A Maltese question can look just like a statement: the words stay in the same order, and the voice goes up at the end. Are you the new neighbour? Do you like it? at the end asks for a yes: You're the new neighbour, aren't you? For other questions, start with a question word.
Question words
| Word | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| who? · And who is this? | ||
| who? · And who is this? | ||
| what? · What's your name? | ||
| what? · What's your name? | ||
| where? · And where is it? | ||
| where? · And where is it? | ||
| how? · How do you know? | ||
| how? · How do you know? | ||
| right? (at the end) · You're the new neighbour, right? | ||
| right? (at the end) · You're the new neighbour, right? | ||
| or · Coffee or tea? | ||
| or · Coffee or tea? | ||
is short for what, and joins the next word: After , Lina adds , is it: So, how is it?
U fejn hi?And where is it?
U fejn hi?And where is it?
Kafè jew te?Coffee or tea?
Bonġu! Iva. Kif taf?Good morning! Yes. How do you know?
Bonġu! Iva. Kif taf?Good morning! Yes. How do you know?
To say you like something, Maltese turns it round: the thing you like is the subject, the one that does something, and what it does is please. is the cake pleases me, so I like the cake. The person who likes it is only an ending on the verb: -ni me, -ok you, -u him, -ha her. So in , the cake is the subject and Ċikku is the -u. And , please, is the same verb: if it pleases you.
Liking: the cake pleases me
| Who likes it | The cake pleases … | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I like the cake. (it pleases me) | ||
| I like the cake. (it pleases me) | ||
| You like the cake. (it pleases you) | ||
| You like the cake. (it pleases you) | ||
| He likes the cake. (it pleases him) | ||
| He likes the cake. (it pleases him) | ||
| She likes the cake. (it pleases her) | ||
| She likes the cake. (it pleases her) | ||
The front of the verb goes with the subject, the thing liked, just like (he sleeps) and (she sleeps): j- for a masculine thing like , t- for a feminine one like : , I like the café. So is it (she) pleases her: she likes it, if the thing is feminine.
Mela, kif inhu? Jogħġbok?So, how is it? Do you like it?
Jogħġobni ħafna!I like it very much!
Jogħġobni ħafna!I like it very much!
Ċikku? Il-kejk jogħġbu ħafna.Ċikku? He likes the cake a lot.
Il-kafetterija togħġobni.I like the café.
Il-kafetterija togħġobni.I like the café.
Practice 1/5 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the question words.
?
And where is it?
?
And where is it?
?
And who is this?
?
And who is this?
! . ?
Good morning! Yes. How do you know?
! . ?
Good morning! Yes. How do you know?
, ? ?
So, how is it? Do you like it?
Practice 2/5 · The right form
Ask the question
Choose the word that starts the question.
hi l-kafetterija? Isfel.
Where's the café? Downstairs.
hi l-kafetterija? Isfel.
Where's the café? Downstairs.
hu dan? Dan Ċikku.
Who's this? This is Ċikku.
hu dan? Dan Ċikku.
Who's this? This is Ċikku.
Mela, inhu?
So, how is it?
taf?
How do you know?
taf?
How do you know?
Kafè te?
Coffee or tea?
Who likes it?
Choose the right word for the gap.
Il-kejk? ħafna!
The cake? I like it very much!
Il-kejk? ħafna!
The cake? I like it very much!
Mela, kif inhu? ?
So, how is it? Do you like it?
Ċikku? Il-kejk ħafna.
Ċikku? He likes the cake a lot.
Ella? Il-kafetterija .
Ella? She likes the café.
Il-kafetterija ħafna.
I like the café very much.
Il-kafetterija ħafna.
I like the café very much.
Ella? Il-kejk ħafna.
Ella? She likes the cake a lot.
Practice 3/5 · Fill the gaps
Breakfast
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Lina għandha . Marija taf .
Lina has a café. Marija knows everything.
Ella tieħu l-, u Ċikku jieħu ċ-.
Ella takes the cake, and Ċikku takes the key.
Practice 4/5 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
And where is the café?
And where is the café?
Ċikku takes my key.
Good morning! How do you know?
Good morning! How do you know?
Here's the coffee and the cake.
Ċikku? He likes the cake a lot.
Ella? She likes the juice a lot.
Practice 5/5 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
Lina asks: coffee or tea? You want tea.
You say:
jekk jogħġbok asks for something; m'hemmx imniex answers a thank you.
Lina asks: coffee or tea? You want tea.
You say:
jekk jogħġbok asks for something; m'hemmx imniex answers a thank you.
You want to know where the café is.
You say:
You want to know where the café is.
You say:
Lina asks if you like the cake. You do, very much.
You say:
Jogħġobni: it pleases me. Jogħġbok asks the other person.
Lina asks if you like the cake. You do, very much.
You say:
Jogħġobni: it pleases me. Jogħġbok asks the other person.
Lina tells you that Ella likes the orange juice.
Lina says:
Unit complete
