Difference between revisions of "Language/Maltese/Grammar/Gender-and-Plurals"

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Maltese is a Semitic language spoken by the Maltese people, who inhabit the islands of Malta in the central Mediterranean. Maltese has been influenced by many different languages throughout its history, including Arabic, Italian, and English. In this lesson, we will discuss the gender of nouns in Maltese and how to form plurals.
Maltese is a Semitic language spoken by the Maltese people on the islands of Malta in the central Mediterranean. Influenced by many languages throughout its history, including Arabic, Italian, and English, Maltese is rich and unique. In this lesson, we will discuss the gender of nouns and how to form plurals in Maltese.


== Gender of Nouns ==
== Gender of Nouns in Maltese ==


In Maltese, all nouns have a gender, which is either masculine or feminine. The gender of a noun is not always predictable, so it's important to learn the gender of each individual noun.  
In Maltese, every noun has a gender, either masculine or feminine. The gender of a noun often influences its article and adjective forms, and is an essential part of mastering Maltese grammar.


Here are some general rules for determining the gender of nouns in Maltese:
Here are some general rules for determining the gender of nouns in Maltese:
* Most nouns that refer to males or male animals are masculine, e.g. raġel (man), kelb (dog).
* Nouns referring to males or male animals are usually masculine, e.g., raġel (man), kelb (dog).
* Most nouns that refer to females or female animals are feminine, e.g. mara (woman), qattusa (cat).
* Nouns referring to females or female animals are usually feminine, e.g., mara (woman), qattusa (cat).
* Nouns that end in -a are usually feminine, e.g. sliema (peace), klinika (clinic).
* Nouns ending in -a are typically feminine, e.g., sliema (peace), klinika (clinic).
* Nouns that end in -u or a consonant are usually masculine.
* Nouns ending in -u or other consonants are generally masculine.
However, there are many exceptions to these rules. The only way to determine the gender of a noun is to learn it by heart.
There are exceptions, however, and some nouns must be memorized individually.
 
Here are some examples:


=== Examples of Gender Nouns ===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Maltese !! Pronunciation !! English
! Maltese !! Pronunciation !! English
|-
|-
| raġel || ra-jel || man  
| raġel || ra-jel || man
|-
|-
| mara || ma-ra || woman
| mara || ma-ra || woman
|-
|-
| kelb || kelb || dog
| kelb || kelb || dog
|-
|-
| qattusa || qat-tu-sa || cat
| qattusa || qat-tu-sa || cat
|-
|-
| sliema || sli-e-ma || peace
| sliema || sli-e-ma || peace
|-
|-
| klinika || kli-ni-ka || clinic
| klinika || kli-ni-ka || clinic
|-
|-
| kitabu || ki-ta-bu || book
| kitabu || ki-ta-bu || book
|-
|-
| daru || da-ru || house
| daru || da-ru || house
|-
|-
| ħanut || ħa-nut || shop
| ħanut || ħa-nut || shop
|-
|-
| miċrobus || miċ-ro-bus || minibus
| miċrobus || miċ-ro-bus || minibus
|}
|}


== Plurals of Nouns ==
== Plurals of Nouns ==


In Maltese, there are several ways to form the plural of a noun. The most common way is to add -i to the end of the noun if it's masculine, or -iet if it's feminine. However, there are many exceptions to this rule, so it's important to learn the plural form of each individual noun.
Pluralization in Maltese varies and can be complex. Most commonly, masculine nouns end in -i, while feminine nouns end in -iet. Learning each noun's plural form is necessary due to the numerous exceptions.
 
Here are some examples of plural nouns:


=== Examples of Plural Nouns ===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! Singular !! Plural
! Singular !! Plural
Line 65: Line 63:
| mara (woman) || nisa (women)
| mara (woman) || nisa (women)
|-
|-
| kelb (dog) || kliegħ (dogs)
| kelb (dog) || klieb (dogs)
|-
|-
| qattusa (cat) || qattuż (cats)
| qattusa (cat) || qtates (cats)
|-
|-
| ktieb (book) || kotba (books)
| ktieb (book) || kotba (books)
Line 73: Line 71:
| dar (house) || dariet (houses)
| dar (house) || dariet (houses)
|-
|-
| ktieb (book) || kotba (books)
| ktieb (book) again || kotba (books)
|-
|-
| zmien (time) || żminijiet (times)
| zmien (time) || żminijiet (times)
|}
|}


As you can see from the examples, the plural form of a noun is not always predictable, so it's important to learn the plural form of each individual noun.
As demonstrated, plural forms in Maltese are not straightforward and require practice to master.


