Maltese Phrases – 100+ Common Phrases with Pronunciation

The most useful Maltese phrases for everyday conversations – with IPA pronunciation, English translation, and practical tips from a language learning expert.

Learning a few key phrases before visiting Malta makes a real difference. Having spent 18 years studying languages myself – and having arrived in Norway in 2005 without speaking a single word – I know from personal experience that even basic phrases open doors. When I first greeted a colleague in Norwegian, his entire attitude towards me changed. The same applies to Maltese: locals genuinely appreciate the effort, because almost no tourists try.

This guide covers the phrases you’ll actually need – from greetings and goodbyes to introducing yourself, apologising, and understanding signs. Every phrase includes IPA phonetic transcription so you know exactly how to pronounce it, even if you’ve never heard Maltese spoken before.

Maltese is the only Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet, blending Arabic roots with Italian and English vocabulary. That mix makes pronunciation more accessible than you’d expect – but it also means a few sounds will be completely new to you. The IPA transcriptions below will help you get them right.

How to greet someone in Maltese

Greetings are the first thing you need in any language. In Maltese, the most universal greeting is Merħba (welcome) – you can use it in almost any situation. For time-specific greetings, Maltese follows a similar pattern to Italian, which makes sense given the strong historical connection.

English	Maltese	IPA
Welcome	Merħba	[ˈmɛrħa]
Good day to you!	Il-ġurnata t-tajba lilek!	[ɪl d͡ʒʊrˈnaː ta ˈtaj ba ˈlɪː lɛk]
Good morning to you!	L-għodwa t-tajba lilek!	[lˈʔɔd wa ˈtaj ba ˈlɪː lɛk]
Good evening!	Il-lejla t-tajba!	[ɪl ˈlɛj la ˈtaj ba]
Good to see you.	Tajjeb li narak.	[ˈtaj jɛb lɪ naˈraːk]
I’m glad to see you.	Inħossni kuntent li narak.	[ɪnˈħɔs.nɪ kunˈtɛnt lɪ naˈraːk]

Tip: In everyday situations in Malta, you’ll often hear just a casual “Merħba” or even “Hello” (English is widely spoken). But using the Maltese greetings – especially “L-għodwa t-tajba” in the morning – earns you immediate respect. I’ve experienced this pattern in every language I’ve learned: the effort matters more than perfection.

If you are greeted in Maltese, the best way to respond is as follows:

English	Maltese	IPA
Have a nice day too!	Il-ġurnata t-tajba wkoll lilek!	[ɪl d͡ʒʊrˈnaːta ˈtaj ba ˈwɔkɔlt ˈlɪːlɛk]
Thanks, it’s nice to see you too.	Grazzi, sabiħ li narak ukoll.	[ˈɡrat͡tsi saˈbɪːħ lɪ naˈraːk ˈwɔkɔl]

Asking “How are you?” in Maltese

As in most cultures, asking how someone is doing is a standard part of any conversation in Malta. The two most common ways are:

English	Maltese	IPA
How are you doing?	Kif inti?	[kɪf ˈɪn.tɪ]
Are you doing well?	Inti tajjeb?	[ˈɪn.tɪ ˈtaj.jɛb]

If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:

English	Maltese	IPA
Thank you for asking, I am fine.	Grazzi talli staqsejt, jien tajjeb.	[ˈɡrat.t͡si ˈtal.li staʔˈsɛjt ˈjiːɛn ˈtaj.jɛb]
Thank you, I am fine.	Grazzi, jien tajjeb.	[ˈɡrat.t͡si ˈjiːɛn ˈtaj.jɛb]
Thank you, I am not doing so well.	Grazzi, mhux għaddej daqshekk tajjeb.	[ˈɡrat.t͡si ˈmuʃ ʔadˈdej daʔsˈsɛk ˈtaj.jɛb]
Thanks, I’m fine. How are you doing?	Grazzi, jien tajjeb. Kif inti?	[ˈɡrat.t͡si ˈjiːɛn ˈtaj.jɛb | kɪf ˈɪn.tɪ]

*

Want to learn these phrases in context? See our full Maltese Language Course review.

