Editing Maltese language (section)

==Vocabulary==
Although the original vocabulary of Maltese was [[Siculo-Arabic]], it has incorporated a large number of borrowings from [[Romance language|Romance]] sources ([[Sicilian language|Sicilian]], [[Italian language|Italian]], and [[French language|French]]) and, more recently, [[Germanic language|Germanic]] ones (from [[English language|English]]).{{sfnp|Friggieri|1994|p=59}}

The historical source of modern Maltese vocabulary is 52% Italian/Sicilian, 32% Arabic/Siculo-Arabic, and 6% English, with some of the remainder being French.{{sfnp|Brincat|2005}}<ref>[http://www.translationsmalta.com/page.aspx?pid=22 About Malta]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}; GTS; retrieved on 2008-02-24</ref> Today, most [[function word]]s are Arabic, so despite only making up about a third of the vocabulary, they are the most used when speaking the language. In this way, Maltese is similar to [[English language|English]], a [[Germanic language]] that has been strongly influenced by [[Norman French]] and Latin (58% of English vocabulary).

As a result of this, Romance language-speakers (and to a lesser extent English speakers) can often easily understand more technical ideas expressed in Maltese, such as {{lang|mt|Ġeografikament, l-Ewropa hi parti tas-superkontinent ta' l-Ewrasja}} ('Geographically, Europe is part of the supercontinent of Eurasia'), while not understanding a single word of a basic sentence such as {{lang|mt|Ir-raġel qiegħed fid-dar}} ('The man is in the house'), which would be easily understood by any Arabic speaker.

===Arabic===
At that time Malta was thoroughly Arabized. The conquerors brought to the island the vulgar (colloquial) variant of Arabic, not the classical one (Classical Arabic); therefore, the Maltese language differs from Classical Arabic in the same way as the Arabic dialects differ from Classical Arabic. The Maltese language also comprises a considerable number of [[Maghrebi Arabic|Maghrebi]] features,<ref>[https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/28326/1/THE%20MALTESE%20AND%20THE%20ARABIC%20DIALECTS.pdf The Maltese And The Arabic Dialects: Introduction An Approach From Linguistic Geography, by Reinhold Kontzi]</ref> but in other ways, it can be closer to other Arabic dialects, or closer to Classical Arabic than to the other dialects as in the word {{lang|mt|ra}} ('to see'). Arabic supplies between 32%{{sfnp|Brincat|2005}} and 40%<ref name="autogenerated2" /> of the language's vocabulary.