== Pronouns ==
== Pronouns in Maltese ==


Pronouns are words that take the place of a noun in a sentence. There are several types of pronouns in Maltese, including personal pronouns, possessive pronouns, and demonstrative pronouns.
Pronouns are critical in Maltese as they replace nouns in sentences, encompassing personal, possessive, and demonstrative forms.


=== Personal Pronouns ===
=== Personal Pronouns ===
 
Maltese personal pronouns vary by person and gender, with specific forms for masculine and feminine contexts.
Personal pronouns are pronouns that refer to a specific person or thing. In Maltese, there are separate pronouns for each person and gender. Here are the personal pronouns in Maltese:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 95: Line 92:
| You (singular) || int || inti
| You (singular) || int || inti
|-
|-
| He || hu || hi
| He || hu || -
|-
|-
| She || hi || hi
| She || - || hi
|-
|-
| It || dan (masc.) / danja (fem.) || dan (masc.) / danja (fem.)
| It || dan (masc.) / danja (fem.) || -
|-
|-
| We || aħna || aħna
| We || aħna || aħna
Line 105: Line 102:
| You (plural) || intom || intom
| You (plural) || intom || intom
|-
|-
| They (masculine) || huma || huma
| They (masculine) || huma || -
|-
|-
| They (feminine) || hin || hin
| They (feminine) || - || hin
|}
|}


Note that the third person singular pronoun in Maltese can refer to both masculine and feminine nouns. The word dan or danja is used for "it" when referring to a male or female noun, respectively.
The third-person singular pronouns (he/she/it) depend on the gender of the noun they refer to.
 
Here are some examples of personal pronouns in use:


Examples include:
* Jien nitħobb is-siġra. (I love the tree.)
* Jien nitħobb is-siġra. (I love the tree.)
* Int ser tagħmel xogħol tajjeb. (You will do a good job.)
* Int ser tagħmel xogħol tajjeb. (You will do a good job.)
* Huwa qed iġib id-darba għall-għazla. (He is bringing the ball for the game.)
* Huwa qed iġib il-ballun għall-logħba. (He is bringing the ball for the game.)
* Hi tixtieq tkellem miegħi. (She wants to talk with me.)
* Hi tixtieq tkellem miegħi. (She wants to talk with me.)
* Dan jibqa' ferm speċjali għalija. (It remains very special to me.)
* Aħna nitolbu l-ewwel raġel fuq il-Knisja ta' San Ġorġ. (We asked the first man on St. George's Church.)
* Intom xiħed ħa jiġi wkoll? (Are you (plural) taking someone, too?)
* Huma għadhom bil-ħelu ħafna. (They are still very beautiful.)
* Ħin, mhux iben tiegħi, qalb tiegħi, dejjem ser iħobb gonfja nifsiebi. (No matter, not my son, not my heart, I always love inflating my lungs.)


=== Possessive Pronouns ===
=== Possessive Pronouns ===
 
Possessive pronouns in Maltese also agree in gender and number with the nouns they refer to.
Possessive pronouns are pronouns that show ownership or possession. In Maltese, possessive pronouns agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to. Here are the possessive pronouns in Maltese:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! English !! Maltese (masculine) !! Maltese (feminine)
! English !! Maltese (common)
|-
| my || tiegħi (masc.) / tiegħija (fem.) || tiegħi (masc.) / tiegħija (fem.)
|-
|-
| your (singular) || tiegħek (masc.) / tiegħek (fem.) || tiegħek (masc.) / tiegħek (fem.)
| my || tiegħi
|-
|-
| his || tiegħu (masc.) / tiegħha (fem.) || tiegħu (masc.) / tiegħha (fem.)
| your (singular) || tiegħek
|-
|-
| her || tiegħha || tiegħha
| his/her || tiegħu/tiegħha
|-
|-
| its || tiegħu (masc.) / tiegħha (fem.) || tiegħu (masc.) / tiegħha (fem.)
| our || tagħna
|-
|-
| our || tagħna || tagħna
| your (plural) || tagħkom
|-
|-
| your (plural) || tagħkom || tagħkom
| their || tagħhom
|-
| their || tagħhom (masc.) / tagħha (fem.) || tagħhom (masc.) / tagħha (fem.)
|}
|}


