To say whose something is, Maltese puts a possessive after the noun, and the noun keeps its article: , my key, literally the key of mine · , my grandmother. The possessive is the same for every noun, masculine or feminine. On its own it means mine, yours: It's not mine.
Whose? The possessives
| Person | Possessive | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| my, mine · my key | |||
| my, mine · my key | |||
| your, yours · your house | |||
| your, yours · your house | |||
| his · his cat | |||
| his · his cat | |||
| her, hers · her grandmother | |||
| her, hers · her grandmother | |||
| our, ours · our house | |||
| our, ours · our house | |||
| your, yours · your café | |||
| your, yours · your café | |||
| their, theirs · their neighbour | |||
| their, theirs · their neighbour | |||
Marija n-nanna tiegħi.Marija is my grandmother.
Mela din iċ-ċavetta tiegħek!So this is your key!
Dan Ċikku. Mhux tiegħi.This is Ċikku. He's not mine.
Maltese has no verb for to have. It says , at someone's, with an ending for the person: , I have, literally at me · , you have. So Ella's is You have my key! , nice to meet you, is the same word: I have pleasure.
Having: with an ending
| Person | Example | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I have · I have a new key. | |||
| I have · I have a new key. | |||
| you have · You have my key! | |||
| you have · You have my key! | |||
| he has · Ċikku has the key. | |||
| he has · Ċikku has the key. | |||
| she has · Ella has a grandmother. | |||
| she has · Ella has a grandmother. | |||
| we have · We have a good café. | |||
| we have · We have a good café. | |||
| you have · Do you have a cat? | |||
| you have · Do you have a cat? | |||
| they have · They have a dog. | |||
| they have · They have a dog. | |||
is no, the answer. is not, in front of a word that is not a verb: , not mine · , not bad · , a tomcat, not a she-cat. A verb is said no to differently, with in front and -x at the end: , I don't know. You will practise that with the verbs.
Saying no
| Yes | No | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| yes · no | ||
| yes · no | ||
| mine · not mine | ||
| mine · not mine | ||
| bad · not bad | ||
| bad · not bad | ||
| a she-cat · not a she-cat | ||
| a she-cat · not a she-cat | ||
| hungry · not hungry | ||
| hungry · not hungry | ||
Qattus, mhux qattusa!A tomcat, not a she-cat!
U mhux ħażin. Hu bil-ġuħ biss.And he isn't bad. He's just hungry.
Jien mhux bil-ġuħ.I'm not hungry.
Jien mhux bil-ġuħ.I'm not hungry.
Practice 1/6 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the words that say no or not.
. .
This is Ċikku. He's not mine.
. .
He isn't bad. He's just hungry.
, !
A tomcat, not a she-cat!
, .
No, I'm not hungry.
, .
No, I'm not hungry.
Practice 2/6 · The right form
Whose is it?
Choose the right word for the gap.
Din id-dar .
This is my house.
Hawn hi ċ-ċavetta .
Here is your key.
Marija n-nanna .
Marija is my grandmother.
Għandek iċ-ċavetta !
You have my key!
Għandek iċ-ċavetta !
You have my key!
Ċikku mhux il-qattus .
Ċikku isn't her cat.
Il-ġar? Dan il-kelb .
The neighbour? This is his dog.
Aħna għandna qattus. Il-qattus bil-ġuħ.
We have a cat. Our cat is hungry.
Il-kafetterija tajba ħafna!
Your café is very good! (to several people)
Huma għandhom kelb. Il-kelb mhux ħażin.
They have a dog. Their dog isn't bad.
Dan Ċikku. tiegħi.
This is Ċikku. He's not mine.
Who has it?
Choose the right word for the gap.
iċ-ċavetta tiegħi!
You have my key!
iċ-ċavetta tiegħi!
You have my key!
Ċikku ċ-ċavetta.
Ċikku has the key.
Ella nanna u nannu.
Ella has a grandmother and a grandfather.
Aħna kafetterija tajba.
We have a good café.
Jien ċavetta ġdida.
I have a new key.
Jien ċavetta ġdida.
I have a new key.
Intom qattus?
Do you have a cat? (to several people)
Huma kelb.
They have a dog.
Practice 3/6 · Fill the gaps
Who has what?
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Jien nanna, u n-nanna dar.
I have a grandmother, and my grandmother has a house.
Il-ġar kelb. Il-kelb bil-ġuħ.
The neighbour has a dog. His dog is hungry.
Aħna qattus? Le! Ċikku mhux il-qattus .
Do we have a cat? No! Ċikku isn't our cat.
Ella? Marija n-nanna .
Ella? Marija is her grandmother.
Huma kafetterija. Il-kafetterija tajba ħafna.
They have a café. Their café is very good.
Dan il-kelb ? Hu bil-ġuħ!
Is this your dog? (to several people) He's hungry!
Practice 4/6 · Matching
I have, you have
Match the pairs.
Practice 5/6 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
Thank you very much, Ella!
Thank you very much, Ella!
So this is your key.
Ċikku isn't a bad cat.
Marija is my grandmother.
You have my key!
You have my key!
You have a cat, don't you? (to several people)
Practice 6/6 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
Ella gives you your key. Thank her.
You say:
Ella gives you your key. Thank her.
You say:
Someone thanks you. Say you're welcome.
You say:
Someone thanks you. Say you're welcome.
You say:
Ella is holding a key. Tell her: that's my key!
You say:
Ella is holding a key. Tell her: that's my key!
You say:
You called the cat bad. Ella puts you right.
Ella says:
Ella is on the stairs with a small brown dog. Ask her if the dog is hers.
You say:
Ella is on the stairs with a small brown dog. Ask her if the dog is hers.
You say:
Unit complete