{{harvtxt|Żammit|2000}} found that 40% of a sample of 1,821 [[Classical Arabic|Quranic Arabic]] roots were found in Maltese, considerably lower than that found in the [[Moroccan Arabic|Moroccan]] (58%) and [[Lebanese Arabic|Lebanese]] (72%) varieties of Arabic.{{sfnp|Żammit|2000|pp=241–245}} An analysis of the etymology of the 41,000 words in Aquilina's ''Maltese–English Dictionary'' shows that 32% of the Maltese vocabulary is of Arabic origin,{{sfnp|Brincat|2005}} although another source claims 40%.<ref name="autogenerated2" /><ref>Compare with approx. 25–33% of Old English or Germanic words in Modern English.</ref> Usually, words expressing basic concepts and ideas, such as {{lang|mt|raġel}} (man), {{lang|mt|mara}} (woman), {{lang|mt|tifel}} (boy), {{lang|mt|dar}} (house), {{lang|mt|xemx}} (sun), and {{lang|mt|sajf}} (summer), are of Arabic origin. Moreover, {{lang|fr|[[belles-lettres]]}} in Maltese aim to maximise their use of vocabulary belonging to this group.<ref name="isser" />
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Maltese
! Moroccan
!Egyptian
!Hejazi
! Standard Arabic
! English
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|iva}} (ijwa, ija, iwa)
| {{lang|ary|iyeh}}
| {{lang|arz|aywa}} 
| {{lang|acw|īwa}}
| {{lang|ar|نعم}} ({{transliteration|ar|naʕam}}) 
| yes
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|fejn}}
| {{lang|ary|fīn}}, {{lang|ary|wīn}}
| {{lang|arz|fēn}}
| {{lang|acw|fēn}}
|{{lang|ar|أين}} ({{transliteration|ar|'ayn}}) 
|where
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|xiex}}
| {{lang|ary|šnu}}, {{lang|ary|'āš}}
|{{lang|arz|'ēh}}
| {{lang|acw|'ēš}}
|{{lang|ar|ماذا}} ({{transliteration|ar|māḏā}}) 
|what
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|għaliex}}
| {{lang|ary|ʕlāš}}, {{lang|ary|ʕlayāš}}
|{{lang|arz|lēh}}
|{{lang|acw|lēš}}
|{{lang|ar|لماذا}} ({{transliteration|ar|limāḏā}}) 
|why
|-
|{{wikt-lang|mt|ġewwa}}
|{{lang|ary|el-dāḵil}}
|{{lang|arz|gowwa}}
|{{lang|acw|juwwa}}
|{{lang|ar|داخل}} ({{transliteration|ar|dāḵil}})
|inside
|-
|{{wikt-lang|mt|barra}}
|{{lang|ary|barra}}
|{{lang|arz|barra}}
|{{lang|acw|barra}}
|{{lang|ar|خارج}} ({{transliteration|ar|ḵārij}})
|outside
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|ġab}}
| {{lang|ary|jāb}}
| {{lang|arz|gāb}}
| {{lang|acw|jāb}}
| {{lang|ar|أحضر}} ({{transliteration|ar|'aḥḍara}}), {{lang|ar|جاء بـ}} ({{transliteration|ar|jā'a bi-}})
| to bring
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|saqsa}}, {{wikt-lang|mt|staqsa}}*
|  {{lang|ary|saqṣa}}, {{lang|ary|sāl}}
|{{lang|arz|sa'al}}
|{{lang|acw|sa'al}}
| {{lang|ar|سأل}} ({{transliteration|ar|sa'ala}}) 
| to ask
|-
|{{wikt-lang|mt|raqad}}
|{{lang|ary|nʕas}}, {{lang|ary|rqad}}
|{{lang|arz|nām}}
|{{lang|acw|nām}}, {{lang|acw|ragad}}
|{{lang|ar|نام}} ({{transliteration|ar|nāma}}), {{lang|ar|رقد}} ({{transliteration|ar|raqada}})
|to sleep
|-
|{{wikt-lang|mt|ra}}
|{{lang|ary|šāf}}
|{{lang|arz|šāf}}
|{{lang|acw|šāf}}
|{{lang|ar|رأى}} ({{transliteration|ar|ra'ā}})
|to see
|-
|{{wikt-lang|mt|ried}}, {{wikt-lang|mt|xtaq}}**
|{{lang|ary|ḥabb}}, {{lang|ary|bḡa}}
|{{lang|arz|ʕāyez}}
|{{lang|acw|biḡi}}
|{{lang|ar|أراد}} ({{transliteration|ar|'arāda}})
|to want
|-
|{{wikt-lang|mt|ħdax}}
|{{lang|ary|ḥdāš}}
|{{lang|acw|ḥidāšar}}
|{{lang|acw|iḥdaʕaš}}
|{{lang|ar|أَحَدَ عَشَرَ}} ({{transliteration|ar|'aḥada ʕašara}})
|eleven
|-
|{{wikt-lang|mt|tnax}}
|{{lang|ary|tnāš}}
|{{lang|acw|itnašar}}
|{{lang|acw|iṭnaʕaš}}
|{{lang|ar|اِثْنَا عَشَرَ}} ({{transliteration|ar|iṯnā ʕašara}})
|twelve 
|}
Notes: * from Arabic {{lang|ar|استقصى}} ({{transliteration|ar|istaqṣā}}) "to investigate", ** from Arabic {{lang|ar|اشتاق}} ({{transliteration|ar|ištāqa}}) "to yearn for ".

