Where you are from comes in pairs, like and : a man is , a woman . Most nationalities and jobs add -a for a woman: , · , . A word in -i adds -ja: , . The language is the masculine word with the article: , German · , English · , Maltese.
A man, a woman
| Man | Woman | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| German | ||
| German | ||
| English | ||
| English | ||
| Maltese | ||
| Maltese | ||
| engineer | ||
| engineer | ||
| musician | ||
| musician | ||
There is still no word for am or is: I'm German. Ġorġ is a musician. To speak a language is to speak with it, : Do you speak Maltese? Before a vowel it loses its i: , in English.
From is : , from Hamburg. is where are you from, literally from where you? Some countries have the article, like , Germany, and then joins it, as you know from : , from Germany. Malta has no article, so it is .
From: ,
| Place | From | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Hamburg · from Hamburg | ||
| Hamburg · from Hamburg | ||
| Germany · from Germany | ||
| Germany · from Germany | ||
| the café · from the café | ||
| the café · from the café | ||
| where? · Where are you from? | ||
| where? · Where are you from? | ||
Jien Ġermaniż, minn Hamburg.I'm German, from Hamburg.
Jien Ġermaniża, minn Hamburg.I'm German, from Hamburg.
Mill-Ġermanja, tajjeb.From Germany, good.
Marija Maltija, u Ġorġ Malti.Marija is Maltese, and so is Ġorġ.
Lukas inġinier, u Lena inġiniera.Lukas is an engineer, and Lena is an engineer.
In module 1 you said not with , before a word that is not a verb: . A verb takes two pieces instead: in front and -x at the end. , I know · , I don't know. Before a vowel or , is cut to : , I have · , I don't have.
The verb itself often changes a little before the -x. An in its last syllable becomes : , . And loses the at its front after : , I don't want.
Not with a verb: ma … -x
| Yes | No | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ma … -x | ||
| I know · I don't know | ||
| I know · I don't know | ||
| he sleeps · he doesn't sleep | ||
| he sleeps · he doesn't sleep | ||
| you can · you can't | ||
| you can · you can't | ||
| I want · I don't want | ||
| I want · I don't want | ||
| e turns to i | ||
| I understand · I don't understand | ||
| I understand · I don't understand | ||
| you speak · you don't speak | ||
| you speak · you don't speak | ||
| he works · he doesn't work | ||
| he works · he doesn't work | ||
In the apostrophe stands for a lost sound, and the -x takes its place: . is the most useful sentence of the week, and the second.
takes the same pieces, with in front: , I've got no coffee. Before the -x, the endings -ha and -na grow to -hiex and -niex.
Not having: m'għandix
| Person | No | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I have · I don't have | |||
| I have · I don't have | |||
| you have · you don't have | |||
| you have · you don't have | |||
| he has · he doesn't have | |||
| he has · he doesn't have | |||
| she has · she doesn't have | |||
| she has · she doesn't have | |||
| we have · we don't have | |||
| we have · we don't have | |||
| you have · you don't have | |||
| you have · you don't have | |||
| they have · they don't have | |||
| they have · they don't have | |||
Skużani, ma nifhimx. Tista' titkellem bil-mod?Sorry, I don't understand. Could you speak slowly?
Skużani, ma nifhimx. Tista' titkellem bil-mod?Sorry, I don't understand. Could you speak slowly?
Formola, issa? Imma m'għandix kafè!A form, now? But I've got no coffee!
Formola, issa? Imma m'għandix kafè!A form, now? But I've got no coffee!
Ċikku ma jaħdimx. Hu s-sid.Ċikku doesn't work. He's the boss.
Ella m'għandhiex ċavetta.Ella doesn't have a key.
Practice 1/6 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the verbs that say not.
, . ?
Sorry, I don't understand. Could you speak slowly?
, . ?
Sorry, I don't understand. Could you speak slowly?
, ? !
A form, now? But I've got no coffee!
, ? !
A form, now? But I've got no coffee!
... .
I'm... I don't know.
... .
I'm... I don't know.
: .
Ċikku doesn't work: he just sleeps.
, !
Ġorġ doesn't speak slowly, and he doesn't sleep at night!
Practice 2/6 · The right form
A man or a woman?
Choose the form that fits the person.
