Essential Maltese Phrases

Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.

Here are the bare minimum of Maltese words and phrases you need to know to survive.

Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.

If you need help with pronunciation,
please see the Pronunciation Guide below.

Here are ten easy phrases to get you started ...

The Top 10 ...

Bonġu.

Hello.
Saħħa.
Goodbye.
Titkellem bl-Ingliż?
Do you speak English?
Ma nifhimx.
I don't understand.
Ftit.
A little.
Iva. Le.
Yes. No.
Kemm iqum? (m)
Kemm tqum? (f)

How much is it?
Għali wisq. OK.
Too expensive. OK.
Jekk jogħġbok.
Please.
Grazzi (ħafna).
Thank you (very much).

Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ... The Top 20 ...
	X'jismek? What is your name? Jisimni ... My name is ... Kif inti? How are you? Tayyeb. U inti? (man) Tajba. U inti? (woman) Fine. And you? Fejn hu ...? Where is ...? Fejn hu t-tojlit? Irġiel / Nisa Where is the toilet? Men / Women Jiddispiaċini. Skużi. Sorry. Excuse me. Mhux problema. No problem. Irrid ... I want ... Ma rridx ... I don't want ...

Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...

The Top 30 ...

Minn fejn inti?
Where are you from?
Jiena mill-Awstralja.*
I am from Australia.
Il-kont, jekk jogħġbok.
The bill, please.
Intlift.
I'm lost.
Ieqaf! Stenna!
Stop! Wait!
Hawn, hemm.
Here, there.
Taxi. Lukanda. Ajruport. Stejġ tal-karozzi.
Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Bus stop.
Inħobb ...
I like ...
Ma nħobbx ...
I don't like ...

wieħed**, tnejn, tlieta, erbgħa, ħamsa.
one, two, three, four, five.
sitta, sebgħa, tmienja, disgħa, għaxra.
six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

*Or choose your country:
mill-Amerika - from America
mill-Kanada - from Canada
mill-Ingilterra - from England
mill-Irlanda - from Ireland
minn New Zealand - from New Zealand

Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...

Useful Extras ...

Bis-saħħa!
Cheers!

tayyeb / ħażin
good / bad
kbar / żgħar
big / small
qrib / il-bogħod
near / far
inqas / iktar
less / more
ieħor / biżżejjed
another / enough

Jien veġetarjan. (man)
Jien veġetarjana. (woman)
I am vegetarian.
Ma niekolx laħam.
I don't eat meat.
... tiġieġa.
... chicken.
... ħut.
... fish.

Jien allerġiku għal ġewż. (man)
Jien allerġika għal ġewż. (woman)
I am allergic to nuts.
... karawett.
... peanuts.
... ħut.
... fish.
... frott tal-baħar.
... seafood.
... bajd.
... eggs.

Pronunciation Guide

Consonants:
ie is pronounced as a long i (IPA i:)
għi is pronounced as aˁj or eˁj, eg. żgħir = żajr or żejr
għu is pronounced as oˁw or aˁw

Consonants:
ċ is pronounced as ch as in church (tʃ)
ġ is pronounced as j as in judge (dʒ)
għ lengthens and pharyngealises the vowel (ˁ:), and is pronounced as ħ at the end of a word
għh is pronounced as a double ħ, eg. tagħha = taħħa
h is silent and lengthens the vowel, and is pronounced as ħ at the end of a word, eg. fih = fieħ
ħ is pronounced as an h in the back of the throat, as a pharyngealised h
j is pronounced as y as in yell (IPA j)
q is pronounced as a glottal stop (ʔ), like the Cockney t in bottle
x is pronounced as sh as in shop (ʃ)
z is pronounced as ts as in cats
ż is pronounced as z as in zebra
Consonants at the end of words are devoiced, eg. bajd = bajt, tayyeb = tayyep.

Please note:
Some words also have longer alternate forms:
jien = jiena
int = inti
hu = huwa
hi = hija

**wieħed is placed after the noun, and becomes waħda after a feminine noun.

Before a noun of more than one syllable, the numbers become:
żewġ, tliet, erba', ħames
sitt, seba', tmien, disat, għaxar

Before a noun of only one syllable, the numbers become:
żewġt, tlett, erbat, ħamest
sitt, sebat, tmint, disat, għaxart