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Il-listi ta' Tonio
Tonio's lists
Module 5 · The first week at workGet to know the neighbours and practise what you've learned in a new story.
The storyA week in the life of Tonio, who has a list for everything: his mornings, his mother's Sunday phone call, and the one Monday when nothing goes to plan.
New words in the story
- arloġġ / arloġġi a clock, a watch / clocks
- missierek your father
- tinkwetax don't worry
Tap a word to see what it means.
A brand-new flat near the bus terminal. Monday, six o'clock in the morning. On the fridge door hangs a long list.
Hawn joqgħod Tonio. Tonio għandu ħafna listi. Lista għax-xogħol, lista għall-ħanut, u lista tal-listi.
This is where Tonio lives. Tonio has a lot of lists. A list for work, a list for the shop, and a list of lists.
TonioIt-Tnejn. Fis-sitta nqum. Fis-sitta u kwart nieħu doċċa.
Monday. At six I get up. At a quarter past six I have a shower.
- Tonio
Fis-sebgħa, il-kolazzjon: żewġ bajdiet u ħobż.
At seven, breakfast: two eggs and bread.
- Tonio
Fis-sebgħa u nofs, il-kafetterija, il-mejda tlieta. Te bla zokkor.
At half past seven, the café, table three. Tea without sugar.
TonioFid-disgħa nieqes kwart, l-uffiċċju. Qatt fid-disgħa!
At a quarter to nine, the office. Never at nine!
Tonio dejjem iqum fis-sitta. It-Tnejn, it-Tlieta, l-Erbgħa... u anki l-Ħadd.
Tonio always gets up at six. On Monday, on Tuesday, on Wednesday... and even on Sunday.
Sunday evening. At seven o'clock exactly, Tonio's phone rings.
Kull nhar ta' Ħadd, fis-sebgħa ta' filgħaxija, it-telefon idoqq. Hi omm Tonio.
Every Sunday at seven in the evening the phone rings. It's Tonio's mother.
- Omm Tonio
Bonswa, Tonio! Kif int? Qed tiekol? Qed torqod?
Good evening, Tonio! How are you? Are you eating? Are you sleeping?
- Tonio
Iva, Ma. Niekol fis-sebgħa, f'nofsinhar u nofs u fis-sitta. Norqod mill-għaxra.
Yes, Mum. I eat at seven, at half past twelve and at six. I sleep from ten.
- Omm Tonio
Jien u missierek inqumu fil-ħamsa. U l-kollegi? Kif inhuma?
Your father and I get up at five. And your colleagues? What are they like?
- Tonio
Tajbin. U għandi kollega ġdid. Joqgħod fin-numru sebgħa, id-dar tal-qattus.
They're nice. And I've got a new colleague, who lives at number 7, the house with the cat.
TonioTajbin. U għandi kollega ġdida. Toqgħod fin-numru sebgħa, id-dar tal-qattus.
They're nice. And I've got a new colleague, who lives at number 7, the house with the cat.
- Omm Tonio
Tal-qattus?! Tonio, int tibża' mill-qtates! U fl-uffiċċju? Hemm qattus?
With the cat?! Tonio, you're afraid of cats! And at the office? Is there a cat?
- Tonio
Ma, jien ma nibżax. Ħeqq... ftit biss.
Mum, I'm not afraid. Well... only a little.
- Omm Tonio
Kul, orqod, u tiġix tard, Tonio. Il-lejl it-tajjeb!
Eat, sleep, and don't be late, Tonio. Good night!
- Tonio
Ma, jien qatt ma niġi tard.
Mum, I'm never late.
That night, at three o'clock, the old clock on Tonio's bedside table stops.
It-Tnejn. Is-sitta. Imma Tonio ma jqumx. Jorqod.
Monday. Six o'clock. But Tonio doesn't get up. He's asleep.
TonioX'ħin hu? L-arloġġ tiegħi ma jaħdimx!
What time is it? My clock isn't working!
Fuq il-mowbajl: it-tmienja u nofs. It-tmienja u nofs!
His phone says half past eight. Half past eight!
- Tonio
Le, le, le! Jien tard!
No, no, no! I'm late!
Illum Tonio ma jiħux doċċa. Ma jiekolx kolazzjon. Ma jmurx għall-kafetterija.
Today Tonio doesn't have a shower. He doesn't eat breakfast. He doesn't go to the café.
At the café at number 7, Lina looks at the empty table by the window.
LinaDiġà t-tmienja, u l-mejda tlieta vojta. Fejn hu s-Sur “Te bla zokkor”?
It's already eight, and table three is empty. Where's our Mr 'Tea without sugar'?
At the office. You are at your desk; the desk next to yours is empty.
Id-disgħa u għaxra, u Tonio mhux hawn. L-ewwel darba!
Ten past nine, and no Tonio. That's a first!
Id-disgħa u għaxra, u Tonio mhux hawn. L-ewwel darba!
Ten past nine, and no Tonio. That's a first!
The door flies open.
Bonġu, Tonio! Int tard!
Good morning, Tonio! You're late!
Bonġu, Tonio! Int tard!
Good morning, Tonio! You're late!
- Tonio
Naf, naf. L-arloġġ tiegħi ma jaħdimx. U l-lista tiegħi d-dar!
