The Maltese language is a beautiful thing. It has evolved over centuries to become the expressionist language that we have all come to know and love.

We all know Maltese is the best language for nearly any occasion, but if you a little deeper into the country’s traditions and history, you will find a list of hard AF tongue twisters.

Melded over the years, these insane sentences will be challenging whether you are a proper Maltese speaker, you speak with a djalett, or you learned it as a second language.

However you know the language, let’s see if you can make it through all of these sentences. Try saying these sentences out loud five times in a row. If you can do all 17 without a problem, consider nominating yourself for the Gieh Ir-Repubblika. 

1. All the small things

Il-pespus pespes pespisa lil pespusa tal-pespus. Meta il-pespus pespes il-pespisa, il-pespusa pespset.

2. Got truck?

Trakk fuq trakk. Trakk taħt trakk.

3. The Toni conundrum

Toni tagħna tani tina talli tajtu tuta tajba. Trid tarah lil Toni tagħna tiela’ it-tela tat-Tintillu. ‘Ta’ Toni, tin tlieta tonn. Tatinix tonn tinten, tin tonn tajjeb, ta’ Ton.’

4. Problematic plates

Platti ċatti platti fondi, int u tiekol tikkonfondi.

5. Only in Malta

Ir-Re ta’ l-Ingilterra, gie Malta jixtri t-terra mela fl-Ingilterra m’hemmx terra biex ir-Re ta’ l-Ingilterra, gie Malta jixtri t-terra

6. Hangin’ about

Qafas tal-qasab imdendel mas-saqaf

7. Have you heard of this guy?

Luqa mlaqqam il-lagħaqi lagħaq lagħqha ‘l-qargħa li qala’ u qela bil-għaqal

8. His Majesty’s Service

Dari rari tara Re, tara Lira tara Re

9. Peachy keen

Ħawha ħamra mħawwla fil-ħamrija ħamra ta’ Ħararaw

10. More problematic plates

Platt fuq platt, platt taht platt

11. Every single winter

Tqaħqaħt tqaħqieqa u t-tqaħqieħa li tqaħqaħt kienet tqaħqieħa kbira.

12. Is Batti Platti even a real place tho?

Ir-re ta’ Batti Platti, mar biex jixtri l-platti ċatti; mela f’Batti Platti m’għandux platti ċatti biex mar jixtri l-platti ċatti bod minn artu Batti Platti.

13. Toni part two

Toni tagħna tani tina tonda talli tajtu tuta tajba talli tela it-telgħa tat-Tramuntana

14. Ġorġ’s wild night out

Ġorġ raġa’ ġà mill-gaġġa tal-ġgant

15. Short and sweet

Tapp itik hu, tapp ittik hu

16. Just like travelling

Patri minn Napli mar Kapri ghall-papri mela f’Napli m’hemmx papri biex patri minn Napli mar Kapri ghall-papri

Which of these tongue twisters is your favourite?

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Johnathan Cilia

Johnathan is an award-winning Maltese journalist interested in social justice, politics, minority issues, music and food. Follow him at @supreofficialmt on Instagram, and send him news, food and music stories at [email protected]