Language/Maltese/Grammar/Future-Tense

Maltese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Verbs → Future Tense

Introduction

Verbs in Maltese are conjugated to match the subject and tense of the sentence. In this lesson, we will focus on the future tense, and you will learn how to conjugate verbs according to the subject and future tense. This will allow you to talk about events or actions that will happen.

Future Tense Conjugation

The future tense in Maltese is formed by adding specific suffixes to the verb root. These suffixes vary according to the subject pronoun. In Maltese, there are two different sets of suffixes, one for regular verbs and one for irregular verbs. We will start with the regular verbs.

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs in Maltese are the verbs that follow a common pattern when being conjugated in the present tense. To conjugate regular verbs in the future tense, follow the following pattern:

Subject	Suffix
I (Jien)	-ni
	ti
		-u
You (Int)	-ek
	t
		-u
He/She/It (Hu/Hi/Huwa)	-u
	ti
		-u
We (Nahna)	-na
	t
		-u
You (Intom)	-kom
	t
		-u
They (Hemm/Hijiet/Hemm)	-u
	t
		-u

Here are some examples of regular verbs conjugated in the future tense:

Maltese	Pronunciation	English
Jien sa nigu	YEEN sah NEE-goo	I will go
Inti se taghmel	IN-tee seh tagh-MEL	You (sg.) will do
Huwa sa jibni	HOO-wa sah jib-NEE	He will build
Nahna se naghmlu	NA-na seh nagh-MLOO	We will work
Intom se titghallmu	IN-tom seh tit-ghall-MOO	You (pl.) will learn
Hemm se jmorru	Hemm seh YMOO-ru	They will leave

Note that the verb root, which is the base form of the verb, does not change. Only the suffix changes according to the subject pronoun.

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs in Maltese do not follow a specific pattern when being conjugated in the present tense, and the same applies to the future tense. They require special attention when being conjugated in the future tense as their suffixes differ from those of regular verbs. Here are some of the most common irregular verbs and their future tense conjugation:

Maltese	Pronunciation	English
Jien se nafx.	YEEN seh NA-fsh.	I will know.
Int se tkellim.	INT seh tkel-LIM.	You (sg.) will speak.
Huwa sa yejja.	HOO-wa sah YEH-ya.	He will come.
Nahna sa nqumu.	NA-na sah n-QOO-moo.	We will wake up.
Intom se tara.	IN-tom seh TA-ra.	You (pl.) will see.
Hemm sa jitilqu.	HEMM sah jih-TIL-koo.	They will leave.

As you may notice, irregular verbs have different future suffixes, so it is important to memorize these suffixes to be able to form correct sentences in the future tense.

Using the Future Tense

The future tense is used when we talk about events that will happen at a specific time in the future. It can also be used to express a probability or a supposition about a future event.

For example:

• Jien sa nigu biex nara l-istorja. (I will go to see the history.)
• Huwa sa yejja L-Erbgħa. (He will come on Wednesday.)
• Nahna se noqogħdu ħalli naraw id-difetti fil-magna. (We will sit and observe the faults in the engine.)

As in English, the future tense in Maltese can also be used to express promises, intentions, and requests.

For example:

• Inti waqfet tibda bdewwa. (You should start getting ready.)
• Jien se ninsab hawn għall-ħames siegħa. (I shall be here for the fifth hour.)
• Intom se tiżżuruni fax-xhur il-ħamestax. (You will visit me in the twelfth month.)

Conclusion

The future tense in Maltese is formed by adding specific suffixes to the verb root. The suffixes vary according to the subject pronoun and can differ between regular and irregular verbs. The future tense is used to talk about actions or events that will happen in the future, to express probability or supposition, and to make promises, intentions, and requests.

Table of Contents - Maltese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Maltese Language

• Maltese Alphabet
• Basic Maltese Phrases

  ---

Everyday Vocabulary

• Colors
• Numbers
• Days of the Week
• Months of the Year

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject-Verb-Object Order
• Negation
• Questions

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Gender and Plurals
• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns
• Demonstrative Pronouns

  ---

Verbs

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Drinks

• Fruits and Vegetables
• Meat, Fish, and Dairy
• Beverages

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Hobbies and Leisure

• Sports
• Entertainment

  ---

Maltese History and Traditions

• Historical Events
• Festivals and Celebrations

  ---

Maltese Cuisine

• Traditional Dishes
• Eating Out

  ---

Travel and Tourism

• Popular Destinations
• Travel Tips

Other Lessons

• Plurals
• Indefinite Articles in Maltese
• Maltese Alphabet
• Negation
• Past Tense
• Basic Maltese Phrases
• Present Tense
• Personal Pronouns
• Demonstrative Pronouns
• Regular Verbs

Sources

• Maltese verbs: learn the future tense!