Maltese verbs show the person with a letter at the front. In the present tense the 1st person singular (I) starts with , the 2nd person singular (you) with , and the 3rd person singular with or for he and for she. So you and she sound the same: , you sleep · , she sleeps. Dictionaries list a verb by its he-form: , he sleeps.
| Meaning | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| sleep | ||||
| sleep | ||||
| live | ||||
| live | ||||
| know | ||||
| know | ||||
| can | ||||
| can | ||||
| take | ||||
| take | ||||
| With an i- in front | ||||
| play | ||||
| play | ||||
| want | ||||
| want | ||||
| go | ||||
| go | ||||
Some forms take an in front to make them easier to say: , , . Before a d, the t- of you and she becomes d: , you play. The pronoun is often left out, because the verb already says who: I live downstairs.
Noqgħod isfel.I live downstairs.
Noqgħod isfel.I live downstairs.
Iva, naf.Yes, I know.
Iva, naf.Yes, I know.
Ċikku jorqod hawn.Ċikku sleeps here.
Maltese has no infinitive, no to-form of a verb. After (I want) or (I can), the second verb takes the person too: , I want to sleep, literally I want I sleep · Can you play?, literally can you you play?
Verament irrid norqod.I really want to sleep.
Verament irrid norqod.I really want to sleep.
Tista' ddoqq għada?Could you play tomorrow?
Tista' ddoqq għada?Could you play tomorrow?
Issa nista' ndoqq!Now I can play!
Ella trid tieħu l-kejk.Ella wants to take the cake.
Practice 1/5 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the verbs.
, .
I live downstairs, and Ġorġ lives upstairs.
, .
I live downstairs, and Ġorġ lives upstairs.
, .
Ċikku is asleep, and I'm not.
, .
Ċikku is asleep, and I'm not.
.
Marija knows everything.
.
I really want to sleep.
.
I really want to sleep.
, ?
You live downstairs, right?
, .
I play, and Ċikku sleeps.
, .
Ella takes the cake, and Ċikku takes the key.
Practice 2/5 · The right form
The right person
Choose the right word for the gap.
Jien isfel.
I live downstairs.
Jien isfel.
I live downstairs.
Int fuq?
Do you live upstairs?
Int fuq?
Do you live upstairs?
Ġorġ issa.
Ġorġ is playing now.
Iva, .
Yes, I know.
Iva, .
Yes, I know.
Ella kollox.
Ella knows everything.
Ċikku hawn.
Ċikku sleeps here.
Int bil-lejl, hux?
You sleep at night, don't you?
Ġorġ fuq.
Ġorġ lives upstairs.
Ċikku fejn hi ċ-ċavetta.
Ċikku knows where the key is.
Ella l-kejk.
Ella takes the cake.
Want and can: two verbs, one person
Choose the right word for the gap.
Irrid .
I want to sleep.
Irrid .
I want to sleep.
Tista' għada?
Could you play tomorrow?
Tista' għada?
Could you play tomorrow?
Ella trid għall-kafetterija.
Ella wants to go to the café.
Nista' ċ-ċavetta.
I can take the key.
Nista' ċ-ċavetta.
I can take the key.
Jien immur għall-kafetterija.
I want to go to the café.
Jien immur għall-kafetterija.
I want to go to the café.
Ella tieħu l-kejk.
Ella wants to take the cake.
Ġorġ idoqq issa.
Ġorġ wants to play now.
Issa ndoqq!
Now I can play!
Ċikku, torqod hawn.
Ċikku, you can sleep here.
Ċikku, torqod hawn.
Ċikku, you can sleep here.
Ċikku jorqod hawn.
Ċikku can sleep here.
Play, go, take
Choose the right word for the gap.
Jien it-trumbetta.
I play the trumpet.
Int bil-lejl, Ġorġ!
You play at night, Ġorġ!
Int bil-lejl, Ġorġ!
You play at night, Ġorġ!
Jien għall-kafetterija.
I go to the café.
Jien għall-kafetterija.
I go to the café.
Ġorġ għall-kafetterija.
Ġorġ goes to the café.
Ċikku ċ-ċavetta.
Ċikku takes the key.
Practice 3/5 · Fill the gaps
Ġorġ and Ċikku
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Ġorġ fuq. Hu mużiċist, u issa .
Ġorġ lives upstairs. He's a musician, and now he's playing.
Ċikku , u jien verament norqod.
Ċikku is asleep, and I really want to sleep.
Ġorġ, ddoqq għada?
Ġorġ, could you play tomorrow?
Ġorġ, ddoqq għada?
Ġorġ, could you play tomorrow?
Ella isfel.
Ella wants to go downstairs.
Issa Ġorġ jorqod.
Now Ġorġ wants to go to sleep.
Jien għall-kafetterija, u kafè.
I go to the café and have a coffee.
Jien għall-kafetterija, u kafè.
I go to the café and have a coffee.
Ċikku kollox, u jieħu ċ-ċavetta.
Ċikku knows everything, and he can take the key.
Practice 4/5 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
I live downstairs.
I live downstairs.
I really want to sleep.
I really want to sleep.
Could you play tomorrow?
Could you play tomorrow?
He sleeps, and I don't.
He sleeps, and I don't.
Yes, I know. But it's night now!
Yes, I know. But it's night now!
Now I can play!
You play at night, don't you?
You play at night, don't you?
Practice 5/5 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
Your neighbour plays the trumpet at night. Ask him, nicely, to play tomorrow.
You say:
Your neighbour plays the trumpet at night. Ask him, nicely, to play tomorrow.
You say:
Tell Ġorġ where you live: downstairs.
You say:
Tell Ġorġ where you live: downstairs.
You say:
Say that you really want to sleep.
You say:
Both verbs take the person: irrid norqod, I want I sleep.
Say that you really want to sleep.
You say:
Both verbs take the person: irrid norqod, I want I sleep.
The trumpet upstairs is loud. Ask Ċikku if he can sleep.
You say:
The trumpet upstairs is loud. Ask Ċikku if he can sleep.
You say:
Ġorġ tells you where he lives.
Ġorġ says:
Unit complete
