It’s always nice to be able to speak a bit of the local lingo, and the Maltese will certainly appreciate you making the effort. Discover some more useful Maltese phrases!
If you are planning your winter holidays in Malta to chase some winter sun, then you are sure to have a wonderful time. One thing you can leave behind before you depart is your phrasebook as, upon arrival, you will be pleasantly surprised that pretty much everyone speaks English.
That said, when travelling to a new place, it is always nice to be able to speak a bit of the local lingo, and the Maltese you encounter on your trip will certainly appreciate you making the effort to speak to them in their native tongue. With this in mind, Air Malta has put together a few useful turns of phrase that could come in handy during your visit!
Maltese Phrase | Phonetic Pronunciation | English Meaning |
Titkellem bl-Ingliż? | tit-kel-im blin-gleez | Do you speak English? |
Ma nitkellimix bil-Malti | maa nit-kel-limsh bill mal-ti | I cannot speak Maltease |
Hawn xi hadd jitkellem bl-Ingliż? | awn shi hut jit-kel-lem blin-gleez? | Is there someone here that speaks English? |
Mhux nifhem | moosh nif-hemm | I don't understand |
Intlift | in-tlift | I'm lost |
Ma niflahx | ma nif-lahsh | I'm sick |
Ghandi bzonn tabib | ahndee- bzzon tah-beeb | I need a doctor |
Tista tghini? | tiss-tah tee-nee | Can you help me? |
Kemm jiswa dan? | kemm yiss-wah dan | How much is it? |
Nista’ nuzalek il-mowbajl? | nis-tah noo-zah-lek il mow-bayl | Can I use your phone? |
Ghal fejn hi din? | aal fey nee deen | Where does this bus go? |
Din tieqaf _____? | deen tee-aff | Does this bus stop in _____? |
Kif nasal sa _____? | keef nah-sal saa | How do I get to _____? |
Kemm tiswa biex tasal sal _____? | kemm tiss-wah beesh tah-sal sal | How much does it cost to get to _____? |
Hudni s’hem, jekk joghgobok | hoo-dnee semm yekk yawj-bok | Take me there, please |
Malta pajjiz sabih hafna! | Malta p-eye izz sab-ear haf-nah | Malta is a wonderful country! |
As you may notice, from trying to vocalise some of these- the Maltese language sounds pretty unlike any other European language. That is due to the fact that it has its most basic roots in Arabic, and in fact it is the only Semitic-based language that is written in Latin letters. When you hear locals speaking the language, you will also begin to notice a few influences from other languages such as English and Italian. These are often more modern words and are a direct result of Malta’s interesting history.
Whilst you will usually encounter no issues if you are speaking English on the island, it is always nice to be able to communicate with your hosts in their own language. More than anything, they will appreciate the effort and you will get a very warm response for your attempts!