Greetings and politeness in Maltese
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Maltese words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Maltese phrases in this lesson
- ĦelloHEL-lo
- Hello
- BonġuBON-joo
- Good morning
- Bonswabon-SWA
- Good evening
- Ċawchow
- Goodbye
- NarakNAH-rak
- See you
- Jekk jogħġbokyek yo-OJ-bok
- Please
- GrazziGRATS-zee
- Thank you
- M'hemmx imniexmem-SHIM-neesh
- You're welcome
- Jiddispjaċiniyid-dis-PYA-chi-nee
- Sorry
- Skużaniskoo-ZA-nee
- Excuse me
- Pjaċir niltaqgħuPYA-cheer nil-TAH-oo
- Nice to meet you
The everyday hello at any hour. Bonġu and bonswa are tied to the time of day.
Used until early afternoon, from the Italian buongiorno. The Maltese ġ is the j in "jam".
Takes over in the afternoon and evening, from the Italian buonasera.
From Italian ciao, the everyday goodbye. "Saħħa" (SAH-ha), health, is the warmer one, and it doubles as the toast.
Literally "I'll see you". To more than one person it is narakom (nah-RAH-kom). Ċaw works for everyone.
The same word serves as "please" when making a request. Tack it on to the end of almost any sentence to soften it. Locals often drop it in casual speech, but tourists are wise to use it.
The everyday thank-you for ordinary transactions. Cashiers, waiters, and taxi drivers all expect this. Maltese speakers often follow it with a nod or a hand gesture.
Literally "there's nothing of it", the everyday reply to thanks.
Literally "it displeases me", the real apology.
From Italian "scusami". Use it to get past someone in a crowd, to flag down a waiter, or to apologize for a small mishap. It works in all those situations without any change.
"Pjaċir" is from Italian "piacere". The "ċ" is always a soft "ch" as in "church". This phrase is warm and genuinely appreciated; Maltese social culture prizes hospitality.