Note that the possessive pronouns in Maltese are formed by adding the possessive particle "tiegħ" to the personal pronouns. For example, "tiegħi" means "my" in Maltese and is formed by adding the possessive particle "tiegħ" to the personal pronoun "jien".
Examples:
 
Here are some examples of possessive pronouns in use:
 
* Din hija id-dar tiegħi. (This is my house.)
* Din hija id-dar tiegħi. (This is my house.)
* Fittex tiegħek fil-kaxxa ta' it-tieni tolla. (Look for your money in the second drawer.)
* Il-karozza tiegħek tinsab barra. (Your car is outside.)
* Il-biċċa ta' ġewża li jkolli hija tiegħu. (The piece of peanut that I have is his.)
* Il-kotba tagħhom huma fuq il-mejda. (Their books are on the table.)
* L-iskola tagħha ddur ħafna. (Her school is very far.)
* Il-għarbiel irġa' lill-majjal li twieldu u għażilha tiegħu. (The west wind returned the ax that he had lost and chose it.)
* Hawn dejjem ħafna affarijiet tagħna fuq ix-xogħol. (There are always many things of ours on work.)
* Tara kif qegħdin jogħġbu metri ġodda lil tagħkom? (Do you see how they are installing new meters to you?)
* Għamel dan għax kien fis-sider tas-Sajf, sakemm l-lampuki ltaqgħu bil-quccata tagħhom. (He did this because he was in the iron of the Summer, until the lampuki fish meet with their nets.)


=== Demonstrative Pronouns ===
=== Demonstrative Pronouns ===
 
Demonstrative pronouns in Maltese point to specific nouns and vary by gender and number.
Demonstrative pronouns are pronouns that point to a specific person or thing. In Maltese, there are four demonstrative pronouns:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
! English !! Maltese (masculine) !! Maltese (feminine)
! English !! Maltese (masculine) !! Maltese (feminine)
|-
|-
| this || dan (masc.) / danja (fem.) || dan (masc.) / danja (fem.)
| this || dan || din
|-
|-
| that || dik (masc.) / dikja (fem.) || dik (masc.) / dikja (fem.)
| that || dak || dik
|-
|-
| these || dawn (masc.) / dawnija (fem.) || dawn (masc.) / dawnija (fem.)
| these || dawn || dawn
|-
|-
| those || dawk (masc.) / dawkija (fem.) || dawk (masc.) / dawkija (fem.)
| those || dawk || dawk
|}
|}


As you can see from the table above, the demonstrative pronouns in Maltese change based on gender, just like in English. The word "dan" is used to refer to a masculine noun, while "danja" is used to refer to a feminine noun. Similarly, "dik" and "dikja" are used to refer to a masculine and feminine noun respectively when talking about something further away, whereas "dawn" and "dawnija" are used for plural nouns.
Here are a few examples of how to use demonstrative pronouns in Maltese:
Dan it-tieġ (this tea) - referring to a cup of tea that is close to the speaker
Danja l-bajda (this egg) - referring to an egg that is close to the speaker and is feminine
Dik iċ-ċikkulata (that chocolate) - referring to a chocolate that is far away from the speaker and is masculine
Dawn is-sigar (these cigarettes) - referring to a pack of cigarettes that is close to the speaker


{{Maltese-0-to-A1-Course-TOC}}
{{Maltese-0-to-A1-Course-TOC}}

Latest revision as of 22:13, 29 April 2024

◀️ Questions — Previous Lesson Next Lesson — Personal Pronouns ▶️

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Maltese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Nouns and Pronouns → Gender and Plurals

Maltese is a Semitic language spoken by the Maltese people on the islands of Malta in the central Mediterranean. Influenced by many languages throughout its history, including Arabic, Italian, and English, Maltese is rich and unique. In this lesson, we will discuss the gender of nouns and how to form plurals in Maltese.

