Maltese Language help.... - Malta and Gozo Discussion Forum, Holiday Forums

maltese language

happychef

2005-11-20 11:19:59

if anyone wants to learn a few words of maltese for their holiday try http://aboutmalta.com/language/survival.htm this is a great site and it makes the language easy to pronounce hope we have a few more brits speaking the language

alan

fallan

2005-11-20 16:46:55

Hello happychef

Here... http://www.choosemalta.com/malteselanguage.php you can click on and hear 9 short words/sentences spoken in Maltese.

I have the 'Eurotalk' cd but still have problems

I will be in Malta again a week tomorrow so I can practice some more and get laughed at :wink:

DerbyPaul

2006-07-25 13:14:55

Maltese Language help....

Probably not the place to be asking this but I've struggled elsewhere!!

I'm best man at a wedding next week in England, but half of the guests are Maltese (the majority still living in Malta).

I'd like to say a traditional Maltese greeting, even if it's just hello, although it would be great if it's a traditional wedding type greeting. Can anyone assist?

Many Thanks,

Paul

Sliema2

2006-07-25 13:24:31

I can help you.

DerbyPaul

2006-07-25 13:52:44

great thanks Sliema, you have a PM.

Sliema2

2006-07-26 07:06:28

Ok Paul will try to respond very soon for you.

DerbyPaul

2006-07-26 09:41:19

Thanks much appreciated Sliema!

Sliema2

2006-07-26 13:02:36

Hi Paul, I have sent you a PM.

DerbyPaul

2006-08-06 21:25:04

Well the wedding has come and gone, it was a fantastic day, and my job was made a lot easier due to Sliema's help!

The words he taught me were very much appreciated by the Maltese family at the wedding. I got a huge cheer and round of applause just for saying those words.

Thanks again for the help Sliema, it's people like you that make these forums work and a great success!! :bow

Sliema2

2006-08-07 10:14:40

Hi Paul, so glad that all went so well for you, it was a pleasure to be able to help you and I fully appreciate your very kind words, please feel free to ask any questions about Malta and I / we will be only too happy to assist you.

Regards
Sliema2

sdwill

2006-08-07 18:39:53

Language

Hi everyone,

Whilst scouting about for tidbits of information to send back to school in Lincolnshire I found this excellent Maltese Language site. It gives you Maltese spellings of common phrases as well as the literal pronunciation!

http://www.aboutmalta.com/grazio/malti.html#travel

Print it out and take a copy with you!

Ciao

Susan

Sliema2

2006-08-09 07:55:52

Hi Susan, as you seem interested in the Maltese language, were you aware that the Maltese "ciao" is actually spelt "caw" it sounds exactly the same but for writing purposes it's obviously very different.

Caw for now
Sliema2

sdwill

2006-08-09 08:36:51

Ciao

Well Sliema2, I was using 'ciao' in the Italian sense, I guess 2 years in Milan has rubbed off some Italian on me!

However if you check the link I posted above and look down at the section on 'wishes' then you can see that ciao can be translated as literally 'Bye'.

grazzi hafna

Susan

charliegirl007

2006-09-01 07:00:00

Help on Maltese Language please

Hi there

Just because I have used simple words like 'grazzi' and 'caw' in texted to my friend she thinks that I am now fluent Maltese

She is testing me and wants to know what this means ......... hawn ghadna hafna shauna, Shauna is my grand daughter. I knw that 'hafna means 'lots' but what does the rest mean?
Also how do you say....... hello, good morning and please?
Hope someone can help

Sliema2

2006-09-01 14:20:33

Hi charlie girl, please check your text once more, are you sure it doesn't say GhaDma not GhadNa and Shana not Shauna, let me know and I will see what I can do, by the way Hawn means here, hello in Maltese can be allo if on the phone, or just hello, or in the form of a greeting such as Bongu, L-ghodwa-it-Tajjeb, or illum it tajjeb these also mean good morning or good day in perfect Malti especially the last one, please is jekk joghgbok pronounced as yekk yodzbok, let me know if you need any help with pronoucing any of these as it can be a tadge tricky.

Regards
Sliema2

charliegirl007

2006-09-02 17:06:19

I will put my glasses on and read it again :oops:

hawn ghadna hafna shana. if the maltese 'x' is pronounced sh, how is the 'sh' in shana pronounced?

Sliema2

2006-09-02 17:47:19

Hi Charliegirl, right so if that that is what your text said then this word for word is how it translates "hawn = here ghadma = bone hafna = very shana = heat" I think she might be telling you that it's a bit hot in Malta right now which we will happily confirn for you this time next week :hyper

you pronounce shana as a flat s as in sausage with the h behind it as in house so it would be s-harnar.

Hope this helps
Sliema2

fallan

2006-09-02 22:19:54

Hello Charliegirl

The translation for ' Hawn Ghadma Hafna Shana ' is 'Here is very hot'

It is difficult to translate word for word but as a whole makes more sense :wink:

Hope it lasts 'cos I too will be there in a weeks time. Roll on

Fallan

charliegirl007

2006-09-03 08:39:23

thanks for that. I hope it stays hot for you. I am hoping to go soon but then I have been trying to get there since June and getting pretty jealous of everyone who goes before me :cry: