The 3rd person singular (he, it) is the bare verb, the base of the past tense: , it started · , he saw · , he danced. The 3rd person singular for she, and for a feminine thing, adds -et: , she danced · Something fell ( is feminine). The 3rd person plural (they) adds -u: , they danced · People danced. After a vowel, she takes only -t and they take -w: , , .
The past tense, all persons
| · | Meaning | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dance | ||||||
| dance | ||||||
| see | ||||||
| see | ||||||
| go | ||||||
| go | ||||||
Before -et and -u the last vowel of the base drops: , , . doubles its r: , . So the base is the key: from you can make every other person.
He, she, they
| Meaning | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Most verbs: -et · -u | |||
| work | |||
| work | |||
| fall | |||
| fall | |||
| hear | |||
| hear | |||
| Ending in a vowel: -iet · -ew | |||
| start | |||
| start | |||
| A long vowel: it stays | |||
| be | |||
| be | |||
| find | |||
| find | |||
| A double letter: -et · -u | |||
| play (music) | |||
| play (music) | |||
| touch | |||
| touch | |||
| Irregular | |||
| take | |||
| take | |||
| say | |||
| say | |||
| come | |||
| come | |||
and end in a hidden , which comes back before an ending: , . is The band played: is feminine, and here is play, for music. The same verb is used when a bell or a phone rings.
Things take the gender of their noun: The concert started. The light went out. In a report or a story the verb often comes first:
It-tmienja eżatt: beda l-kunċert.Eight o'clock sharp: the concert started.
It-tmienja u ħmistax: storbju. Xi ħaġa waqgħet.Fifteen minutes past eight: a noise. Something fell.
Il-banda daqqet, in-nies żifnu, u jien mort id-dar.The band played, people danced, and I went home.
Is-Sinjura Marija ratek ukoll. Qalet: Żifen sabiħ ħafna!Mrs Marija saw you too. She said: He danced really nicely!
Is-Sinjura Marija ratek ukoll. Qalet: Żifen sabiħ ħafna!Mrs Marija saw you too. She said: He danced really nicely!
Practice 1/6 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the verbs in the past.
: .
Eight o'clock sharp: the concert started.
: . .
Fifteen minutes past eight: a noise. Something fell.
.
Something warm and soft touched my leg.
, , .
The band played, people danced, and I went home.
, .
Everybody saw Tonio, and Marija saw everything.
, .
Everybody saw Tonio, and Marija saw everything.
: !
Marija said: Tonio danced beautifully!
: !
Marija said: Tonio danced beautifully!
, .
Lina and Ella worked, and the children were on the stage.
.
Ella danced and then she went home.
.
Ella danced and then she went home.
, .
The children heard a noise, and they started screaming.
, !
We danced, and you danced too!
, !
We danced, and you danced too!
Practice 2/6 · The right form
She: -et or -t
Choose the right word for the gap.
Xi ħaġa fid-dlam.
Something fell in the dark.
Marija lil Tonio jiżfen.
Marija saw Tonio dancing.
Lina fil-bankarell l-għaxija kollha.
Lina worked at the stall all evening.
Ella mat-tfal.
Ella danced with the children.
Il-banda wara l-kunċert.
The band played after the concert.
Xi ħaġa sħuna riġel Tonio.
Something warm touched Tonio's leg.
Marija : Żifen sabiħ ħafna!
Marija said: He danced really nicely!
Ella quddiem il-palk.
Ella went in front of the stage.
Lina lil Ġorġ idoqq.
Lina heard Ġorġ playing.
Is-Sinjura Marija fuq il-bank.
Mrs Marija was on the bench.
They: -u or -w
Choose the right word for the gap.
In-nies wara l-kunċert.
People danced after the concert.
In-nies kollha lil Tonio.
Everybody saw Tonio.
Ġorġ u l-banda sal-għaxra.
Ġorġ and the band played until ten.
Il-ħbieb ta' Ġorġ d-dar.
Ġorġ's friends went home.
It-tfal storbju.
The children heard a noise.
Ġorġ u Marija ħdejn il-palk.
Ġorġ and Marija were next to the stage.
Lina u Ella fil-bankarell.
Lina and Ella worked at the stall.
It-tfal : Fantażma!
The children said: A ghost!
Ħafna nies għall-festa.