I know, I know. My clock isn't working. And my list is at home!
- Tonio
U issa? Meta l-laqgħa? X'nagħmel?
And now what? When's the meeting? What do I do?
Tinkwetax. Oqgħod, jekk jogħġbok. Hawn hu l-kafè tiegħek.
Don't worry. Sit down, please. Here's your coffee.
Tinkwetax. Oqgħod, jekk jogħġbok. Hawn hu l-kafè tiegħek.
Don't worry. Sit down, please. Here's your coffee.
Illum it-Tnejn. Il-laqgħa nhar il-Ħamis, mhux illum.
Today is Monday. The meeting is on Thursday, not today.
Illum it-Tnejn. Il-laqgħa nhar il-Ħamis, mhux illum.
Today is Monday. The meeting is on Thursday, not today.
- Tonio
Tajjeb... Grazzi. Int kollega tajjeb.
All right... Thank you. You're a good colleague.
TonioTajjeb... Grazzi. Int kollega tajba.
All right... Thank you. You're a good colleague.
Ċikku jumps onto Tonio's desk and sits down right next to his keyboard.
- Tonio
U int ukoll hawn, Ċikku? Bonġu.
You're here too, Ċikku? Good morning.
Tonio, għaliex tibża' mill-qtates?
Tonio, why are you afraid of cats?
Tonio, għaliex tibża' mill-qtates?
Tonio, why are you afraid of cats?
- Tonio
Meta kont żgħir, kull Lulju kont għand in-nanna, f'raħal żgħir.
When I was little, every July I stayed at my grandmother's, in a small village.
- Tonio
Kien hemm qattus. Kbir, iswed, u ħażin ħafna.
There was a tomcat there. Big, black, and very bad-tempered.
TonioLejl wieħed kien fis-sodda tiegħi. Fuq wiċċi! Kelli ħames snin.
One night he was in my bed. On my face! I was five.
Fuq wiċċek?! Ajma...
On your face?! Oh dear...
Fuq wiċċek?! Ajma...
On your face?! Oh dear...
- Tonio
Minn dak il-lejl nibża' mill-qtates. Mill-qtates kollha.
Since that night I've been afraid of cats. All cats.
Ċikku jħares lejn Tonio. Ċikku mhux ħażin. Hu bil-ġuħ biss.
Ċikku looks at Tonio. Ċikku isn't bad. He's just hungry.
- Tonio
Tajjeb, tajjeb. Tista' toqgħod hawn. Imma toqgħodx fuq il-kompjuter tiegħi!
All right, all right. You can sit here. But don't sit on my computer!
That evening, at home, three new alarm clocks stand on the kitchen table.
Filgħaxija Tonio jikteb lista ġdida.
In the evening Tonio writes a new list.
- Tonio
L-ewwel: tliet arloġġi. It-tieni: tiġix tard, Tonio!
One: three clocks. Two: don't be late, Tonio!
U t-tielet? Tonio jħares lejn il-karta ħafna ħin. U jikteb:
And three? Tonio looks at the paper for a long time. And he writes:
TonioIt-tielet: Ċikku mhux iswed, u mhux ħażin. Hu griż.
Three: Ċikku isn't black, and he isn't bad. He's grey.
Practice 1/4 · Who says it
Who says it?
Bonswa, Tonio! Kif int? Qed tiekol? Qed torqod?
Bonswa, Tonio! Kif int? Qed tiekol? Qed torqod?
Diġà t-tmienja, u l-mejda tlieta vojta. Fejn hu s-Sur “Te bla zokkor”?
Bonġu, Tonio! Int tard!
Bonġu, Tonio! Int tard!
Practice 2/4 · True or false
True or false?
Tonio normalment iqum fis-sitta.
Tonio usually gets up at six.
It-Tnejn Tonio jieħu doċċa u jiekol kolazzjon.
On Monday Tonio has a shower and eats breakfast.
It-Tnejn Tonio jiġi tard.
On Monday Tonio is late.
Il-laqgħa mas-sid it-Tnejn.
The meeting with the boss is on Monday.
Il-qattus tan-nanna kien griż.
Grandmother's tomcat was grey.
Practice 3/4 · What happens
What happens first?
Put what happens in order.
Practice 4/4 · Questions
Questions
Answer the questions.
Għaliex Tonio jiġi tard?
Why is Tonio late?
Meta l-laqgħa mas-sid?
When is the meeting with the boss?
Għaliex Tonio jibża' mill-qtates?
Why is Tonio afraid of cats?
Module 5 complete · The first week at work
Well done!
Survive your first week at the office.
Now I can
tell the time, say when work starts and give my email address
read a weekly plan and say what I do on which day and how often
describe my day, say what I like doing in my free time and ask others about theirs
say where something is in the office and ask people to do something
read a short notice and write a short message to colleagues
grammar points
- What time is it? X'ħin hu?
- Ordinals: l-ewwel, it-tieni, it-tielet
- Days: it-Tnejn, nhar il-Ħamis
- Now or always: qed nixrob, nixrob kuljum
- Telling someone: ħu, iftaħ, ejja
- Don't: toqgħodx, tgħidx
- Nothing, nobody, never: xejn, ħadd, qatt
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