Marija .
Marija is Maltese.
Ġorġ .
Ġorġ is Maltese.
Lena , minn Hamburg.
Lena is German, from Hamburg.
Lukas , minn Hamburg.
Lukas is German, from Hamburg.
Lena .
Lena is an engineer.
Lukas .
Lukas is an engineer.
Il-ħabiba ta' Ġorġ wkoll.
Ġorġ's friend (a woman) is a musician too.
Il-ġara ta' Lina .
Lina's neighbour (a woman) is English.
, tajjeb.
From Germany, good.
Ċikku jiġi .
Ċikku comes from the café.
Not with a verb
Choose the right way to say not.
Skużani, ma .
Sorry, I don't understand.
Skużani, ma .
Sorry, I don't understand.
Il-kunjom tiegħu? Ma .
His surname? I don't know.
Il-kunjom tiegħu? Ma .
His surname? I don't know.
Ġorġ bil-lejl.
Ġorġ doesn't sleep at night.
Int bil-Malti?
Don't you speak Maltese?
Ċikku . Hu s-sid.
Ċikku doesn't work. He's the boss.
Ċikku, int torqod hawn!
Ċikku, you can't sleep here!
Ċikku, int torqod hawn!
Ċikku, you can't sleep here!
Jien formola oħra!
I don't want another form!
Jien formola oħra!
I don't want another form!
Formola? Imma kafè!
A form? But I've got no coffee!
Formola? Imma kafè!
A form? But I've got no coffee!
Not having
Choose the form that fits the person.
Int kafè? Ajma!
You don't have any coffee? Oh dear!
Ġorġ ċavetta.
Ġorġ doesn't have a key.
Ella kafè: għandha te.
Ella doesn't have coffee: she has tea.
Aħna kejk.
We don't have any cake.
Intom kafè?
Don't you two have any coffee?
Intom kafè?
Don't you two have any coffee?
Huma qattus.
They don't have a cat.
Practice 3/6 · Fill the gaps
The form
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Jien , Hamburg.
I'm German, from Hamburg.
Jien , Hamburg.
I'm German, from Hamburg.
, tajjeb. U x'lingwi titkellem?
From Germany, good. And what languages do you speak?
Lukas u Lena .
Lukas is an engineer and Lena is an engineer.
Ġorġ , u l-ħabiba tiegħu wkoll.
Ġorġ is a musician, and his friend (a woman) is a musician too.
Il-ġara ta' Lina : titkellem bl-Ingliż.
Lina's neighbour (a woman) is English: she speaks English.
Ċikku jiġi , u Ella .
Ċikku comes from the café, and Ella is Maltese.
Ċikku , u formola.
Ċikku doesn't work, and he doesn't have a form.
Practice 4/6 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
Sorry, I don't understand.
Sorry, I don't understand.
I'm German, from Germany.
I'm German, from Germany.
Marija is Maltese, and she speaks fast.
You don't speak slowly!
I don't want another form.
I don't want another form.
Ċikku, you can't sleep here.
Ċikku, you can't sleep here.
Don't you have any coffee?
Ġorġ doesn't have coffee, and Ella doesn't have tea.
We don't have a form.
You two don't have a key, and they don't have any cake.
Practice 5/6 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
Marija speaks much too fast. Tell her you don't understand.
You say:
A verb says not with ma … -x, and the e turns to i: ma nifhimx.
Marija speaks much too fast. Tell her you don't understand.
You say:
A verb says not with ma … -x, and the e turns to i: ma nifhimx.
Marija asks where you are from.
You say:
Marija asks where you are from.
You say:
Ella would like a coffee, but you have none.
You say:
Before għ, ma is cut to m': m'għandix.
Ella would like a coffee, but you have none.
You say:
Before għ, ma is cut to m': m'għandix.
Tell Marija that Ġorġ doesn't sleep at night.
You say:
Tell Marija that Ġorġ doesn't sleep at night.
You say:
Marija tells you that Ella is Maltese, and that she doesn't have a key.
Marija says:
Ella asks what the cat does all day. Tell her he doesn't work.
You say:
Ella asks what the cat does all day. Tell her he doesn't work.
You say:
Practice 6/6 · Matching
Not, with a verb
Match the pairs.
Unit complete