The following table compares additional cognates in Maltese and some other varieties of Arabic (all forms are written phonetically, as in the source):<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kaye |first1=Alan S. |title=The Semitic Languages |last2=Rosenhouse |first2=Judith |publisher=Routledge |year=1997 |editor-last=Hetzron |editor-first=Robert |pages=263–311 |chapter=Arabic Dialects and Maltese}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Maltese
! [[Egyptian Arabic|Cairene]]
! [[Levantine Arabic|Damascene]]
! [[Mesopotamian Arabic|Iraqi]]
! Negev<br />(bedouin)
! Yemenite<br />(Sanaani)
! Moroccan
! Standard Arabic
! English
|-
| {{lang|mt|qalb}} {{IPA|/ʔalp/}}
| {{lang|arz|'alb}} 
| {{lang|apc|'aleb}} 
| {{lang|acm|galeb}}
| {{lang|avl|galb}}
| {{lang|ayn|galb}}
| {{lang|ary|qalb}}
| {{lang|ar|قلب}} ({{transliteration|ar|qalb}}) {{IPA|/qalb/}}
| heart
|-
| {{lang|mt|waqt}} {{IPA|/waʔt/}}
| {{lang|arz|wa't}} 
| {{lang|apc|wa'et}} 
| {{lang|acm|waket}}
| {{lang|avl|wagt}}
| {{lang|ayn|wagt}}
| {{lang|ary|waqt}}
| {{lang|ar|وقت}} ({{transliteration|ar|waqt}}) {{IPA|/waqt/}}
| time
|-
| {{lang|mt|qamar}} {{IPA|/ʔamar/}}
| {{lang|arz|'amar}} 
| {{lang|apc|'amar}}
| {{lang|acm|qamar}}
| {{lang|avl|gumar}}
| {{lang|ayn|gamar}}
| {{lang|ary|qmar}}
| {{lang|ar|قمر}} ({{transliteration|ar|qamar}}) {{IPA|/qamar/}}
| moon
|-
| {{lang|mt|kelb}} {{IPA|/kelp/}}
| {{lang|arz|kalb}} 
| {{lang|apc|kaleb}} 
| {{lang|acm|čaleb}}
| {{lang|avl|čalb}} 
| {{lang|ayn|kalb}}
| {{lang|ary|kalb}}
| {{lang|ar|كلب}} ({{transliteration|ar|kalb}}) {{IPA|/kalb/}}
| dog
|}
Siculo-Arabic dialect which was spoken in Sicily and Malta is the [[genetic relationship (linguistics)|ancestor]] of the Maltese language,{{sfnp|Brincat|2005}} some Siculo-Arabic words are still used in modern [[Sicilian language|Sicilian]] (a Romance language spoken in Sicily):

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Maltese
! [[Siculo-Arabic]]<br />(in [[Sicilian language|Sicilian]])
! Arabic text
! English
|-
|{{wikt-lang|mt|bebbuxu}}
|{{wikt-lang|scn|babbaluci}}
|{{lang|ary|ببوش|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ary|babbūš}}) 
(a Berber word)
|snail
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|ġiebja}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|gebbia}}
| {{lang|ar|جابية|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ar|jābiya}})
| cistern
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|ġunġlien}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|giuggiulena}}
| {{lang|ar|جلجلان|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ar|juljulān}})
| sesame seed
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|sieqja}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|saia}}
| {{lang|ar|ساقية|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ar|sāqiya}})
| canal
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|kenur}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|tannura}}
| {{lang|ar|تنور|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ar|tannūr}})
| oven
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|żagħfran}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|zaffarana}}
| {{lang|ar|زعفران|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ar|zaʿfarān}})
| [[saffron]]
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|żahra}} (less common than {{wikt-lang|mt|fjura}}, borrowed from Sicilian)
| {{wikt-lang|scn|zagara}}
| {{lang|ar|زهرة|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ar|zahra}})
| blossom
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|żbib}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|zibbibbu}}
| {{lang|ar|زبيب|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ar|zabīb}})
| raisins
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|zokk}} (borrowed through Sicilian)
| {{wikt-lang|scn|zuccu}}
| {{lang|ar|ساق|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ar|sāq}})
| tree trunk
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|tebut}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|tabbutu}}
| {{lang|ar|تابوت|rtl=yes}} ({{transliteration|ar|tābūt}})
| coffin
|}

The Maltese language has merged many of the original Arabic consonants (in particular the [[emphatic consonant]]s) with others common to European languages. Thus, original [[Arabic language|Arabic]] {{IPA|/d/}}, {{IPA|/ð/}}, and {{IPA|/dˤ/}} all merged into Maltese {{IPA|/d/}}. The vowels, meanwhile, separated from the three in Classical Arabic ({{IPA|/a i u/}}) into five, as is more typical of many European languages ({{IPA|/a ɛ i o u/}}). Some unstressed short vowels have been elided. The common Arabic greeting {{transliteration|ar|as salāmu 'alaykum}} is cognate with {{lang|mt|is-sliem għalikom}} in Maltese (lit. "the peace for you", peace be with you), as are similar greetings in other Semitic languages (e.g. {{lang|he-Latn|shalom ʿalekhem}} in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]).

