Every Maltese noun is masculine or feminine. Most feminine nouns end in -a: , a key, and , a neighbour (a woman). Most nouns that end otherwise are masculine: , a neighbour (a man), , the stairs, , a name. A few feminine nouns don't end in -a, and , a house, is one of them. Names work the same way: and are feminine, and masculine. Tap a word in the tables to hear it.
Masculine and feminine
| Masculine | Feminine | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| neighbour | ||
| neighbour | ||
| the stairs · a key | ||
| the stairs · a key | ||
| a name · a house | ||
| a name · a house | ||
| · | · | |
Words that describe a noun, the adjectives, come after it and take its gender: , new, for a masculine noun, for a feminine one. That is why Marija asks Lukas and Lena two different questions. and , this, work the same way: , .
Int il-ġar il-ġdid?Are you the new neighbour? (to Lukas)
Int il-ġara l-ġdida?Are you the new neighbour? (to Lena)
Din id-dar tiegħi.This is my house.
The article, the word for the, is , joined to its noun with a hyphen: . Before a vowel it is just : , the name. Before the sun letters the l takes the sound of the next letter: , , . After a word that ends in a vowel, the i drops: , .
The article
| Before | Article | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most letters | the neighbour | ||
| the neighbour | |||
| A vowel | the name | ||
| the name | |||
| A sun letter | · · … | · · | the key · the house · the stairs |
| the key · the house · the stairs | |||
| After a vowel | · · … | · | the new neighbour · Here's the key. |
| the new neighbour · Here's the key. | |||
The sun letters are . An adjective after the noun takes the article too: , the new neighbour (literally the neighbour the new).
The pronouns say who: , I, , you, , he, , she. They are the same for the 1st person (the speaker), the 2nd person (the one you speak to) and the 3rd person (everyone else), in the singular (one) and the plural (more than one). And in the present Maltese has no word for am, is or are: I'm Marija. This is Ċikku.
The pronouns
| Pronoun | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | ||
| I · I'm Marija. | ||
| I · I'm Marija. | ||
| you · Are you the new neighbour? | ||
| you · Are you the new neighbour? | ||
| · | he · she · He isn't mine. | |
| he · she · He isn't mine. | ||
| Plural | ||
| we · We're neighbours. | ||
| we · We're neighbours. | ||
| you · You're neighbours. | ||
| you · You're neighbours. | ||
| they · They're neighbours. | ||
| they · They're neighbours. | ||
is one person, several. A thing is or , like its noun: , here it is, for a masculine word, for a feminine one like .
Jien Marija.I'm Marija.
Dan Ċikku. Hu mhux tiegħi.This is Ċikku. He isn't mine.
Aħna ġirien.We are neighbours.
Practice 1/6 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the words for I, you, he, she, we and they.
, .
I'm Marija, and you're the new neighbour.
, .
I'm Marija, and you're the new neighbour.
. .
This is Ċikku. He isn't mine.
? !
Who are you? You're Ċikku!
? !
Who are you? You're Ċikku!
, .
We are neighbours, and they are neighbours.
Practice 2/6 · The right form
The right article
Choose the article that fits the word.
Din tiegħi.
This is my house.
Hawn hi tiegħek.
Here is your key.
tiegħi! Saħħa, ċavetta...
My key! Goodbye, key...
tiegħi! Saħħa, ċavetta...
My key! Goodbye, key...
Dan .
These are the stairs.
tiegħi Marija.
My name is Marija.
Dan il-ġdid.
This is the new neighbour.
Masculine or feminine?
Choose the form that fits the noun.
Int il-ġar il- ?
Are you the new neighbour (a man)?
Int il-ġara l- ?
Are you the new neighbour (a woman)?
Din iċ-ċavetta l- .
This is the new key.
id-dar tiegħi.
This is my house.
Ċikku.
This is Ċikku.
Hawn hi ċ-ċavetta .
Here is the new key.
Marija hi l- tiegħi.
Marija is my neighbour.
Marija hi l- tiegħi.
Marija is my neighbour.
Din ġdida.
This is a new key.
Din .
This is Marija.
Din .
This is Lena.
Practice 3/6 · Fill the gaps
The key, the house, the stairs
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Jien Marija, il- tiegħek.
I'm Marija, your neighbour.
tiegħi Marija.
My name is Marija.
Dan , u din .
These are the stairs, and this is the house.
tiegħi! Saħħa, ...
My key! Goodbye, key...
tiegħi! Saħħa, ...
My key! Goodbye, key...
Practice 4/6 · Matching
Who is who?
Match the pairs.
Practice 5/6 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
I'm Marija, and this is my house.
Are you the new neighbour?
Are you the new neighbour?
This is my house and my key.
This is Ċikku, and he isn't mine.
Practice 6/6 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
An old woman at the door asks if you are the new neighbour. Say yes, and give your name.
You say:
An old woman at the door asks if you are the new neighbour. Say yes, and give your name.
You say:
The landlady hands you your key.
You say:
The landlady hands you your key.
You say:
A grey cat walks in. Ask who this is.
You say:
A grey cat walks in. Ask who this is.
You say:
Marija tells you who the cat is, and that he isn't hers.
Marija says:
Unit complete