How to say goodbye in Maltese

Saying goodbye in Maltese is straightforward. The most casual option is Ċaw – which sounds exactly like the Italian “ciao” and works in any informal situation. For something warmer, Narak dalwaqt (see you soon) is perfect when you expect to meet again.

English	Maltese	IPA
Goodbye!	Ċaw!	[ˈt͡ʃaʊ]
Take care of yourself!	Saħħa!	[ˈsaħ.sa]
See you tomorrow	Narak għada	[ˈna.rak ˈʔa.da]
See you soon	Narak dalwaqt	[ˈna.rak dal.ˈwaʔt]
See you later	Narak iktar tard	[ˈna.rak ˈɪk.tar ˈtard]
Good night	Il-lejl it-tajjeb	[ɪl ˈlɛjl ɪt ˈtaj.jɛb]
Sleep well	Oħlom sabiħ	[ˈɔħ.lɔm sa.ˈbiːħ]
Talk to you later	Nitkellmu iktar tard	[nɪtˈkɛl.mu ˈɪk.tar ˈtard]
Nice to have met you!	Għandi pjaċir niltaqa’ miegħek!	[ˈʔan.di pjaˈt͡ʃiːr nɪlˈta.ʔa ˈmiː.jɛk]

Pronunciation note: The word Saħħa (take care) contains the Maltese letter “ħ”, which is a voiceless pharyngeal fricative – similar to a strong, breathy “h”. It doesn’t exist in English, but if you exhale deeply while saying “ha”, you’re close. This is one of the sounds that makes Maltese distinct from Italian, despite the many shared words.

How to introduce yourself in Maltese

When travelling in Malta, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Naturally, you’ll want to introduce yourself in Maltese and know who you’re talking to.

English	Maltese	IPA
My name is Jonas.	Jisimni Jonas.	[ˈjɪsɪmnɪ ˈjoːnas]
What is your name?	X’jismek?	[ʃɪsˈmɛk]
What is your surname?	X’inhu kunjomok?	[ʃˈɪn.u kunˈjɔːmɔk]
What is your first name?	X’inhu l-isem tiegħek?	[ʃˈɪn.u lˈɪ.sɛm ˈtaj.jɛk]

If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:

English	Maltese	IPA
Where do you come from?	Minn fejn ġej?	[mɪn ˈfejn d͡ʒɛj]
I am from London.	Jien minn Londra.	[ˈjiɛn mɪn ˈlɔn.dra]
Are you from Birmingham?	Int minn Birmingham?	[ˈɪnt mɪn ˈbɪɾ.mɪŋ.ɛm]
No, I’m from Madrid.	Le, jien minn Madrid.	[ˈlɛ ˈjiɛn mɪn maˈdɾɪd]
Great, I’m from Madrid too.	Kbir! Jien ukoll minn Madrid.	[kˈbɪːr ˈjiɛn ʊˈkɔl mɪn maˈdɾɪd]
Where do you live?	Fejn toqgħod?	[ˈfejn ˈtɔʔ.ɔd]
I live in Berlin.	Jien noqgħod Berlin.	[ˈjiɛn ˈnɔʔ.ɔd bɛɾˈliːn]

If you have problems with your Maltese, it is good to know which languages are still spoken:

English	Maltese	IPA
Do you speak English?	Tkellem bl-Ingliż?	[tˈkɛl.lɛm bl ɪnˈɡliːz]
Yes, I speak English.	Iva, nitkellem bl-Ingliż.	[ˈiː.va nɪtˈkɛl.lɛm bl ɪnˈɡliːz]
Yes, I speak some English.	Iva, nitkellem ftit bl-Ingliż.	[ˈiː.va nɪtˈkɛl.lɛm ftit bl ɪnˈɡliːz]
No, I do not speak any English.	Le, ma nitkellimx bl-Ingliż.	[ˈlɛ ma nɪtˈkɛl.lɪmʃ bl ɪnˈɡliːz]
I only speak English.	Nitkellem biss bl-Ingliż.	[nɪtˈkɛl.lɛm bɪs bl ɪnˈɡliːz]
I understand some Maltese.	Nifhem ftit Malti.	[ˈnɪf.ɛm ftit ˈmal.tɪ]