=== Romance (Sicilian and Italian) ===
An analysis of the etymology of the 41,000 words in Aquilina's ''Maltese–English Dictionary'' shows that words of Romance origin make up 52% of the Maltese vocabulary,{{sfnp|Brincat|2005}} although other sources claim from 40%<ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/european_languages/languages/maltese.shtml |title=Languages across Europe – Maltese, Malti |website=BBC |access-date=12 January 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913054653/http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/european_languages/languages/maltese.shtml |archive-date=13 September 2017}}</ref> to 55%. Romance vocabulary tends to deal with more complex concepts. Most words come from [[Sicilian language|Sicilian]] and thus exhibit Sicilian phonetic characteristics, such as {{IPA|/u/}} rather than Italian {{IPA|/o/}}, and {{IPA|/i/}} rather than Italian {{IPA|/e/}} (e.g. {{lang|mt|tiatru}} not {{lang|it|teatro}} and {{lang|mt|fidi}} not {{lang|it|fede}}). Also, as with Old Sicilian, {{IPA|/ʃ/}} (English ''sh'') is written ''x'' and this produces spellings such as: {{lang|mt|ambaxxata}} {{IPA|/ambaʃːaːta/}} ('embassy'), {{lang|mt|xena}} {{IPA|/ʃeːna/}} ('scene'; compare Italian {{lang|it|ambasciata}}, {{lang|it|scena}}).

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Maltese
! [[Sicilian language|Sicilian]]
! [[Italian language|Italian]]
! [[English language|English]]
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|skola}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|scola}}
| {{wikt-lang|it|scuola}}
| school
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|gvern}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|cuvernu}}
| {{wikt-lang|it|governo}}
| government
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|repubblika}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|ripùbblica}}
| {{wikt-lang|it|repubblica}}
| republic
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|re}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|re}}
| {{wikt-lang|it|re}}
| king (''Germanic'')
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|natura}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|natura}}
| {{wikt-lang|it|natura}}
| nature
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|pulizija}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|pulizzìa}}
| {{wikt-lang|it|polizia}}
| police
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|ċentru}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|centru}}
| {{wikt-lang|it|centro}}
| centre
|-
| {{wikt-lang|mt|teatru}}
| {{wikt-lang|scn|tiatru}}
| {{wikt-lang|it|teatro}}
| theatre
|}

A tendency in modern Maltese is to adopt further influences from English and Italian.
Complex Latinate English words adopted into Maltese are often given Italian or Sicilian forms,{{sfnp|Brincat|2005}} even if the resulting words do not appear in either of those languages. For instance, the words ''evaluation'', ''industrial action'', and ''chemical armaments'' become {{lang|mt|evalwazzjoni}}, {{lang|mt|azzjoni industrjali}}, and {{lang|mt|armamenti kimiċi}} in Maltese, while the Italian terms are {{lang|it|valutazione}}, {{lang|it|vertenza sindacale}}, and {{lang|it|armi chimiche}} respectively. (The origin of the terms may be narrowed even further to [[British English]]; the phrase ''[[industrial action]]'' is meaningless in the United States.) This is comparable to the situation with English borrowings into the [[Italo-Australian dialect]]. English words of Germanic origin are generally preserved relatively unchanged.

Some influences of [[African Romance]] on the Arabic and [[Berber languages|Berber]] spoken in the [[Maghreb]] are theorised; these may then have passed into Maltese.{{Sfn|Kossmann|2013|p=75}} For example, in [[calendar]] [[month]] names, the word {{lang|mt|furar}} 'February' is only found in the Maghreb and in Maltese – proving the word's ancient pedigree. The region also has a form of another Latin month in {{lang|mt|awi/ussu}} < {{lang|la|augustus}}.{{Sfn|Kossmann|2013|p=75}} This word does not appear to be a loan word through Arabic, and may have been taken over directly from Late Latin or African Romance.{{Sfn|Kossmann|2013|p=75}} Scholars theorise that a Latin-based system provided forms such as {{lang|mt|awi/ussu}} and {{lang|mt|furar}} in African Romance, with the system then mediating Latin/Romance names through Arabic for some month names during the Islamic period.{{Sfn|Kossmann|2013|p=76}} The same situation exists for Maltese which mediated words from [[Italian language|Italian]], and retains both non-Italian forms such as {{lang|mt|awissu/awwissu}} and {{lang|mt|frar}}, and Italian forms such as {{lang|mt|april}}.{{Sfn|Kossmann|2013|p=76}}

