Maltese - Malti


The Maltese language is Semitic and very similar to Arabic. Unlike Arabic it is written in the Roman alphabet and contains many Sicilian and Italian loanwords. The island of Malta lies between Sicily and North Africa so it might be logical to think that Maltese was originally North African Arabic. In fact, the source of the Semitic language of Malta was the Arabic spoken on Sicily in the 9th and 10th centuries. The numerals show how Maltese compares with Arabic.

Maltese    1. wieћed 2. tnejn 3. tlieta 4. erbgћa 5. ћamsa 6. sitta 7. sebgћa 8. tmienja 9. disgћa 10. gћaxra

Arabic    1. wâḥid 2. etnên 3. talât 4. arba‘ 5. khams 6. sitt 7. seba‘ 8. temân 9. tisa‘ 10. ‘asher


1. ћu    brother        1. iva    yes        1. Kemm jiswa?    How much is that?
2. oћt    sister        2. le    no        2. Fejn inћallas?    Where do I pay?
3. iben    son        3. jekk jogћġbok    please        3. Fehem    To understand
4. bint    daughter        4. grazzi    thank you        4. Fhimt    I understand
5. missier    father                  5. Ma nifhimx    I don’t understand
6. omm    mother        1. il-Ħadd    Sunday        6. Naf    I know
          2. it-Tnejn    Monday        7. Ma nafx    I don’t know
1. rebbiegħa    spring        3. it-Tlieta    Tuesday          
2. sajf    summer        4. l-Erbgħa    Wednesday        1. jien    I am


Għax Alla hekk ħabb lid-dinja li ta lil Ibnu l-waħdieni, biex kull min jemmen fih ma jintilifx, iżda jkollu l-ħajja ta’ dejjem.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3,16


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