Practical tip: Most Maltese people speak excellent English – it’s an official language of Malta alongside Maltese. So you won’t be stranded if your Maltese runs out. But from my experience across five languages, switching to the local language, even just for greetings and basic phrases, completely changes how people interact with you. It signals respect.

Useful Maltese sentences with “I am…”

The following sentences will help you express your situation, needs, and feelings in Maltese. The structure is simple: most start with Jien (I/I am) or Għandi (I have – used for physical states like hunger and thirst, similar to Romance languages).

English	Maltese	IPA
I am English.	Jien Ingliż.	[ˈjiɛn ɪnˈɡliːz]
I am injured.	Jien imweġġaʼ.	[ˈjiɛn ɪmˈwɛd͡ʒ.ja]
I am here.	Jien hawn.	[ˈjiɛn haʊn]
I am hungry.	Għandi l-ġuħ.	[ˈʔan.dɪl ˈd͡ʒuːħ]
I am thirsty.	Għandi l-għatx.	[ˈʔan.dɪl ˈʔat͡ʃ]
I need help!	Għandi bżonn għajnuna!	[ˈʔan.dɪ bˈzɔn ˈʔaj.nu.na]
I am tired.	Jien għajjien.	[ˈjiɛn ʔajˈjɛn]
I am happy.	Jien kuntent.	[ˈjiɛn kunˈtɛnt]
I am sad.	Jien imdejjaq.	[ˈjiɛn ɪmˈdɛj.jaq]
I am in love.	Jien nħobb.	[ˈjiɛn nˈħɔbː]
I am ill.	Jien marid.	[ˈjiɛn maˈrid]
I am ready.	Jien lest.	[ˈjiɛn lɛst]
I am busy.	Jien okkupat.	[ˈjiɛn ɔk.kuˈpat]
I am lost.	Jien mitluf.	[ˈjiɛn mɪtˈluːf]
I am a tourist.	Jien turist.	[ˈjiɛn tuˈrɪst]
I am new here.	Jien ġdid hawn.	[ˈjiɛn d͡ʒdɪd haʊn]
I am a teacher.	Jien għalliem.	[ˈjiɛn ʔalˈlɪːɛm]
I am late.	Jien tard.	[ˈjiɛn taɾd]
I am 30 years old.	Għandi tletin sena.	[ˈʔan.dɪ tlɛˈtiːn ˈsɛ.na]
I am in a hurry.	Jien mgħaġġel.	[ˈjiɛn mʔad͡ʒːɛl]
I am surprised.	Jien sorpriż.	[ˈjiɛn sɔrˈpriːz]
I am angry.	Jien irrabjat.	[ˈjiɛn ɪrːabˈjat]

Grammar note: Notice how Maltese uses Għandi (literally “I have”) for physical states like hunger, thirst, and age – just like French uses “j’ai faim” or Spanish “tengo hambre”. If you’ve studied any Romance language, this pattern will feel familiar. It’s one of many examples of how Maltese blends Semitic structure with European influences.

How to apologise in Maltese

Here’s how to apologise to a Maltese speaker:

English	Maltese	IPA
I apologise.	Niskuża ruħi.	[nɪsˈkuː.za ˈruː.ħɪ]
Sorry, that was not the intention.	Skużani, dik ma kinitx l-intenzjoni.	[skuˈza.nɪ dɪk ma ˈkɪ.nɪtʃ lɪn.tɛnˈt͡sjo.nɪ]
Sorry, I did not do it on purpose.	Skużani, ma għamiltiex apposta.	[skuˈza.nɪ ma ʔa.mɪlˈtɛːʃ apˈpɔs.ta]
Sorry, that was very clumsy of me.	Skużani, kont tassew sgojta.	[skuˈza.nɪ kɔnt tasˈsɛw ˈsɡɔj.ta]

*

More about the Maltese Online Language Course.