===Berber===
Like the [[Maghrebi Arabic|Maghrebi Arabic dialects]], Maltese has a significant vocabulary derived from [[Berber languages]]. Whether these words entered Maltese by being inherited from [[Siculo-Arabic]] or were directly loaned from Berber languages is not yet known. These include:<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hull |first=Geoffrey |date=2019 |title=Exploring the Berber element in Maltese |url=https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/52367 |language=en |access-date=2023-08-26 |archive-date=2023-08-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230826093027/https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/52367 |url-status=live }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Maltese
! Berber languages
! English
|-
| ''gremxula''
| ''azrem ašal'', lit. 'land worm', ([[Kabyle language|Kabyle]])
| lizard
|-
|''fekruna''
|''tifakrunin'' ([[Jerba Berber|Jerbi]]), ''ifekran'' ([[Shilha language|Tashelhiyt]]), ''ifkran'' (Kabyle)
|turtle
|-
| ''geddum''
| ''aqadum'', lit. 'face, frown' (Kabyle)
| chin
|-
| ''gendus''
| ''gandūz'', lit. 'young calf' (Jerbi)
| ox, bull
|-
|''gerżuma''
|''ageržum'' ([[Mozabite language|Mozabite]], Tashelhiyt)
|throat
|-
|''tfief''
|''tilfaf'' ([[Ouargli language|Ouargli]]), ''tifāf, tilfāf, tiffāf'' ([[Tarifit]])
|sow thistle (''[[Sonchus oleraceus]]'')
|-
|''tengħud''
|''talaɣūda'' ([[Tunisian Arabic]]), ''telɣūda'' ([[Algerian Arabic]])
|spurge (''[[Euphorbia]]'')
|-
|''kosksu''
|''kuskesu, kuskus'' (Kabyle)
|couscous, small round pasta
|-
|''fartas''
|''aferḍas'' (Ouargli, Kabyle)
|bald
|-
|''għaffeġ''
|‘''affež'' (Algerian Arabic), ''effeẓ'' (Ouargli, Mozabite)
|to crush, to squash
|-
|''żrinġ''
|''tažrant'' (Jerbi)
|frog
|-
|''żrar''
|''zrar'' (Mozabite, Ouargli), ''azrar'' (Kabyle, [[Nafusi language|Nafusi]])
|gravel
|-
|''werżieq''
|''wárẓag'' ([[Mrazig]])
|cicada, lit. screamer, shrieker
|-
|''buqexrem''
|''buqišrem'' (Kabyle)
|vervain ([[Verbena officinalis]])
|-
|''fidloqqom''
|''fudalɣem'' (Kabyle)
|borage ([[Borage|Borago officinalis]])
|-
|''żorr''
|''uzur'' (Kabyle), ''uzzur'' (Tarifit)
|rude, arrogant
|-
|''lellex''
|''lelleš'' (Mozabite)
|to shine, to glitter
|-
|''pespes''
|''bbesbes'' (Ouargli)
|to whisper
|-
|''teptep''
|''ṭṭebṭeb'' (Ouargli)
|to blink, to twinkle
|-
|''webbel''
|''webben'' (Mozabite)
|to induce, to tempt
|}

===English===
English loanwords, which are becoming more commonplace, may constitute up to 20% of Maltese vocabulary,<ref name="autogenerated2" /> though other sources claim as little as 6%.{{sfnp|Brincat|2005}} This percentage discrepancy is due to the fact that a number of new English loanwords are sometimes not considered part of the official Maltese vocabulary, hence they are not included in certain dictionaries.{{sfnp|Brincat|2005}} Also, English loanwords of Latinate origin are very often Italianized, as discussed above. English loanwords are generally transliterated, although standard English pronunciation is virtually always retained. Below are a few examples:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Maltese
! English
|-
| futbol
| football
|-
| baskitbol
| basketball
|-
| klabb
| club
|-
| friġġ
| fridge
|}
"Fridge" is a common [[clipping (morphology)|shortening]] of "refrigerator". "Refrigerator" is a Latinate word which could be imported into Maltese as ''rifriġeratori'', whereas the [[Italian language|Italian]] word is ''frigorifero'' or ''refrigeratore''.

