A story puts the past in order, and these words do it: , first · , then · , after that · , in the end. After a vowel drops its i: .
Putting it in order
| Word | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| first · First he stole the mouthpiece. | ||
| first · First he stole the mouthpiece. | ||
| · | then · Then he turned off the light. | |
| then · Then he turned off the light. | ||
| after that · After that, the band played. | ||
| after that · After that, the band played. | ||
| in the end · In the end the drum fell. | ||
| in the end · In the end the drum fell. | ||
| when · When the lights went out, I looked for Ċikku. | ||
| when · When the lights went out, I looked for Ċikku. | ||
before a noun is after: , after the concert. with the past is one moment: , when the concert started.
Two kinds of past go into a story. What happened, one thing after another, is the past tense: What was going on at the time is and the present: I was listening to Ġorġ when the lights went out. takes the person of the past, the verb after the person of the present.
What was going on:
| Person | and the present | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Singular | ||
| I was dancing | ||
| I was dancing | ||
| you were dancing | ||
| you were dancing | ||
| he was dancing | ||
| he was dancing | ||
| she was dancing | ||
| she was dancing | ||
| Plural | ||
| we were dancing | ||
| we were dancing | ||
| you were dancing | ||
| you were dancing | ||
| they were dancing | ||
| they were dancing | ||
, he was dancing, but , he danced. Marija uses both:
also says what it was like: It was dark. It was really nice. For a feminine word it is : The festa was lovely.
Allura: l-ewwel seraq il-bokkin, imbagħad tefa d-dawl, u fl-aħħar waqa' t-tanbur!So: first he stole the mouthpiece, then he turned off the lights, and in the end the drum fell!
Allura: l-ewwel seraq il-bokkin, imbagħad tefa d-dawl, u fl-aħħar waqa' t-tanbur!So: first he stole the mouthpiece, then he turned off the lights, and in the end the drum fell!
Jien rajtu meta kien qed jiżfen. Żifen sabiħ ħafna.I saw him when he was dancing. He danced really nicely.
Nanna! Int kont qed torqod!Grandma! You were asleep!
L-ewwel il-qattus seraq bokkin. Imbagħad id-dawl intefa, u l-kollega tiegħi żifen.First the cat stole a mouthpiece. Then the lights went out, and my colleague danced.
L-ewwel il-qattus seraq bokkin. Imbagħad id-dawl intefa, u l-kollega tiegħi żifen.First the cat stole a mouthpiece. Then the lights went out, and my colleague danced.
Practice 1/5 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the words that put the story in order: first, then, after that, in the end, when.
, , !
First he stole the mouthpiece, then he turned off the light, and in the end the drum fell!
, , !
First he stole the mouthpiece, then he turned off the light, and in the end the drum fell!
, .
When the lights went out, I looked for Ċikku.
, .
When the lights went out, I looked for Ċikku.
. , .
First the concert started. After that, the lights went out.
.
I saw him when he was dancing.
. .
First the cat stole a mouthpiece. Then the lights went out.
. .
First the cat stole a mouthpiece. Then the lights went out.
.
And in the end the lights came back on.
Practice 2/5 · The right form
What was going on: kien qed
Choose the right word for the gap.
Jien kont qed ftit biss.
I was only dancing a little.
Tonio, int kont qed ma' Ella.
Tonio, you were dancing with Ella.
Jien rajtu meta kien qed .
I saw him when he was dancing.
Ella qed tkanta mat-tfal.
Ella was singing with the children.
Ella qed tkanta mat-tfal.
Ella was singing with the children.
Aħna qed niżfnu quddiem il-palk.
We were dancing in front of the stage.
Aħna konna qed meta d-dawl intefa.
We were dancing when the lights went out.
Intom qed tiżfnu wkoll?
Were you dancing too?
Intom qed tiżfnu wkoll?
Were you dancing too?
Lina, Tonio: intom kontu qed !
Lina, Tonio: you were dancing!
Lina, Tonio: intom kontu qed !
Lina, Tonio: you were dancing!
In-nies qed jiżfnu, u jien ħdimt.
People were dancing, and I worked.