Useful signs and notices in Maltese

When you’re walking around Valletta, Mdina, or any Maltese town, you’ll encounter these signs and notices regularly. Knowing what they mean saves you from awkward situations.

English	Maltese	IPA
Entrance	Dħul	[dħuːl]
Toilet	Tojlit	[ˈtɔjlɪt]
Exit	Ħruġ	[ħruːd͡ʒ]
Attention!	Attenzjoni!	[atːɛnˈtsjɔːnɪ]
Police	Pulizija	[pulɪˈzɪːja]
Emergency services	Servizzi ta’ emerġenza	[sɛrˈvɪt͡sɪ ta ɛmɛrˈd͡ʒɛnt͡sa]
Fire brigade	Brigata tan-nar	[brɪˈɡaːta tan ˈnaːr]
Passage forbidden.	Passaġġ projbit.	[paˈsad͡ʒ ˈprɔj.bɪt]
Caution!	Attenzjoni!	[atːɛnˈtsjɔːnɪ]
This building is under video surveillance.	Dan il-bini huwa taħt sorveljanza bil-vidjo.	[dan ɪlˈbɪ.nɪ ˈħuː.wa taħt sɔr.vɛlˈjan.t͡sa bɪlˈvɪ.djɔ]

Numbers 1 to 25 in Maltese

Counting in Maltese follows a Semitic number system for 1–10, then switches to a more predictable pattern from 11 onwards. If you know Arabic numbers, you’ll spot similarities. If not, the pattern from 11–19 (base number + “tax”) is easy to memorise.

English	Maltese	IPA
1	Wieħed	[ˈwiːħɛd]
2	Tnejn	[ˈtnɛjn]
3	Tlieta	[ˈtlɪːta]
4	Erbgħa	[ˈɛrbʔa]
5	Ħamsa	[ˈħam.sa]
6	Sitta	[ˈsɪt.ta]
7	Sebgħa	[ˈsɛbʔa]
8	Tmienja	[tmɪːˈn.ja]
9	Disgħa	[ˈdɪzʔa]
10	Għaxra	[ˈʔaʃ.ra]
11	Ħdax	[ˈħdaʃ]
12	Tnax	[ˈtnaʃ]
13	Tlettax	[tlɛtˈtaʃ]
14	Erbatax	[ɛrbəˈtaʃ]
15	Ħmistax	[ħmɪsˈtaʃ]
16	Sittax	[sɪtˈtaʃ]
17	Sbatax	[sbəˈtaʃ]
18	Tmintax	[tmɪnˈtaʃ]
19	Dsatax	[dsəˈtaʃ]
20	Għoxrin	[ˈʔɔʃ.rɪn]
21	Wieħed u għoxrin	[ˈwiːħɛd u ˈʔɔʃ.rɪn]
22	Tnejn u għoxrin	[ˈtnɛjn u ˈʔɔʃ.rɪn]
23	Tlieta u għoxrin	[ˈtlɪːta u ˈʔɔʃ.rɪn]
24	Erbgħa u għoxrin	[ˈɛrbʔa u ˈʔɔʃ.rɪn]
25	Ħamsa u għoxrin	[ˈħam.sa u ˈʔɔʃ.rɪn]

Colours in Maltese

The most common colours in Maltese with phonetic transcription for pronunciation.

English	Maltese	IPA
Red	Aħmar	[ˈaħ.mar]
Blue	Ikħal	[ˈɪk.ħal]
Yellow	Isfar	[ˈɪs.far]
Green	Aħdar	[ˈaħ.dar]
Black	Iswed	[ˈɪs.wɛd]
White	Abjad	[ˈab.jad]
Orange	Oranġjo	[ɔˈran.d͡ʒɔ]
Purple	Vjola	[ˈvjɔ.la]
Pink	Roża	[ˈrɔː.za]
Brown	Kannella	[kanˈnɛl.la]

Days of the week, months, and seasons in Maltese

You’ll need these for making appointments, understanding opening hours, or simply following a conversation about plans. The Maltese days of the week are based on numbers (Monday = “the two”, Tuesday = “the three”), which is a Semitic pattern quite different from the planetary system used in English.