=== Calendar ===
The days of the week (Maltese: ''jiem il-ġimgħa'') in Maltese, which are derived from Arabic, are referred to by number which is also typical in other Semitic languages, Days of the week are commonly preceded by the word ''nhar'' meaning 'day'.
{| class="wikitable"
!English
!Maltese
!Literal
|-
|Sunday
|''Il-Ħadd''
|first [day]
|-
|Monday
|''It-Tnejn''
|second [day]
|-
|Tuesday
|''It-Tlieta''
|third [day]
|-
|Wednesday
|''L-Erbgħa''
|fourth [day]
|-
|Thursday
|''Il-Ħamis''
|fifth [day]
|-
|Friday
|''Il-Ġimgħa''
|[[Friday prayer|gathering]] [day]
|-
|Saturday
|''Is-Sibt''
|[[Sabbath]] [day]
|}
The months of the year (Maltese: {{lang|mt|xhur is-sena}}) in Maltese are mostly derived from [[Sicilian language|Sicilian]], though {{lang|mt|Frar}} and {{lang|mt|Awwissu}} may be derived from [[African Romance]] via [[Siculo-Arabic]].
{| class="wikitable"
!English
!Maltese
|-
|January
|''Jannar''
|-
|February
|''Frar''
|-
|March
|''Marzu''
|-
|April
|''April''
|-
|May
|''Mejju''
|-
|June
|''Ġunju''
|-
|July
|''Lulju''
|-
|August
|''Awwissu''
|-
|September
|''Settembru''
|-
|October
|''Ottubru''
|-
|November
|''Novembru''
|-
|December
|''Diċembru''
|}

=== Time ===
{| class="wikitable"
!English
!Maltese
|-
|today
|''illum''
|-
|yesterday
|''ilbieraħ''
|-
|tomorrow
|''għada''
|-
|second
|''sekonda''
|-
|minute
|''minuta'' (archaic: ''dqiqa'')
|-
|hour
|''siegħa''
|-
|day
|''jum'' or ''ġurnata''
|-
|week
|''ġimgħa''
|-
|month
|''xahar''
|-
|year
|''sena''
|}

=== Question words ===
{| class="wikitable"
!English
!Maltese
!Example
!Translation
|-
|What (standalone)
|''Xiex''
|''Xiex?''
|What?
|-
|What (preceding)
|X'
|''X' għamilt?''
|What did you do?
|-
|Who
|''Min''
|''Min hu dak?''
|Who is he?
|-
|How
|''Kif''
|''Kif inti llum?''
|How are you today?
|-
|Where
|''Fejn''
|''Fejn sejjer?''
|Where are you going?
|-
|Where (from)
|''Mnejn''
|''Mnejn ġie?''
|Where did he come from?
|-
|Why
|''Għala, Għaliex, Għalxiex, Ilgħala''
|''Għala telaq?''
|Why did he leave?
|-
|Which
|''Liem, Liema''
|''Liem wieħed hu tajjeb?''
|Which one is good?
|-
|When
|''Meta''
|''Meta ħa titlaq?''
|When will you leave?
|-
|How Much
|''Kemm''
|''Kemm jiswa dan?''
|How much does this cost?
|}

=== Sample phrases ===
{| class="wikitable"
!English<ref>{{Cite web |title=Learn Maltese with uTalk |url=https://utalk.com/en/store/maltese |access-date=2024-05-08 |website=utalk.com |language=en |archive-date=2024-05-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508144110/https://utalk.com/en/store/maltese |url-status=live }}</ref>
!Maltese
|-
|Hello.
|Ħelow.
|-
|Yes.
|Iva.
|-
|Yes, please.
|Iva, jekk jogħġbok.
|-
|No.
|Le.
|-
|No thanks.
|Le grazzi.
|-
|Please.
|Jekk jogħġbok.
|-
|Thank you.
|Grazzi.
|-
|Thank you very much.
|Grazzi ħafna.
|-
|You're welcome.
|M'hemmx imniex.
|-
|I'd like a coffee please.
|Nixtieq kafè, jekk jogħġbok.
|-
|Two beers please.
|Żewġ birer, jekk jogħġbok.
|-
|Cheers!
|Evviva!
|-
|Excuse me.
|Skużani.
|-
|What time is it?
|X'ħin hu?
|-
|Can you repeat that please?
|Tista' tirrepeti jekk jogħġbok?
|-
|Please speak more slowly.
|Jekk jogħġbok tkellem iktar bil-mod.
|-
|I don't understand.
|Mhux qed nifhem/ Ma fhimtx.
|-
|Sorry.
|Skużani.
|-
|Where are the toilets?
|Fejn huma t-toilets?
|-
|How much does this cost?
|Kemm jiswa dan? / Kemm tiswa din?
|-
|Welcome!
|Merħba!
|-
|Good morning.
|Bonġu.
|-
|Good afternoon.
|Il-wara nofsinhar it-tajjeb.
|-
|Good evening.
|Is-serata t-tajba.
|-
|Goodnight.
|Il-lejl it-tajjeb.
|-
|Goodbye.
|Saħħa/ Ċaw.
|}