In-nies kienu qed fid-dlam.
People were dancing in the dark.
What happened, or what was going on?
Choose the right word for the gap.
Jien qed nisma' lil Ġorġ meta d-dawl intefa.
I was listening to Ġorġ when the lights went out.
Jien qed nisma' lil Ġorġ meta d-dawl intefa.
I was listening to Ġorġ when the lights went out.
L-ewwel Ċikku il-bokkin.
First Ċikku stole the mouthpiece.
L-ewwel Ċikku il-bokkin.
First Ċikku stole the mouthpiece.
Fit-tmienja u erbatax Ċikku fuq is-swiċċ.
At fourteen minutes past eight Ċikku sat down on the switch.
Jien kont qed meta d-dawl intefa.
I was playing when the lights went out.
waqa' t-tanbur.
In the end the drum fell.
waqa' t-tanbur.
In the end the drum fell.
Nanna, int kont qed !
Grandma, you were asleep!
Il-festa sabiħa ħafna.
The festa was really lovely.
Il-festa sabiħa ħafna.
The festa was really lovely.
Għada nixtri bolla.
Tomorrow I'll buy a stamp.
Għada nixtri bolla.
Tomorrow I'll buy a stamp.
Practice 3/5 · Fill the gaps
Your postcard
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Għażiża Anna! Is-Sibt l-festa tar-raħal.
Dear Anna! On Saturday we had the village festa.
Għażiża Anna! Is-Sibt l-festa tar-raħal.
Dear Anna! On Saturday we had the village festa.
il-qattus seraq bokkin.
First the cat stole a mouthpiece.
il-qattus seraq bokkin.
First the cat stole a mouthpiece.
id-dawl intefa, u l-kollega tiegħi .
Then the lights went out, and my colleague danced.
id-dawl intefa, u l-kollega tiegħi .
Then the lights went out, and my colleague danced.
Jien qed fil-bankarell.
I was working at the stall.
Jien qed fil-bankarell.
I was working at the stall.
Ġorġ kien qed idoqq, u n-nies qed .
Ġorġ was playing, and people were dancing.
Ġorġ kien qed idoqq, u n-nies qed .
Ġorġ was playing, and people were dancing.
ħelu ħafna.
It was really nice.
ħelu ħafna.
It was really nice.
Għada nixtri bolla. Ċaw!
Tomorrow I'll buy a stamp. Bye!
Għada nixtri bolla. Ċaw!
Tomorrow I'll buy a stamp. Bye!
Practice 4/5 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
First he stole the mouthpiece, then he turned off the light.
First he stole the mouthpiece, then he turned off the light.
I saw him when he was dancing.
Grandma, you were asleep!
I was only dancing a little.
Tonio, you were dancing with Ella!
Ella was singing with the children.
Ella was singing with the children.
We were dancing in front of the stage.
In the end the drum fell.
In the end the drum fell.
When the lights went out, I was making coffee.
Practice 5/5 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
Ask Tonio and Lina if they were dancing too.
You say:
Two people, so intom: kontu qed tiżfnu.
Ask Tonio and Lina if they were dancing too.
You say:
Two people, so intom: kontu qed tiżfnu.
Marija tells everyone what she saw. Tonio was dancing.
Marija says:
Tell Lina what happened first. Ċikku stole the mouthpiece.
You say:
Tell Lina what happened first. Ċikku stole the mouthpiece.
You say:
Tell Ġorġ that Ella was singing with the children when the lights went out.
You say:
Tell Ġorġ that Ella was singing with the children when the lights went out.
You say:
Tonio asks what you were doing when the lights went out. You were working at the stall.
You say:
Kont takes the person of the past; the verb after qed is the present: naħdem.
Tonio asks what you were doing when the lights went out. You were working at the stall.
You say:
Kont takes the person of the past; the verb after qed is the present: naħdem.
You finish your postcard to Anna. Tell her you'll buy a stamp tomorrow.
You say:
You finish your postcard to Anna. Tell her you'll buy a stamp tomorrow.
You say:
Marija says she only closed her eyes. Ella puts her right.
Ella says:
Unit complete
