Let's put your new vocabulary to use in a practical setting! This chapter will teach you the essential phrases and more specific vocabulary needed for shopping at a Maltese market.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
| Maltese | Phonetic Guide | English |
|---|---|---|
| tuffieħa | (tuf-FEE-ha) | apple |
| larinġa | (la-RIN-ja) | orange |
| banana | (ba-NA-na) | banana |
| tadam | (ta-DAM) | tomatoes |
| ħassa | (HASS-sa) | lettuce |
| basla | (BAS-la) | onion |
| Maltese Phrase | Phonetic Guide | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Kemm jiswa? | (kemm YIS-wa?) | How much does it cost? (for one item) |
| Kemm jiswew? | (kemm YIS-wew?) | How much do they cost? (for multiple items) |
| Nixtieq... | (nish-TEEK...) | I would like... |
| Agħtini..., jekk jogħġbok. | (aa-TEE-nee... yek YOJ-bok) | Give me..., please. |
| Għandek...? | (AN-dek...?) | Do you have...? |
| Xi ħaġa oħra? | (shi HA-ja OH-ra?) | Anything else? |
Example Sentences:
Master the vocabulary for shopping at the market.
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Match the Maltese question to its English meaning.
Kemm jiswa? ( ) Do you have apples?
Għandek tuffieħ? ( ) How much do they cost?
Kemm jiswew? ( ) How much does it cost?Kemm jiswa? → How much does it cost?
Għandek tuffieħ? → Do you have apples?
Kemm jiswew? → How much do they cost?You want to buy two kilos of oranges (`larinġ`). What would you say?
Nixtieq żewġ kilo larinġ, jekk jogħġbok. (nish-TEEK zewj KEE-lo la-RINJ, yek YOJ-bok.)
Open-air markets, or `is-suq`, are a vibrant and essential part of Maltese life. While supermarkets are common, many locals still prefer to buy their fresh produce, fish, and other goods from their village market, which often sets up once a week. The most famous is the Sunday fish market in Marsaxlokk, a colorful fishing village where you can buy the day's catch directly from the fishermen.
Bargaining is not as common in Maltese markets as in other parts of the world, especially for produce. Prices are usually fixed. However, building a friendly rapport with a vendor (`bejjiegħ`) can sometimes get you a little extra or the best pick of the day. Using a bit of Maltese, like a polite `Nixtieq...`, goes a long way!
Anna goes to the market to buy some fruit.
Anna: Bonġu! Għandek tuffieħ, jekk jogħġbok? (BON-joo! AN-dek tuf-FEEH, yek YOJ-bok?)
Bejjiegħ: Iva, għandi. Għandi aħmar u aħdar. (EE-va, AN-dee. AN-dee AH-mar oo AH-dar.)
Anna: Nixtieq sitt tuffieħat ħomor. Kemm jiswew? (nish-TEEK sit tuf-fee-HET HO-mor. Kemm YIS-wew?)
Bejjiegħ: Dawk jiswew żewġ ewro. (Dawk YIS-wew zewj EW-ro.)
Anna: Tajjeb. U kemm tiswa l-banana? (TAI-yeb. Oo kemm TIS-wa l-ba-NA-na?)
Bejjiegħ: Tiswa tliet ewro l-kilo. (TIS-wa tleet EW-ro l-KEE-lo.)
Anna: Grazzi. Mhux se nieħu banana llum. Dak kollox, grazzi. (GRAT-si. Moosh se NEE-hoo ba-NA-na il-LOOM. Dak KOL-losh, GRAT-si.)
Anna: Hello! Do you have apples, please?
Vendor: Yes, I do. I have red and green.
Anna: I would like six red apples. How much do they cost?
Vendor: Those cost two euro.
Anna: Good. And how much do the bananas cost?
Vendor: They cost three euro per kilo.
Anna: Thanks. I will not take bananas today. That's all, thank you.
`tuffieħa` (apple), `larinġa` (orange), `tadam` (tomatoes), `ħassa` (lettuce), `basla` (onion), `bejjiegħ` (vendor), `ewro` (euro), `kilo` (kilo).
`Kemm jiswa?` (How much is it?), `Kemm jiswew?` (How much are they?), `Nixtieq...` (I would like...), `Agħtini...` (Give me...).
Prosit! You're now equipped to handle a basic shopping trip. In the next chapter, we'll shift our focus from the market to the home, learning vocabulary for different rooms and common furniture.