · ħdejn in- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn ir- · ħdejn is- · ħdejn it- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn ir- · ħdejn is- · ħdejn it- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn ir- · ħdejn is- · ħdejn it- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn ir- · ħdejn is- · ħdejn it- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn ix- · ħdejn iz- · ħdejn iż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn ix- · ħdejn iz- · ħdejn iż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn ix- · ħdejn iz- · ħdejn iż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn ix- · ħdejn iz- · ħdejn iż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
ħdejn il- (qamrin-unassimilation)

From Arabic حِذَاءَ (ḥiḏāʔa). Compare Moroccan Arabic حدا (ḥdā), حداين (ḥdāyin, “near”).

Arabic حِذَاءَ (ḥiḏāʔa)


qabel

qabli (first-person singular)
qabilna (first-person plural)
qablek (second-person singular)
qabilkom (plural second-person)
qablu (masculine singular third-person)
qabilha (feminine singular third-person)
qabilhom (plural third-person)

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

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


quddiem

quddiemi (first-person singular)
quddiemna (first-person plural)
quddiemek (second-person singular)
quddiemkom (plural second-person)
quddiemu (masculine singular third-person)
quddiemha (feminine singular third-person)
quddiemhom (plural third-person)
quddiem iċ- · quddiem id- · quddiem in- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
quddiem iċ- · quddiem id- · quddiem in- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
quddiem iċ- · quddiem id- · quddiem in- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
quddiem iċ- · quddiem id- · quddiem in- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
quddiem ix- · quddiem iz- · quddiem iż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
quddiem ix- · quddiem iz- · quddiem iż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
quddiem ix- · quddiem iz- · quddiem iż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
quddiem ix- · quddiem iz- · quddiem iż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
quddiem il- (qamrin-unassimilation)

before (in front of; position in front of)

in the presence (of), in s.o/s.th's presence


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”).


tal-

tal-mara

tal-idea

definite form of ta’ used before vowels or qamri consonants.


qrib

qribi (first-person singular)
qribna (first-person plural)
qribek (second-person singular)
qribkom (plural second-person)
qribu (masculine singular third-person)
qribha (feminine singular third-person)
qribhom (plural third-person)

From Arabic قَرِيب (qarīb). Doublet of the noun qarib (“relative”).


ġo

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:


bil-

bil-ħabi

definite form of b’ used before vowels or qamri consonants.


mħabba

Probably from mħabba (“love”) and/or minn + mħabba, as in for the love of > due to. Compare Arabic مَحَبَّةً (maḥabbatan), Arabic حُبًّا (ḥubban).

Alternative forms: minħabba, ħabba

because of, due to [with object or f’ (+ object)]


bejn

bejni (first-person singular)
bejnna (first-person plural)
bejnek (second-person singular)
bejnkom (plural second-person)
bejnu (masculine singular third-person)
bejnha (feminine singular third-person)
bejnhom (plural third-person)
bejnieti (first-person singular)
bejnietna (first-person plural)
bejnietek (second-person singular)
bejnietkom (plural second-person)
bejnietu (masculine singular third-person)
bejnietha (feminine singular third-person)
bejniethom (plural third-person)
bejniet (alternative)

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!


taħt

taħti (first-person singular)
taħtna (first-person plural)
taħtek (second-person singular)
taħtkom (plural second-person)
taħtu (masculine singular third-person)
taħtha (feminine singular third-person)
taħthom (plural third-person)

From Arabic تَحْتَ (taḥta, preposition).

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:


mingħajr

mingħajri (first-person singular)
mingħajrna (first-person plural)
mingħajrek (second-person singular)
mingħajrkom (plural second-person)
mingħajru (masculine singular third-person)
mingħajrha (feminine singular third-person)
mingħajrhom (plural third-person)

From Arabic مِنْ غَيْر (min ḡayr, “without”, literally “from other than”). By surface analysis, minn + għajr.

inh

Naqbeż għal fuq saqajja u mbagħad Miss Camilleri teħodli b’idi mingħajr ma tħares lejja.


ħlief

ħliefi (first-person singular)
ħliefna (first-person plural)
ħliefek (second-person singular)
ħliefkom (plural second-person)
ħliefu (masculine singular third-person)
ħliefha (feminine singular third-person)
ħliefhom (plural third-person)

Werwritni sakemm wasalna! Vera kollox tagħmel bl-attenzjoni u bil-galbu, ħlief … is-sewqan!


bħal

bħali (first-person singular)
bħalna (first-person plural)
bħalek (second-person singular)
bħalkom (plural second-person)
bħalu (masculine singular third-person)
bħalha (feminine singular third-person)
bħalhom (plural third-person)
bħaċ- · bħad- · bħan- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
bħaċ- · bħad- · bħan- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
bħaċ- · bħad- · bħan- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
bħaċ- · bħad- · bħan- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
bħar- · bħas- · bħat- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
bħar- · bħas- · bħat- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
bħar- · bħas- · bħat- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
bħar- · bħas- · bħat- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
bħax- · bħaz- · bħaż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
bħax- · bħaz- · bħaż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
bħax- · bħaz- · bħaż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
bħax- · bħaz- · bħaż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
bħall- (qamrin-unassimilation)

Inherited from common Maghrebi Arabic, eventually from بِحالِ (bi-ḥāli, literally “in the state of”). Compare Moroccan Arabic بحال (bḥāl).