Gender of Nouns in Maltese[edit | edit source]

In Maltese, every noun has a gender, either masculine or feminine. The gender of a noun often influences its article and adjective forms, and is an essential part of mastering Maltese grammar.

Here are some general rules for determining the gender of nouns in Maltese:

  • Nouns referring to males or male animals are usually masculine, e.g., raġel (man), kelb (dog).
  • Nouns referring to females or female animals are usually feminine, e.g., mara (woman), qattusa (cat).
  • Nouns ending in -a are typically feminine, e.g., sliema (peace), klinika (clinic).
  • Nouns ending in -u or other consonants are generally masculine.

There are exceptions, however, and some nouns must be memorized individually.

Examples of Gender Nouns[edit | edit source]

Maltese Pronunciation English
raġel ra-jel man
mara ma-ra woman
kelb kelb dog
qattusa qat-tu-sa cat
sliema sli-e-ma peace
klinika kli-ni-ka clinic
kitabu ki-ta-bu book
daru da-ru house
ħanut ħa-nut shop
miċrobus miċ-ro-bus minibus

Plurals of Nouns[edit | edit source]

Pluralization in Maltese varies and can be complex. Most commonly, masculine nouns end in -i, while feminine nouns end in -iet. Learning each noun's plural form is necessary due to the numerous exceptions.

Examples of Plural Nouns[edit | edit source]

Singular Plural
raġel (man) irġiel (men)
mara (woman) nisa (women)
kelb (dog) klieb (dogs)
qattusa (cat) qtates (cats)
ktieb (book) kotba (books)
dar (house) dariet (houses)
ktieb (book) again kotba (books)
zmien (time) żminijiet (times)

As demonstrated, plural forms in Maltese are not straightforward and require practice to master.

Pronouns in Maltese[edit | edit source]

Pronouns are critical in Maltese as they replace nouns in sentences, encompassing personal, possessive, and demonstrative forms.

Personal Pronouns[edit | edit source]

Maltese personal pronouns vary by person and gender, with specific forms for masculine and feminine contexts.

English Maltese (masculine) Maltese (feminine)
I jien jien
You (singular) int inti
He hu -
She - hi
It dan (masc.) / danja (fem.) -
We aħna aħna
You (plural) intom intom
They (masculine) huma -
They (feminine) - hin

The third-person singular pronouns (he/she/it) depend on the gender of the noun they refer to.

Examples include:

  • Jien nitħobb is-siġra. (I love the tree.)
  • Int ser tagħmel xogħol tajjeb. (You will do a good job.)
  • Huwa qed iġib il-ballun għall-logħba. (He is bringing the ball for the game.)
  • Hi tixtieq tkellem miegħi. (She wants to talk with me.)

Possessive Pronouns[edit | edit source]

Possessive pronouns in Maltese also agree in gender and number with the nouns they refer to.

English Maltese (common)
my tiegħi
your (singular) tiegħek
his/her tiegħu/tiegħha
our tagħna
your (plural) tagħkom
their tagħhom

Examples:

  • Din hija id-dar tiegħi. (This is my house.)
  • Il-karozza tiegħek tinsab barra. (Your car is outside.)
  • Il-kotba tagħhom huma fuq il-mejda. (Their books are on the table.)

Demonstrative Pronouns[edit | edit source]

Demonstrative pronouns in Maltese point to specific nouns and vary by gender and number.

English Maltese (masculine) Maltese (feminine)
this dan din
that dak dik
these dawn dawn
those dawk dawk


Table of Contents - Maltese Course - 0 to A1[edit source]


Introduction to Maltese Language


Everyday Vocabulary


Basic Sentence Structure


Nouns and Pronouns


Verbs


Adjectives and Adverbs


Food and Drinks


Family and Relationships


Hobbies and Leisure


Maltese History and Traditions


Maltese Cuisine


Travel and Tourism


Other Lessons[edit | edit source]


Sources[edit | edit source]


◀️ Questions — Previous Lesson Next Lesson — Personal Pronouns ▶️

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