There are 29 letters in the Maltese alphabet. In some instances, the pronunciation of these letters is very different to English, with some letters even having different pronunciations depending on how they are written, or where in a word they are found. Some simple examples are as follows:
LETTER PRONUNCIATION EXAMPLES
A like ‘u’ in ‘shut’ arpa (harp)
like ‘a’ in ‘far’ sala (lounge)
B blata (rock)
Ċ like ch in ‘church’ ċoff (bow)
D dudu (worm)
E like e in ‘shed’ dell (shadow)
like ai in ‘hair’ gelu (gel)
F flus (money)
Ġ like j in ‘join’ ġobon (cheese)
G like g in ‘great’ gondola (gondola)
Għ mostly silent (*) għar (cave)
H silent in the middle fehem (understood)
like h in hen at the end fih (which)
Ħ like h in ‘house’ at beginning ħuta (fish)
I like I in ‘fit’ id (hand)
like ee in ‘jeep’ iva (yes)
J like y in ‘yes’ jot (yacht)
K like k in ‘kit’ karma (room)
L like l in ‘life’ landa (tin)
M mara (woman)
N nanna (grandmother)
O like o in got omm (mother)
like aw in law sod (sound)
P patata (potato)
Q glottal plosive sound qalb (heart)
produced by the closure of
the vocal chords followed
by their sudden separation
R trilled like in Afrikaans ramel (sand)
S like s in ‘sea’ sufan (sofa)
T like t in French ‘tante’ tifla (girl)
U like u in ‘full’ pulptu (pulpit)
like oo in ‘fool’ vapur (ship)
V vit (tap)
W like w in ‘war’ widna (ear)
X like sh in ‘sheep’ xadina (monkey)
Z unvoiced, like ts in ‘hats’ zalzett (sausage)
Ż voiced, like z in ‘fuzz’ żunżan (bee)
(*) ‘GH’ is regarded as a single letter in Maltese. When it precedes or follows any one of the vowels ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘o’ it prolongs the sound of the vowel.
When ‘GH’ is followed by ‘i’ it makes the sound ‘ye’ like ‘bye’.
When ‘GH’ is followed by ‘u’ it makes the sound ‘ou’ like ‘soul’.
When ‘GH’ is the last letter in a word, it is pronounced like ‘h’ in ‘hair’.
SOME COMMON WORDS AND PHRASES
English Maltese Phonetic
Yes Iva iva
No Le le
Please Jekk joghgbok yek yojbok
Thank you Grazzi gratsi
Thank you very much Grazzi hafna gratsi hafna
You’re welcome M’hemmx mn’hiex memsh mnish
Good morning Bongu bonju
Good evening Bonswa bonswa
Good night Il-lejl it-tajjeb illeyl itayeb
Good-bye Sahha sahha
So long Caw chaw
Pleased to meet you Ghandi pjacir andi pyachir
How are you? Kif inti? kiyf inti?
Very well, thanks. Tajjeb(m),tajba(f) tayeb/tayba
And you? hafna. U inti? hafna u inti?
I beg your pardon? Skuzi? Skuzi?
Excuse me Skuzi! skuzi
Sorry! Skuzani! skuzani
Where is…? Fejn hu…? feyn uw
Where are…? Fejn huma…? feyn uma
How much/many…? Kemm…? kem
Do you speak English? Titkellem bl-Ingliz? Titkellem bl inglis?
I understand. Nifhem. nifem
I don’t understand. Ma nifhimx. ma nifimsh
Do you understand? Qed tifhem? ‘ed tifem
Can you show me? Tista’ turini? tista turiyni
Can you help me? Tista’ tghinni? tista teyni
I’d like… Nixtieq… nishti’
I’m lost. Intlift. intlift
NUMBERS
0 xejn sheyn
1 wiehed wihed
2 tnejn tneyn
3 tlieta tlita
4 erbgha erba
5 hamsa hamsa
6 sitta sitta
7 sebgha seba
8 tmienja tminya
9 disgha disa
10 ghaxra ashra
SEASONS
spring ir-rebbiegha ir rebbiya
summer is-sajf is sayf
autumn il-harifa il harifa
winter ix-xitwa ish shitwa
MONTHS
January jannar yannar
February frar frar
March marzu martsu
April april april
May mejju meyu
June ġunju junyu
July lulju lulyu
August awissu awissu
September settembru settembru
October ottubru ottubru
November novembru novembru
December dicembru dichembru
I like this post. I found it on google. This site is ranking well there.
These are impressive articles. Keep up the noble be successful.
My website is about Good stocks to invest in
This Blog was most helpful, your ideas are straight to the point, and the colors are cool too.
My website is about [url=http://www.homeremediesforacnetreatments.com]what causes acne[/url]