fuq

fuqi (first-person singular)
fuqna (first-person plural)
fuqek (second-person singular)
fuqkom (plural second-person)
fuqu (masculine singular third-person)
fuqha (feminine singular third-person)
fuqhom (plural third-person)

From Arabic فَوْقَ (fawqa, preposition), فَوْقُ (fawqu, adverb). The Arabic words mean only “over, above”, but the Maltese preposition gained additional senses from għal (now only “for, to”).

on; upon (at the top, on the surface of)


maġenb

maġenbi (first-person singular)
maġenbna (first-person plural)
maġenbek (second-person singular)
maġenbkom (plural second-person)
maġenbu (masculine singular third-person)
maġenbha (feminine singular third-person)
maġenbhom (plural third-person)

From ma’ (“with, near, by”) + ġenb (“side”). Compare Moroccan Arabic مع جنب (mʕa janb, “next to, close to”).


f'

f’ (canonical)
fija (first-person singular)
fina (first-person plural)
fik (second-person singular)
fikom (plural second-person)
fih (masculine singular third-person)
fiha (feminine singular third-person)
fihom (plural third-person)
fiċ- · fid- · fin- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
fiċ- · fid- · fin- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
fiċ- · fid- · fin- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
fiċ- · fid- · fin- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
fir- · fis- · fit- · (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
fir- · fis- · fit- · (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
fir- · fis- · fit- · (definite xemxin-assimilation)
fir- · fis- · fit- · (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
fix- · fiz- · fiż- (definite feminine masculine xemxin-assimilation)
fix- · fiz- · fiż- (definite singular xemxin-assimilation)
fix- · fiz- · fiż- (definite xemxin-assimilation)
fix- · fiz- · fiż- (definite feminine masculine singular xemxin-assimilation)
†fil- (qamrin-unassimilation)
†form is fl- before a vowel (qamrin-unassimilation)
fi (alternative)


daqs

daqsi (first-person singular)
daqsna (first-person plural)
daqsek (second-person singular)
daqskom (plural second-person)
daqsu (masculine singular third-person)
daqsha (feminine singular third-person)
daqshom (plural third-person)

Aquilina identifies it with Bedouin Tunisian Arabic تقز (tagz, “similar in age, height, weight, etc.”). Though this seems likely, it does not solve the question of eventual origin. Perhaps from underlying ta’ qies (literally “of measure”), from Arabic قَيْس (qays). The Tunisian -z must then be due to assimilation.

Bl-istess libsa vjola, tikxifli ħobbok
lewn l-ewwel ftira ma’ ħjiel iż-żerniq,
bl-istess sandli, difrejk ħomor daqs qalbi,
u xagħrek immewweġ jofrogħ fir-riħ.

2021 [2017], Antoine Cassar, Erbgħin Jum, 2ⁿᵈ edition, Malta: Ede Books:


sakemm

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

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


minflok

minfloki (first-person singular)
minflokna (first-person plural)
minflokok (second-person singular)
minflokkom (plural second-person)
minfloku (masculine singular third-person)
minflokha (feminine singular third-person)
minflokhom (plural third-person)


għajr

Dan mhu xejn għajr il-bidu.


dwar

dwari (first-person singular)
dwarna (first-person plural)
dwarek (second-person singular)
dwarkom (plural second-person)
dwaru (masculine singular third-person)
dwarha (feminine singular third-person)
dwarhom (plural third-person)

“Jgħidilhom dwar Doris?!” sploda s-Surmast. “Niftaħlu rasu ktieb! Dan mnejn safejn ixandar l-affarijiet privati tiegħi?! Intom għidtuli li se jitkellem biss dwar il-kotba tiegħu!”

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


madwar

madwari (first-person singular)
madwarna (first-person plural)
madwarek (second-person singular)
madwarkom (plural second-person)
madwaru (masculine singular third-person)
madwarha (feminine singular third-person)
madwarhom (plural third-person)

Tweġibiet għal dawn il-mistoqsijiet imorru lura għal madwar seklu u nofs (jew aktar) qabel ma seħħew dawn il-ħruxijiet.


minkejja

From minn + nkejja, literally “from spite/teasing (of)”. A very common construct for prepositions with this meaning; compare Arabic رَغْمَ (raḡma), English in spite of, German trotz, etc.


matul

matuli (first-person singular)
matulna (first-person plural)
matulek (second-person singular)
matulkom (plural second-person)
matulu (masculine singular third-person)
matulha (feminine singular third-person)
matulhom (plural third-person)

From ma’ + tul, literally “with the length [of]”.


skont

skonti (first-person singular)
skontna (first-person plural)
skontok (second-person singular)
skontkom (plural second-person)
skontu (masculine singular third-person)
skontha (feminine singular third-person)
skonthom (plural third-person)
skond (alternative)

From older Sicilian *sicundu (now sicunnu) and/or Italian secondo, both from Latin secundum.

Skontok x’inhija l-aktar ħaġa importanti?

What’s the most important thing according to you? (in your opinion?)


bħala

Derived from bħal + Arabic أَيُّ (ʔayyu), or else just an alternative form.


ladarba

la darba (alternative)
ġaladarba (alternative)


ġewwa

ġew (alternative)
ġo (alternative)
ġe (alternative)

Ja Sena Ġdida,
għalkemm mal-wasla tiegħek
sew f’nofs il-lejl
int sibtni nidħaq ġewwa nofs il-ballu


biswit

From bi + swit. Where swit comes from sewa with te marbuta.