English	Maltese	IPA
Days of the Week
Monday	It-Tnejn	[ɪtˈtnɛjn]
Tuesday	It-Tlieta	[ɪtˈtlɪːta]
Wednesday	L-Erbgħa	[lˈɛrbʔa]
Thursday	Il-Ħamis	[ɪlˈħaːmɪs]
Friday	Il-Ġimgħa	[ɪlˈd͡ʒɪmʔa]
Saturday	Is-Sibt	[ɪsˈsɪbt]
Sunday	Il-Ħadd	[ɪlˈħadː]
Months
January	Jannar	[ˈjanːar]
February	Frar	[frar]
March	Marzu	[ˈmart͡su]
April	April	[aˈprɪl]
May	Mejju	[ˈmɛj.ju]
June	Ġunju	[ˈd͡ʒuː.nju]
July	Lulju	[ˈluːl.ju]
August	Awwissu	[awˈwɪs.su]
September	Settembru	[sɛtˈtɛm.bru]
October	Ottubru	[ɔtˈtuː.bru]
November	Novembru	[nɔˈvɛm.bru]
December	Diċembru	[dɪˈt͡ʃɛm.bru]
Seasons
Spring	Rebbiegħa	[rɛbˈbɪː.ja]
Summer	Sajf	[saɪf]
Autumn	Ħarifa	[ħaˈriː.fa]
Winter	Xitwa	[ˈʃɪt.wa]

*

Saying please and thank you in Maltese

Politeness goes a long way in Malta. Grazzi (thank you) is the single most useful word you can learn – you’ll use it dozens of times a day. The word comes directly from Italian “grazie”, so if you’ve ever been to Italy, it will feel familiar immediately.

English	Maltese	IPA
Please	Jekk jogħġbok	[jɛk ˈjɔħ.d͡ʒbɔk]
Thank you	Grazzi	[ˈɡrat.t͡si]
Thank you very much	Grazzi ħafna	[ˈɡrat.t͡si ˈħaf.na]
You’re welcome	M’hemmx	[ˈmɛmːʃ]
Excuse me	Skużani	[skuˈza.nɪ]
No problem	M’hemm l-ebda problema	[mɛm lˈɛb.da prɔˈblɛː.ma]
That’s very kind of you	Kemm int ġentili	[kɛm ɪnt d͡ʒɛnˈtiː.lɪ]
With pleasure	Bi pjaċir	[bɪ pjaˈt͡ʃiːr]

Tip: In shops and restaurants, a simple “Grazzi” with a smile works perfectly. For more formal situations – like asking a stranger for help – start with “Skużani” (excuse me) followed by your request and “jekk jogħġbok” (please) at the end. This is the same polite structure you’d use in Italian or French, and it’s the approach I always recommend to beginners: learn the polite frame first, then fill in the content vocabulary later.

At the restaurant – ordering food in Maltese

Malta has a wonderful food culture, and ordering in Maltese – even if the waiter speaks English – adds to the experience. Maltese cuisine blends Mediterranean and North African influences, and many dishes have names you won’t find in any other language.

