Maltese Words To Use When You Want To Show Off
So you consistently win at Scrabble. Your English teacher puts little kisses in your assignment margins. You wear specs and maybe, just maybe, you curl your moustache up into a little hipster twist. Basically, you’re a language wanker, though you’d term yourself an etymological onanist.
However, you’ve yet to achieve that level of semantic self-pleasure in your mother tongue. Do you yearn for the puzzled, yet awed looks of your comrades, as they whisper to each other “dak jixrobha ta’ veru”? Just throw in a couple of these words and you’ll be the Maltese language wanker that you’ve always wanted to be.
1. Biswit
Word mortals would use: “viċin”
Example of use: “Tista’ tqiegħed il-bra biswit l-Xbox, pero’ twaqqagħli xejn jekk ma jimpurtax.”
(“You can place your bra adjacent to the Xbox, but don’t drop anything if you don’t mind.”)
2. Fis
Word mortals would use: “malajr”
Example of use: “Fittex eħlisli mill-kunjata mill-iktar fis possibli!”
(“Get rid of my mother-in-law as soon as possible!”)
3. Dlonk, also ħesrem
Words mortals would use: “f’daqqa waħda”
Example of use: “Hekk kif Darlene poġġiet il-bra biswit l-Xbox, dlonk ħesrem ċempilli l-kappillan.”
(“Just as Darlene placed her bra adjacent to the Xbox, suddenly the parish priest phoned.”)
4. Mitjar
Word mortals would use: “ajruport”
Example of use: “Dfintha lill-kunjata? Mela ejja nerħulha lejn il-mitjar!”
(“Have you buried the mother-in-law? Then let’s go to the airport!”)
5. Magħqad (is-sorm)
Word mortals would use: “siġġu”
Example of use: “Darlene, ħanini, il-penti mhux mal-art, imma fuq il-magħqad jekk jogħġbok.”
(“Darlene, darling, don’t throw your panties on the floor, place them on the chair please.”)
6. Driegħ
Word mortals would use (incorrectly): “id”
Example of use: “Ċens, dfintha sew lill-kunjata? Għax Ġużi qalli li ra driegħ ħiereg mill-ħamrija.”
(“Francis, did you bury the mother-in-law well? Because Joseph said that he saw an arm poking out of the soil.”)
7. Riġel
Word mortals would use (incorrectly): “sieq”
Example of use: “Le, ċuċ! Dak mhux driegh kien, imma riġel!”
(“No, you idiot! That wasn’t an arm, but a leg!”)
8. Niżżikħajr
Word mortals would use: “grazzi”
Example of use: “Niżżikħajr Ċens, serraħtli moħħi!”
(“Thank you Francis, you’ve put my mind at ease!”)
9. Zunnarija
Word mortals would use: “karrotta”
Example of use: “Niżżikħajr Darlene. Tista’ tieħu z-zunnarija miegħek.”
(“Thank you Darlene. You can take the carrot with you.”)
What other words do you think any self-respecting Maltese nerd should know? Leave your examples in our comments on Facebook!
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Post updated to correct spelling error.