Kelb żgħir ħdejn il-baħar

A little dog by the sea

Get to know the neighbours and practise what you've learned in a new story.

The storyA rainy Saturday in spring. Ella and her best friend Emma wanted to ride their bikes to the park, and her mother Rita is working again. So Ella spends the day at her grandmother's, talking about the summers by the sea in Gozo, a little dog, and what she wants to be.

New words in the story

rota a bicycle (bir-rota, by bike)
ramel sand
kastell a castle
nibnu we build (jibni, he builds)
pittriċi a painter, an artist (a woman)
għalliema a teacher (a woman); teachers
Emma Emma, Ella's best friend from school

Tap a word to see what it means.

AutoplayEnglish

A Saturday morning in spring at Marija's. Rain runs down the living-room window.
Illum is-Sibt. Barra qed tagħmel ix-xita, u kiesaħ. Ella bilqiegħda ħdejn it-tieqa. Għandha għaxar snin. Illum mhix kuntenta.
It's Saturday. It's raining outside, and it's cold. Ella is sitting by the window. She's ten. Today she's not happy.
Ella
Nanna, għaliex qed tagħmel ix-xita mill-ġdid? Illum jien u Emma rridu mmorru l-ġnien bir-rota!
Grandma, why is it raining again? Today Emma and I want to ride our bikes to the park!
Emma l-aqwa ħabiba ta' Ella mill-iskola. Għandha kelb żgħir.
Emma is Ella's best friend from school. She has a little dog.
Marija
Bir-rota? Mhux illum, Ella. Kiesaħ wisq, u barra hemm ir-riħ.
By bike? Not today, Ella. It's too cold, and it's windy outside.
Ella
Imma għandi kowt tax-xita! M'għandix bżonn ix-xemx!
But I've got a raincoat! I don't need the sun!
Marija
Int għandek kowt tax-xita. Imma r-rota m'għandhiex.
You've got a raincoat. But the bike hasn't.
Marija
Illum tista' tpinġi, jew tgħin lin-nanna. Jien qed insajjar.
Today you can draw, or help your grandma. I'm cooking.
The landlady's phone rings. It is Rita, Ella's mother, calling from work.
Rita
Ħello, Ella. Skużani, illum naħdem mill-ġdid. Sa filgħaxija.
Hi, Ella. I'm sorry, I'm working again today. Until this evening.
Ella
Mill-ġdid? Mama, int dejjem taħdem! Anki s-Sibt!
Again? Mum, you're always working! Even on Saturday!
Rita
Naf. Imma rrid ngħin lin-nies. Int u n-nanna qed issajru?
I know. But I have to help people. Are you and Grandma cooking?
Ella
Iva. Mama, ejja filgħaxija! In-nanna qed issajjar ħafna.
Yes. Mum, come this evening! Grandma's cooking lots.
Fil-kċina, Ella tpinġi l-baħar, ix-xemx u r-ramel.
In the kitchen, Ella draws the sea, the sun and sand.
Ella
Ħares, nanna! Kull sajf il-familja kollha tmur il-baħar f'Għawdex.
Look, Grandma! Every summer the whole family goes to the sea in Gozo.
Ella
Hemm sħun, u mama ma taħdimx. Tkun magħna l-ġurnata kollha!
It's hot there, and Mum doesn't work. She's with us all day!
Ella
Filgħodu ngħumu. Il-baħar iksaħ milli taħseb, imma jien ma nibżax.
In the morning we swim. The sea is colder than you think, but I'm not afraid.
Ella
Naf ngħum aħjar minn mama!
I can swim better than Mum!
Marija
U ħuk?
And your brother?
Ella
Hu għadu żgħir wisq. Ma jafx jgħum. Jiekol ir-ramel biss!
He's still too little. He can't swim. He just eats sand!
Ella
Wara nofsinhar nibnu kastell tar-ramel. Kull sajf akbar!
In the afternoon we build a sandcastle. A bigger one every summer!