English	Maltese	IPA
A table for two, please	Mejda għal tnejn, jekk jogħġbok	[ˈmɛj.da ʔal tnɛjn jɛk ˈjɔħ.d͡ʒbɔk]
The menu, please	Il-menu, jekk jogħġbok	[ɪl mɛˈnuː jɛk ˈjɔħ.d͡ʒbɔk]
I would like…	Nixtieq…	[nɪʃˈtɪːq]
Water	Ilma	[ˈɪl.ma]
Beer	Birra	[ˈbɪr.ra]
Wine	Inbid	[ˈɪn.bɪd]
Coffee	Kafè	[kaˈfɛː]
Bread	Ħobż	[ħɔbz]
Fish	Ħut	[ħuːt]
The bill, please	Il-kont, jekk jogħġbok	[ɪl kɔnt jɛk ˈjɔħ.d͡ʒbɔk]
It was delicious!	Kien bnin!	[kɪːɛn bnɪːn]
I am vegetarian	Jien veġetarjan	[ˈjiɛn vɛd͡ʒɛtarˈjan]

Local food tip: If you want to sound like you know Malta, order pastizzi (flaky pastry filled with ricotta or peas) – it’s the national snack. At a village bakery, just say “Tnejn pastizzi, jekk jogħġbok” (two pastizzi, please) and you’ll get a nod of approval.

Asking for directions in Maltese

Getting around Malta often involves asking locals for help, especially in the older towns where GPS can be unreliable. These phrases will help you navigate.

English	Maltese	IPA
Where is…?	Fejn hu…?	[fɛjn ˈħuː]
Where is the bus stop?	Fejn hi l-bus stop?	[fɛjn ˈħɪ l bʌs stɔp]
Where is the pharmacy?	Fejn hi l-ispiżerija?	[fɛjn ˈħɪ lɪspɪzɛˈriː.ja]
Where is the hospital?	Fejn hu l-isptar?	[fɛjn ˈħuː lɪsˈptaːr]
Turn left	Dur lejn ix-xellug	[duːr lɛjn ɪʃˈʃɛl.luɡ]
Turn right	Dur lejn il-lemin	[duːr lɛjn ɪlˈlɛː.mɪn]
Straight ahead	Dritt ‘il quddiem	[drɪtt ɪl ˈʔud.diːɛm]
Is it far?	Hu ‘l bogħod?	[ħuː l ˈbɔː.ɔd]
Can you show me on the map?	Tista’ turini fuq il-mappa?	[ˈtɪs.ta tuˈriː.nɪ fuːq ɪl ˈmap.pa]
I am looking for…	Qed infittex…	[ʔɛd ɪnˈfɪt.tɛʃ]

Practical note: Malta’s public transport system uses a single bus network centred on Valletta. Most bus drivers speak English, but knowing “Fejn hi l-bus stop?” can save you when you’re in a smaller village. From my experience navigating unfamiliar places in Scandinavian countries, having direction phrases ready – even written on your phone – removes a lot of stress.

Emergency phrases in Maltese

Hopefully you’ll never need these, but it’s wise to know them. Malta’s emergency number is 112 (same as across the EU).

English	Maltese	IPA
Help!	Għajnuna!	[ˈʔaj.nu.na]
Call an ambulance!	Ċempel ambulanza!	[ˈt͡ʃɛm.pɛl am.buˈlan.t͡sa]
Call the police!	Ċempel il-pulizija!	[ˈt͡ʃɛm.pɛl ɪl pu.lɪˈzɪː.ja]
I need a doctor	Għandi bżonn tabib	[ˈʔan.dɪ bˈzɔn taˈbiːb]
There has been an accident	Kien hemm inċident	[kɪːɛn ɛm ɪnˈt͡ʃɪː.dɛnt]
I lost my passport	Tlift il-passaport tiegħi	[tlɪft ɪl pas.saˈpɔrt ˈtiː.ɪ]
Where is the nearest hospital?	Fejn hu l-eqreb sptar?	[fɛjn ˈħuː lˈɛʔ.rɛb ˈsptaːr]
I have been robbed	Ġejt misruq	[d͡ʒɛjt mɪsˈruːq]
Fire!	Nar!	[naːr]

Continue learning:

• Maltese Language Course – Full review and comparison
• The different ways of learning languages
• Learning vocabulary successfully
• Motivated language learning
• It is so easy to train your understanding of a language at the same time
• Learning languages quickly? – Is it possible?
• The different types of learners when learning languages