Moving beyond simple facts, this chapter will teach you how to express your thoughts, share your point of view, and engage in discussions by agreeing or disagreeing.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
| Maltese Phrase | English Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Naħseb li... (NAH-seb li...) | I think that... |
| Fl-opinjoni tiegħi... (fl-o-pin-YONI TEE-eye...) | In my opinion... |
| Jidhirli li... (yid-HIR-li li...) | It seems to me that... |
| Nemmen li... (NEM-men li...) | I believe that... |
Example: Naħseb li dan il-ktieb huwa interessanti. (I think that this book is interesting.)
| Maltese Phrase | English Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Naqbel. (NA'-bel.) | I agree. |
| Għandek raġun. (AN-dek ra-JOON.) | You are right. |
| Hekk hu. (Hekk oo.) | That's right. / It is so. |
| Eżatt. (e-ZATT.) | Exactly. |
| Maltese Phrase | English Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Ma naqbilx. (Ma NA'-bilsh.) | I don't agree. |
| M'għandekx raġun. (Ma-an-DEKSH ra-JOON.) | You are not right. |
| Ma naħsibx. (Ma NAH-sibsh.) | I don't think so. |
| Mhux eżatt. (Moosh e-ZATT.) | Not exactly. (Polite) |
Master these phrases for expressing opinions.
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Read the mini-dialogue and determine if the second speaker agrees or disagrees.
Pawlu: Naħseb li t-temp se jkun sabiħ għada.
Marija: Ma naħsibx. Jidhirli li se tagħmel ix-xita.
Marija disagrees.
Here is a statement: "Il-pizza hija l-aħjar ikel." (Pizza is the best food.)
Maltese people are known for being passionate and expressive. Discussions, especially about topics like politics, the village `festa`, or football (`futbol`), can become very animated and lively. What might seem like an argument to an outsider is often just a normal, passionate exchange of opinions among friends or family.
Disagreeing is a natural part of these conversations and is not usually taken personally. Learning phrases like `Għandek raġun` and `Ma naqbilx` is key to participating. The conversation often ends with a shrug and a `mela`, signifying that despite the different opinions, the social bond is what's most important.
Anna and David discuss a movie they just watched.
David: Mela, kif kien il-film? Għoġbok? (ME-la, kif keen il-film? o-JOK-bok?)
Anna: Biex ngħid il-verità, ma tantx għoġobni. Fl-opinjoni tiegħi, kien ftit bil-mod. (Byesh n'AID il-ve-ri-TA, ma tanch o-JOM-ni. fl-o-pin-YONI TEE-eye, keen ftit bil-mod.)
David: Tassew? Jien ma naqbilx. Naħseb li l-istorja kienet interessanti ħafna. (tass-SEW? Yen ma NA'-bilsh. NAH-seb li lis-TOR-ya KEE-net in-te-res-SAN-ti HAF-na.)
Anna: Iva, l-istorja kienet tajba, għandek raġun f'hekk. Imma l-atturi ma tantx nemmen li kienu tajbin. (EE-va, lis-TOR-ya KEE-net TAI-ba, AN-dek ra-JOON f'hekk. Im-ma l-at-TOO-ri ma tanch NEM-men li KEE-noo TAI-been.)
David: Hemmhekk naqbel miegħek. Speċjalment l-attur prinċipali. (emm-EKK NA'-bel MEE-ek. spe-chyal-MENT l-at-TOOR prin-chi-PA-li.)
Anna: Eżatt! Kien ħażin ħafna. (e-ZATT! Keen ha-ZEEN HAF-na.)
David: So, how was the film? Did you like it?
Anna: To tell you the truth, I didn't like it that much. In my opinion, it was a bit slow.
David: Really? I don't agree. I think that the story was very interesting.
Anna: Yes, the story was good, you're right about that. But I don't really believe the actors were good.
David: There I agree with you. Especially the main actor.
Anna: Exactly! He was very bad.
Prosit! You can now participate in discussions and share what you think. Another very common topic of conversation in Malta is the weather. In the next chapter, `It-Temp u l-Istaġuni` (The Weather & Seasons), you'll learn how to talk about the sun, rain, and the different seasons of the year.