Language/Maltese/Vocabulary/Animals

Maltese Vocabulary - Animals

Hi Maltese learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will be exploring the Maltese vocabulary for animals. Animals have always been an important part of Maltese culture, with various traditional celebrations and events that involve them. Knowing the names of these animals and being able to use them accurately is crucial for effective communication. Let's get started!

Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Parts of the Body, Essential Phrases in Maltese, Adverbs in Maltese & Animal.

Basic Vocabulary

Here are some of the most common animals in Maltese and their English translations:

Maltese	Pronunciation	English
Kelb	kĕlb	Dog
Qattus	ă-ttoos	Cat
Fjuri	fyoo-ree	Bird
Ħamiem	ħa-mee-em	Pigeon
Ħut	ħoot	Fish
Ferħ	fer-ħ	Mouse
Żiemel	zee-em-mel	Horse
Bużżieqa	booz-zee-kah	Cow
Kelma	kel-mah	Sheep
Ħamiema	ha-mee-mah	Goat
Kirkop	keerk-op	Chicken
Kavall	ka-val	Horse
Kartaħena	kar-ta-ha-nah	Duck

Make sure to practice the pronunciation of these words. You can use our text-to-speech tool for reference.

Marine Animals

Malta is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, so it's no surprise that marine animals play a big role in its culture and traditions. Here are some important marine animals in Maltese:

Maltese	Pronunciation	English
Sanpawl	san-pawl	Octopus
Qarnit	kar-neet	Squid
Ħut Safi	ħoot saa-fi	Swordfish
Ħut tal-Leġi	ħoot tal-leg-ee	Tuna
Ċerna	cherna	Grouper
Bebbux	beb-boosh	Snail
Saħħara	sa-hhara	Starfish

Here's a dialogue to help you practice:

• Person 1: It-tuna ġejja fiha sanità tal-ikel tajjeb. (The tuna has a great taste.)
• Person 2: Naħseb li nahsbu li l-ħut safi huwa aħjar. (I think the swordfish is better.)

Wild Animals

Malta may be a small island, but it still has its fair share of wild animals. Many of these animals can be found in the countryside, and some of them are even endangered. Here are some wild animals in Maltese:

Maltese	Pronunciation	English
Tal-Ferħ	tal-fer-ħ	Rat
Fenek	fen-ek	Rabbit
Ħarbaġa	har-ba-gha	Hedgehog
Zaqal	zaq-al	Squirrel
Bużżieqa Sewda	booz-zee-kah se-wda	Blackbird
Falċun	fal-chun	Falcon

Here's a dialogue to help you practice:

• Person 1: Rajt karnivur. (I saw a carnivore.)
• Person 2: X'inhu kien? Kelb mgħaġġel? (What was it? A wild dog?)

Domesticated Animals

Domesticated animals play an important part in Maltese culture and society. From farm animals to household pets, here are some domesticated animals in Maltese:

Maltese	Pronunciation	English
Klieb Medjuni	klee-eb me-dyoo-nee	Maltese dog
Lippu	lip-poo	Horse
Tal-fenek	tal-fen-ek	Rabbit hutch
Il-baqra	il-baq-ra	Cow
Il-beżżieqa	il-bez-zie-kah	Sheep
L-ibeqqa taz-żiemel	li-beq-qa ta-zee-em-mel	Horse cart

Here's a dialogue to help you practice:

• Person 1: Reġġa' kważi spiċċat bil-kelb medjuni ta' tiegħi (I almost got bitten by my Maltese dog.)
• Person 2: L-ebda problema jekk titħajjar tiegħek biex tikteb ix-xogħol jaqa' tajjeb. (No problem as long as you train him well.)

Insects

Insects may be small, but they can play a big role in our ecosystem. Here are some insects in Maltese:

Maltese	Pronunciation	English
Zirzieb	zeer-zyeb	Wasp
Tarġa	tar-gha	Ant
Ħanżira	han-zeera	Butterfly
Dgħajsa	d-ghaj-sa	Bee
Tinfil	tin-feel	Dragonfly

Here's a dialogue to help you practice:

• Person 1: Qatt ma tridx nsib il-ħanżir u qatt ma tridx sib il-babaw. (I can never find a butterfly or a ladybug.)
• Person 2: Jista' jitlaq mill-mejda u jaċċettal kulħadd ħalli jara kemm hija sabiħa. (You can go outside and wait for everyone to admire how beautiful they are.)

Now that you've learned some Maltese animal vocabulary, you can practice using it in your daily conversations. Remember, the more you practice the faster you'll learn! To improve your Maltese Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

---

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Other Lessons

• Animal
• Drinks
• Problems in Maltese
• Clothes
• People in Maltese
• Health
• Weather
• Basic Phrases in Maltese
• Feelings and Emotions
• Geography

Sources

• Animal words in the Maltese language game
• Animal names in Maltese & English | Animals in Maltese - Learn Entry