To pass on what someone says, thinks or knows, put , that, after the verb, and then an ordinary sentence: Ella says that Grandma was asleep. English often drops that; Maltese keeps : I think he's never played so beautifully.
Verbs that take
| Verb | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| · | she says · she said · She says she took a hundred and twenty. | |
| she says · she said · She says she took a hundred and twenty. | ||
| I think · I think he's never played so beautifully. | ||
| I think · I think he's never played so beautifully. | ||
| · | I know · he knows · Everybody knows he loves the stage. | |
| I know · he knows · Everybody knows he loves the stage. | ||
| I heard · I heard that Lina saw a ghost. | ||
| I heard · I heard that Lina saw a ghost. | ||
After nothing changes: the sentence is the one you would say on its own.
The tense stays the one the speaker used. Only the person changes, because now you are talking about them. Marija says , I saw everything, and you pass it on as , Marija says she saw everything.
Passing it on
| They say | You pass it on | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Marija: | I saw everything. · Marija says she saw everything. | |
| I saw everything. · Marija says she saw everything. | ||
| Ella: | Grandma, you were asleep! · Ella says Grandma was asleep. | |
| Grandma, you were asleep! · Ella says Grandma was asleep. | ||
| Lina: | I baked the macaroni myself. · Lina says she baked the macaroni herself. | |
| I baked the macaroni myself. · Lina says she baked the macaroni herself. | ||
| Tonio: | I only danced a little. · Tonio says he only danced a little. | |
| I only danced a little. · Tonio says he only danced a little. | ||
| Marija: | I'm not coming. · Marija says she isn't coming. | |
| I'm not coming. · Marija says she isn't coming. | ||
For a she, becomes :
is That's not true! , or , agrees: That's true.
Ħafna ritratti. Tgħid li ħadet mija u għoxrin!Lots of photos. She says she took a hundred and twenty!
Naħseb li qatt ma daqq daqshekk sabiħ.I think he's never played so beautifully.
Naħseb li qatt ma daqq daqshekk sabiħ.I think he's never played so beautifully.
Nanna, kulħadd jaf li jħobb il-palk!Grandma, everybody knows he loves the stage!
Mhux veru! Ma kontx rieqda.That's not true! I wasn't asleep.
Ma nafx fejn kien Ċikku.I don't know where Ċikku was.
Ma nafx fejn kien Ċikku.I don't know where Ċikku was.
Practice 1/5 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap li and the verb in front of it.
.
Grandma says she saw everything.
.
I think he's never played so beautifully.
.
I think he's never played so beautifully.
.
Everybody knows Ċikku loves the stage.
.
Mum says she took a hundred and twenty photos.
.
I always said your mum can't take photos.
Practice 2/5 · The right form
Pass it on
Someone said the words in quotes. Pass them on.
“Rajt kollox.” Marija tgħid li kollox.
'I saw everything.' Marija says she saw everything.
“Nanna, kont rieqda!” Ella tgħid li n-nanna rieqda.
'Grandma, you were asleep!' Ella says Grandma was asleep.
“Ħmejt l-imqarrun jien.” Lina tgħid li l-imqarrun hi.
'I baked the macaroni myself.' Lina says she baked the macaroni herself.
“Mhux se niġi.” Marija tgħid li mhix se .
'I'm not coming.' Marija says she isn't coming.
“Żfint ftit biss.” Tonio jgħid li ftit biss.
'I only danced a little.' Tonio says he only danced a little.
“Xejn ma rajt.” Tonio jgħid li ma xejn.
'I didn't see anything.' Tonio says he didn't see anything.
“Konna fil-bitħa.” It-tfal jgħidu li fil-bitħa.
'We were in the courtyard.' The children say they were in the courtyard.
Kulħadd jaf Ċikku jħobb il-palk.
Everybody knows that Ċikku loves the stage.
In their own words
Before they are passed on, people say jien and int.
Jien kollox.
I saw everything.
Nanna, int rieqda!
Grandma, you were asleep!
Jien l-imqarrun.
I baked the macaroni.
Jien mhux se .
I'm not coming.
Jien ftit biss.
I only danced a little.
Naħseb Ċikku kien fuq il-palk.
I think Ċikku was on the stage.
Practice 3/5 · Fill the gaps
True or not true?
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Ċikku kien id-dar. !
Ċikku was at home. That's true!
Mhux , nanna. Int rieqda!
That's not true, Grandma. You were asleep!
Is-Sinjura Marija tgħid ma kinitx rieqda.
Mrs Marija says she wasn't asleep.
Is-Sinjura Marija tgħid ma kinitx rieqda.
Mrs Marija says she wasn't asleep.
Naħseb li ommok ma tafx ritratti.
I think your mum can't take photos.
Lina tgħid li fantażma.
Lina says she saw a ghost.
Lina tgħid li fantażma.
Lina says she saw a ghost.
Mhux veru! Jien ftit biss.
That's not true! I only danced a little.
Lina tgħid li l-imqarrun hi.
Lina says she baked the macaroni herself.
Lina tgħid li l-imqarrun hi.
Lina says she baked the macaroni herself.
Is-Sinjura Marija tgħid li mhix se .
Mrs Marija says she isn't coming.
Is-Sinjura Marija tgħid li mhix se .
Mrs Marija says she isn't coming.
Practice 4/5 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
I think that's not true.
Grandma says she saw everything.
Lina says she baked the macaroni herself.
Lina says she baked the macaroni herself.
Mum says Grandma was asleep.
I don't know where Ċikku was.
I don't know where Ċikku was.
I'm not coming.
Grandma, you were snoring!
I baked the macaroni myself, and I saw a ghost!
Practice 5/5 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
Marija says she wasn't asleep, but you heard her snore. Tell her, politely, that it isn't true.
You say:
Marija says she wasn't asleep, but you heard her snore. Tell her, politely, that it isn't true.
You say:
Tell Ella what Tonio says: he only danced a little.
You say:
He is talking about Saturday, so the past; and his jien becomes hu: żifen.
Tell Ella what Tonio says: he only danced a little.
You say:
He is talking about Saturday, so the past; and his jien becomes hu: żifen.
Tell Marija that Ella says she was asleep.
You say:
You are speaking to Marija, so int, and int takes -t: kont.
Tell Marija that Ella says she was asleep.
You say:
You are speaking to Marija, so int, and int takes -t: kont.
Say you think it was Ċikku.
You say:
Say you think it was Ċikku.
You say:
Ella asks her grandma to come and look at the photos tonight. Marija doesn't want to see herself asleep.
Marija says:
Tell Ella what Marija says: she isn't coming.
You say:
Marija's jien becomes hi: mhix se tiġi.
Tell Ella what Marija says: she isn't coming.
You say:
Marija's jien becomes hi: mhix se tiġi.
Unit complete
