Language/Maltese/Grammar/Maltese-Alphabet

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Maltese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Introduction to Maltese Language → Maltese Alphabet

Maltese is the language of Malta and is spoken by around 400,000 people worldwide. It is considered a Semitic language, which means it belongs to the same language family as Arabic and Hebrew. In this lesson, you will learn the Maltese alphabet, its letters, and their pronunciation.

The Maltese Alphabet

The Maltese alphabet consists of 23 letters, which are written in the Latin script with some diacritics (accents). Here is the complete list of Maltese letters:

Maltese	Pronunciation	English
A a	aː	Ahh
B b	b	Bee
Ċ ċ	tʃ	Ch
Ċċ ġ	dʒ	J (as in jungle)
D d	d	Dee
E e	ɛː	Eh
F f	f	Eff
G g	ɡ	Gee
Għ għ	ʔ	A glottal stop similar to the sound between the vowels in 'oh-oh.'
Ħ ħ	ħ	A guttural H and the eighteenth letter of the Maltese alphabet.
H h	h	Haa
I i	iː	Ee
Ie ie	jɛ	A combination of the "i" and "e" sounds.
J j	j	Yee
K k	k	Kay
L l	l	Ell
M m	m	Emm
N n	n	Enn
O o	ɔː	Ohh
P p	p	Pee
Q q	q	Aspirated velar stop, similar to Arabic "Q" or Hebrew "Kaf"
R r	r	Errr
S s	s	Ess
T t	t	Tee
U u	uː	Ooh
V v	v	Vee
W w	w	Double U or Double Vee
X x	ʃ	Sh
Ż ż	ʒ	Same sound as the "s" in "pleasure," or "g" in beige.
Żż Ẓ ẓ	zˤ	A voiced pharyngeal/uvular fricative, similar to Arabic "Ḍad," and second cousin to the Arabic letter "zay" (ز) or the Hebrew letter “tzade”(צ).

The Maltese alphabet contains some letters that are unique to the language, such as Ċ, Ġ, Ħ, and Ż. These letters are pronounced differently from their counterparts in other languages and must be learned carefully.

In Maltese, every letter is pronounced, and there are no silent letters.

Common Misunderstandings

There is often a misunderstanding that the Maltese language comes from Italian. This is not true. While Maltese has been influenced by other languages, including Sicilian, Italian, and Arabic, it is a unique language with its own grammar, vocabulary, and sound system.

Another common misunderstanding is that Maltese is simply a dialect of Arabic. Although it is true that Maltese has many Arabic loanwords, it is a distinct language in its own right and has evolved independently from Arabic.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Maltese alphabet consists of 23 letters, including some that are unique to the language, and each letter has its own pronunciation. Understanding the Maltese alphabet is a crucial step in learning the language and will help you in your journey to becoming proficient in Maltese.

Table of Contents - Maltese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Maltese Language

• Maltese Alphabet
• Basic Maltese Phrases

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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

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjectives
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Drinks

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

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

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Hobbies and Leisure

• Sports
• Entertainment

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Maltese History and Traditions

• Historical Events
• Festivals and Celebrations

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Maltese Cuisine

• Traditional Dishes
• Eating Out

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Travel and Tourism

• Popular Destinations
• Travel Tips

Other Lessons

• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Present Tense
• Basic Maltese Phrases
• Future Tense
• Past Tense
• Irregular Verbs
• Pronouns
• How to Use Have
• Gender and Plurals
• Subject Verb Object Order

Sources

• Maltese language - Wikipedia
• History of the Maltese Language – Vassallo History
• Maltese alphabet - Wikipedia

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