Lots of people came to the festa.
In-nies jiżfnu.
People started dancing.
Every person
Choose the right word for the gap.
Jien id-dar fit-tmienja u nofs.
I went home at half past eight.
Int , Tonio!
You danced, Tonio!
Int , Tonio!
You danced, Tonio!
Aħna ma xejn.
We didn't see anything.
Tonio, Lina: intom sa nofsillejl?
Tonio, Lina: did you dance until midnight?
Tonio, Lina: intom sa nofsillejl?
Tonio, Lina: did you dance until midnight?
Il-kunċert fit-tmienja eżatt.
The concert started at eight sharp.
Ella tkanta mat-tfal.
Ella started singing with the children.
Fid-dlam, Ella lil Marija.
In the dark, Ella found Marija.
Ella biċċa imqarrun.
Ella took a piece of macaroni.
Marija fis-sebgħa.
Marija came at seven.
It-tfal lil Ella taħt il-mejda.
The children found Ella under the table.
Practice 3/6 · Questions
Answer the question
Answer the questions.
Intom x'għamiltu wara l-kunċert?
What did you do after the concert?
U aħna, fejn morna?
And where did we go?
X'rajt fid-dlam, Tonio?
What did you see in the dark, Tonio?
Aħna rajna lil Tonio jiżfen?
Did we see Tonio dancing?
U t-tfal? X'ġara fid-dlam?
And the children? What happened in the dark?
Min mess it-trumbetta ta' Ġorġ?
Who touched Ġorġ's trumpet?
U l-imqarrun? Fejn hu?
And the macaroni? Where is it?
X'qalet is-Sinjura Marija?
What did Mrs Marija say?
Practice 4/6 · Fill the gaps
Who did what on Saturday?
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Lina fil-bankarell, u Ella mat-tfal.
Lina worked at the stall, and Ella was with the children.
Ġorġ u l-banda sal-għaxra.
Ġorġ and the band played until ten.
Marija lil Ġorġ, u : Sabiħ!
Marija heard Ġorġ, and said: Beautiful!
Fid-dlam, it-tfal lil Ella, u Ella lil Marija.
In the dark, the children found Ella, and Ella found Marija.
Ella tkanta, u t-tfal magħha.
Ella started singing, and the children came with her.
Ħafna nies d-dar, imma Tonio żifen!
Lots of people went home, but Tonio danced!
Xi ħaġa , u t-tfal ukoll!
Something fell, and the children fell too!
Ella biċċa imqarrun, u t-tfal l-kejk.
Ella took a piece of macaroni, and the children took the cake.
Marija fis-sebgħa, u kollox.
Marija came at seven, and saw everything.
Practice 5/6 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
Eight o'clock sharp: the concert started.
The band played, and people danced.
I didn't see anything. It was dark.
Lots of people came to the festa.
The lights went out, and something fell.
We went home, but you went later.
We went home, but you went later.
Everybody saw Tonio dancing.
Everybody saw Tonio dancing.
Tonio, you danced! We saw everything.
Tonio, you danced! We saw everything.
The children touched Ġorġ's trumpet.
Did you see Ċikku in the dark?
Did you see Ċikku in the dark?
Practice 6/6 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
Tell Tonio that everybody saw him dancing.
You say:
Tell Tonio that everybody saw him dancing.
You say:
Tonio reads out what happened at a quarter past eight. Something fell.
Tonio says:
Ħaġa is feminine, so the verb takes -et: waqgħet.
Ella asks what the children said when the lights went out. They said it was a ghost.
You say:
Ella asks what the children said when the lights went out. They said it was a ghost.
You say:
Tell Tonio that Mrs Marija saw him too.
You say:
Tell Tonio that Mrs Marija saw him too.
You say:
Tell Ella that the band played and people danced.
You say:
Banda is feminine: daqqet. Nies is plural: żifnu.
Tell Ella that the band played and people danced.
You say:
Banda is feminine: daqqet. Nies is plural: żifnu.
Tonio insists he did not dance.
Tonio says:
Tell Tonio that Lina and Ella worked all evening.
You say:
Tell Tonio that Lina and Ella worked all evening.
You say:
Ella asks if lots of children came to the festa. Say yes.
You say:
Ella asks if lots of children came to the festa. Say yes.
You say:
Unit complete
