, a lot of, , a little or a few, , some, and , how much, go straight before the noun, with no article and no word for of: , a lot of fish · , a little milk · , some bread. Ella's works the same way: , so much fish.
How much? How many?
| Word | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| a lot of · a lot of fish | ||
| a lot of · a lot of fish | ||
| a little, a few · a little milk | ||
| a little, a few · a little milk | ||
| some, any · some bread | ||
| some, any · some bread | ||
| so much, so many · so much fish | ||
| so much, so many · so much fish | ||
| how much? · How much milk do you want? | ||
| how much? · How much milk do you want? | ||
| how many? · How many apples? | ||
| how many? · How many apples? | ||
is for things you count, and takes the singular, as you saw with
Some Maltese nouns are collective nouns: they name a kind of thing in general, without counting it. is eggs, apples, bread, fish. For just one, add -a: , an egg · , an apple · , a loaf · , a fish. To count from two to ten, add -iet or -at to that: , two eggs · , six apples. From eleven up, the one-word comes back, as always after eleven: , nineteen apples.
One, a few, a lot
| In general | One | Two to ten | Eleven and up | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eggs · an egg · six eggs · sixteen eggs | ||||
| eggs · an egg · six eggs · sixteen eggs | ||||
| apples · an apple · six apples · nineteen apples | ||||
| apples · an apple · six apples · nineteen apples | ||||
| bread · a loaf · two loaves · twelve loaves | ||||
| bread · a loaf · two loaves · twelve loaves | ||||
| fish · a fish · three fish · eleven fish | ||||
| fish · a fish · three fish · eleven fish | ||||
The collective noun is masculine singular: Eggs are breakfast! The one-word is feminine: , one egg.
Ħut, ħalib, u ħafna, ħafna ħut!Fish, milk, and lots and lots of fish!
Nixtieq sitt bajdiet, ħobża u ftit tuffieħ, jekk jogħġbok.I'd like six eggs, a loaf and some apples, please.
Nixtieq sitt bajdiet, ħobża u ftit tuffieħ, jekk jogħġbok.I'd like six eggs, a loaf and some apples, please.
Hawn huma. U kemm-il tuffieħa?Here you are. And how many apples?
Sitt tuffieħat, mhux tmintax!Six apples, not eighteen!
Sitt tuffieħat, mhux tmintax!Six apples, not eighteen!
Fil-friġġ hemm bajda waħda biss.There's only one egg in the fridge.
Practice 1/5 · Finding words
Find the words
Tap the words for one egg, apple, loaf or fish, and for counted ones.
, .
I'd like six eggs, a loaf and some apples.
, .
I'd like six eggs, a loaf and some apples.
?
And how many apples?
! , !
Ella! Six apples, not eighteen!
! , !
Ella! Six apples, not eighteen!
.
There's only one egg in the fridge.
.
Lina has three loaves and ten eggs.
? ! !
Does Ċikku eat one fish? No! He eats three fish!
!
Ella has nineteen apples!
!
Ella has nineteen apples!
Practice 2/5 · The right form
In general, one, or counted?
Choose the right word for the gap.
Fil-friġġ hemm sitt .
There are six eggs in the fridge.
Fil-friġġ hemm waħda.
There's one egg in the fridge.
Ċikku jiekol ħafna .
Ċikku eats a lot of fish.
Il- kolazzjon!
Eggs are breakfast!
Nixtieq waħda, jekk jogħġbok.
I'd like one loaf, please.
Nixtieq waħda, jekk jogħġbok.
I'd like one loaf, please.
Ella trid tliet .
Ella wants three loaves.
Sitt , jekk jogħġbok.
Six apples, please.
Sitt , jekk jogħġbok.
Six apples, please.
Dsatax-il !
Nineteen apples!
Ċikku għandu waħda biss.
Ċikku only has one fish.
Ċikku għandu tliet !
Ċikku has three fish!
A lot, a little, how many?
Choose the right word for the gap.
Ċikku jiekol ħut.
Ċikku eats a lot of fish.
U ħalib, jekk jogħġbok.
And a little milk, please.
tuffieħa?
How many apples?
Għaliex ħut?
Why so much fish?
Għaliex ħut?
Why so much fish?
Hemm ħobż fil-friġġ?
Is there any bread in the fridge?
Hemm ħobż fil-friġġ?
Is there any bread in the fridge?
Practice 3/5 · Fill the gaps
Ella's list
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Sitt , u tuffieħa.
Six eggs, a loaf and nineteen apples.
Fil-friġġ hemm waħda u żewġ .
In the fridge there's one egg and two apples.
Lina għandha ħafna : tnax-il !
Lina has a lot of bread: twelve loaves!
Ċikku għandu tliet , imma hu bil-ġuħ!
Ċikku has three fish, but he's hungry!
Kemm-il ? Sitta? Mela sitt .
How many apples? Six? Then six apples.
U ħalib, u , ħafna ħut!
And a little milk, and lots and lots of fish!
Practice 4/5 · Building sentences
Put the words in order
Put the words in order.
How many apples do you want?
Ċikku eats a lot of fish.
I'd like six eggs, please.
I'd like six eggs, please.
Six apples, not eighteen!
Six apples, not eighteen!
There's only one egg in the fridge.
Lina has three loaves.
And a little milk, please.
Ċikku has one fish.
I only have twenty euros.
I only have twenty euros.
Practice 5/5 · In situations
The right words
Choose the right words for the situation.
Ask Karim for six eggs.
You say:
Counted eggs, from two to ten: bajdiet.
Ask Karim for six eggs.
You say:
Counted eggs, from two to ten: bajdiet.
Karim asks how many apples you want.
Karim says:
kemm-il takes the singular: tuffieħa.
Tell Karim you want one loaf.
You say:
Tell Karim you want one loaf.
You say:
Karim wonders about all the fish. Ella explains that Ċikku eats a lot of it.
Ella says:
Ella keeps putting apples in the bag. Six apples, not eighteen!
You say:
Ella keeps putting apples in the bag. Six apples, not eighteen!
You say:
Ask Ella if there's any milk in the fridge.
You say:
Ask Ella if there's any milk in the fridge.
You say:
Unit complete