Ella
Filgħaxija ħdejn il-baħar hemm ir-riħ, allura mama dejjem tgħid: “Ella, il-kappell! U l-ġakketta!”
In the evening it's windy by the sea, so Mum always says: 'Ella, your hat! And your jacket!'
Marija
Ommok għandha raġun. Filgħaxija ħdejn il-baħar għandek bżonn ħwejjeġ sħan.
Your mum is right. In the evening by the sea you need warm clothes.
Ella
Imma jien qatt m'għandi bard ħdejn il-baħar!
But I'm never cold by the sea!
Marija
Qatt? Is-sena l-oħra kont blu bħall-baħar!
Never? Last year you were as blue as the sea!
Ella
Ma kontx! Insomma... ftit biss.
I wasn't! Well... only a little.
Ella turns the page and draws a little brown dog with big ears.
Ella
Nanna, ħares: kelb żgħir! Bħal ta' Emma. Verament irrid kelb żgħir!
Grandma, look: a little dog! Like Emma's. I really want a little dog!
Marija
Kelb? U Ċikku? Il-klieb ma jogħġbux lil Ċikku.
A dog? And Ċikku? Ċikku doesn't like dogs.
Ella
Ċikku joqgħod hawn. U l-kelb jista' joqgħod fil-flat tagħna!
Ċikku lives here. And the dog can live in our flat!
Marija
U min jieħu ħsiebu? Il-ġenituri tiegħek jaħdmu, u int l-iskola.
And who looks after him? Your parents work, and you're at school.
Ella
Jien naf nieħu ħsieb kelb! Nieħu ħsieb lil Ċikku kuljum!
I know how to look after a dog! I look after Ċikku every day!
Marija
Le, Ella. Ċikku jieħu ħsiebek int.
No, Ella. Ċikku looks after you.
On the windowsill the grey tomcat opens one eye, looks at the drawing of the dog, and turns his back on it.
Ella
Mama tgħid: “Kelb għandu bżonn ħafna ħin, u jien m'għandix ħin.”
Mum says: 'A dog needs a lot of time, and I don't have time.'
Marija
Veru. Ommok taħdem ħafna, għalhekk hi għajjiena.
That's true. Your mum works a lot, that's why she's tired.
Ella
Għalhekk jien irrid inkun pittriċi. Pittriċi taħdem id-dar, u tista' tieħu ħsieb kelb!
That's why I want to be a painter. A painter works at home and can look after a dog!
Marija
Pittriċi? Mhux għalliema, bħan-nanna tiegħek?
A painter? Not a teacher, like your grandma?
Ella
Le! L-għalliema dejjem jgħidu: iktar tard!
No! Teachers always say 'later'.
Marija
Jien qatt ma ngħid iktar tard. Jien ngħid: issa!
I never say 'later'. I say: 'Now!'
Afternoon. The rain stops, and the sun comes out over the wet roofs.
Ella
Nanna, ix-xemx! Nista' mmur bir-rota issa?
Grandma, the sun! Can I go on my bike now?
Marija
Tista'. Imma bil-kappell u ħwejjeġ sħan, għax barra għadu kiesaħ.
You can. But with a hat and warm clothes, because it's still cold outside.
Ella
Emma! Hemm ix-xemx! Ejja l-ġnien mal-kelb!
Emma! The sun's out! Come to the park with the dog!
Evening. Rita comes into the kitchen, tired, with a wet umbrella.
Ella
Mama! Filgħodu kien hemm ix-xita, imbagħad ix-xemx. U l-kelb ta' Emma issa ħabib tiegħi!
Mum! In the morning there was rain, then sun. And Emma's dog is my friend now!
Rita
U trid kelb mill-ġdid, hux?
And you want a dog again, don't you?
Ella
Iva. Imma fis-sajf, ħdejn il-baħar! Għal kelb, hemm aħjar milli fil-belt.
Yes. But in summer, by the sea! For a dog, it is better there than in town.
Rita
Forsi, Ella. Forsi.
Maybe, Ella. Maybe.
Ċikku jara l-kelb fil-ktieb ta' Ella. Ma jogħġbu xejn.
Ċikku sees the dog in Ella's sketchbook. He doesn't like it at all.