A measure goes straight before the thing, with no word for of: , a kilo of tomatoes, , a bottle of milk, , a cup of tea. The thing takes no article. , half, goes in front: , half a kilo of cheese. It works like and , which you know: , a lot of apples.
A measure, then the thing
| Measure | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| a kilo · a kilo of tomatoes | ||
| a kilo · a kilo of tomatoes | ||
| half a kilo · half a kilo of cheese | ||
| half a kilo · half a kilo of cheese | ||
| · | a bottle · a bottle of milk · a bottle of water | |
| a bottle · a bottle of milk · a bottle of water | ||
| · | a cup · a cup of tea · a cup of coffee | |
| a cup · a cup of tea · a cup of coffee | ||
| · | · | a lot of · a little · a lot of apples · a little milk |
| a lot of · a little · a lot of apples · a little milk | ||
| how much? · How much is a kilo of tomatoes? | ||
| how much? · How much is a kilo of tomatoes? | ||
After a number, the measure follows the counting rules of module 3. Two is with the plural, 3 to 10 take the plural too, and from 11 on the noun is singular again. has the plural , has , and changes inside: .
One, two, ten, eleven
| Number | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 to 10 | |||
| 11 and up | |||
| Meaning | a kilo | a cup | a bottle |
So Lina buys , ten kilos of apples; with eleven it would be . stays singular: half of one kilo.
Some food words are collective nouns. is apples in general; one apple is , and apples you count are : . , and work the same way. With a measure or an amount, you take the general word: , , .
In general, one, and counted
| In general | One | Counted | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| apples · an apple · six apples | |||
| apples · an apple · six apples | |||
| eggs · an egg · six eggs | |||
| eggs · an egg · six eggs | |||
| bread · a loaf · two loaves | |||
| bread · a loaf · two loaves | |||
| fish · a fish · three fish | |||
| fish · a fish · three fish | |||
One of them is feminine: , .
Nixtri għaxar kili tuffieħ għall-kafetterija.I buy ten kilos of apples for the café.
Nixtieq kilo tadam u żewġ kili patata, jekk jogħġbok.I'd like a kilo of tomatoes and two kilos of potatoes, please.
Nixtieq kilo tadam u żewġ kili patata, jekk jogħġbok.I'd like a kilo of tomatoes and two kilos of potatoes, please.
Nofs kilo ġobon u flixkun ħalib.Half a kilo of cheese and a bottle of milk.
Nofs kilo ġobon u flixkun ħalib.Half a kilo of cheese and a bottle of milk.
Ħu, tuffieħa għalik!Here, an apple for you!
Ċikku jiekol ħuta kbira kuljum.Ċikku eats a big fish every day.
Practice 1/5 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the measures, and the words for one or for counted things.
.
I buy ten kilos of apples for the café.
.
I'd like a kilo of tomatoes and two kilos of potatoes.
.
I'd like a kilo of tomatoes and two kilos of potatoes.
.
Half a kilo of cheese and a bottle of milk.
.
Half a kilo of cheese and a bottle of milk.
, !
Six apples, and an egg for Ċikku!
, .
Three cups of tea and a loaf, please.
, .
Three cups of tea and a loaf, please.
, .
Ċikku eats a big fish, and Ġorġ has a cup of coffee.
Practice 2/5 · The right form
Kilo or kili?
Choose the right word for the gap.
Nixtri għaxar tuffieħ.
I buy ten kilos of apples.
Nixtieq tadam.
I'd like a kilo of tomatoes.
Nixtieq tadam.
I'd like a kilo of tomatoes.
Żewġ patata, jekk jogħġbok.
Two kilos of potatoes, please.
Żewġ patata, jekk jogħġbok.
Two kilos of potatoes, please.
Ħdax-il tuffieħ għall-kejk!
Eleven kilos of apples for the cakes!
Nofs ġobon.
Half a kilo of cheese.
Nofs ġobon.
Half a kilo of cheese.
Tliet te, jekk jogħġbok.
Three cups of tea, please.
kafè, jekk jogħġbok.
A cup of coffee, please.
kafè, jekk jogħġbok.
A cup of coffee, please.
Tnax-il fuq il-mejda!
Twelve cups on the table!
Żewġ ilma.
Two bottles of water.
Żewġ ilma.
Two bottles of water.
Għoxrin ħalib għall-kafetterija.
Twenty bottles of milk for the café.
Apples, an apple, six apples
The general word, the word for one, or the counted plural?
Ħu, għalik!
Here, an apple for you!
Sitt , mhux tmintax!
Six apples, not eighteen!
Sitt , mhux tmintax!
Six apples, not eighteen!
Kilo , jekk jogħġbok.
A kilo of apples, please.
Kilo , jekk jogħġbok.
A kilo of apples, please.
Nixtieq sitt .
I'd like six eggs.
Nixtieq sitt .
I'd like six eggs.
Għandi waħda biss.
I've only got one egg.
Żewġ , jekk jogħġbok.
Two loaves, please.
Żewġ , jekk jogħġbok.
Two loaves, please.
u ftit ġobon.
A loaf and a little cheese.
u ftit ġobon.
A loaf and a little cheese.
Ċikku jiekol waħda.
Ċikku eats one fish.
Tliet għal Ċikku!
Three fish for Ċikku!
Ċikku jiekol ħafna .
Ċikku eats a lot of fish.
Practice 3/5 · Fill the gaps
The shopping list
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Fil-lista: kilo , żewġ patata u nofs ġobon.
On the list: a kilo of tomatoes, two kilos of potatoes and half a kilo of cheese.
Flixkun u sitt .
A bottle of milk and six eggs.
Lina tixtri għaxar kili tuffieħ, u għalija .
Lina buys ten kilos of apples, and an apple for me.
Ġorġ jixrob tliet te kull filgħodu.
Ġorġ drinks three cups of tea every morning.
Ċikku jiekol kbira, u Salvu għandu tliet oħra.
Ċikku eats a big fish, and Salvu has three more.
Nixtri żewġ għall-kolazzjon.
I buy two loaves for breakfast.
Practice 4/5 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
I'd like a kilo of tomatoes and two kilos of potatoes.
I'd like a kilo of tomatoes and two kilos of potatoes.
Half a kilo of cheese and a bottle of milk, please.
Half a kilo of cheese and a bottle of milk, please.
I buy ten kilos of apples for the café.
I've only got one egg.
I have an apple and six eggs.
I have an apple and six eggs.
Ċikku eats a big fish every day.
Three cups of tea and two loaves.
Three cups of tea and two loaves.
Twelve cups on the table.
Eleven kilos of apples for the cakes.
I have three fish for Ċikku.
Practice 5/5 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
At Tereża's stall, ask for a kilo of tomatoes.
You say:
No word for of, and one kilo is kilo.
At Tereża's stall, ask for a kilo of tomatoes.
You say:
No word for of, and one kilo is kilo.
You also want two kilos of potatoes.
You say:
You also want two kilos of potatoes.
You say:
Tereża asks if you want anything else. You want half a kilo of cheese.
You say:
Tereża asks if you want anything else. You want half a kilo of cheese.
You say:
Lina gives Ella an apple.
Lina says:
Ask Lina for three cups of tea.
You say:
Ask Lina for three cups of tea.
You say:
Salvu counts out the fish for Ċikku. There are three.
Salvu says:
To count fish, take the word for one: ħuta, ħutiet.
Tell Ella you have six eggs.
You say:
Tell Ella you have six eggs.
You say:
Lina orders eleven kilos of apples for her cakes.
Lina says:
From 11 on, the noun is singular: ħdax-il kilo.
Unit complete
