Welcome to Level 4! We begin with the subjunctive, a verb mood used to express things that are not certain: wishes, possibilities, doubts, or purpose. In Maltese, its most common use is to explain *why* an action is done.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
While the subjunctive can be complex, its most frequent and practical use in Maltese is straightforward. It is used to express purpose, and the key trigger word is `biex`, which means "to," "in order to," or "so that."
The rule is simple: the verb that follows `biex` takes the present tense form.
Action Clause + `biex` + Purpose Clause (Present Tense)
| Maltese Sentence | Breakdown |
|---|---|
| Jien nistudja biex ngħaddi mill-eżami. | I study in order to pass the exam. (`ngħaddi` = I pass) |
| Huwa mar il-ħanut biex jixtri l-ħobż. | He went to the shop to buy bread. (`jixtri` = he buys) |
| Se nċempillek aktar tard biex nitkellmu. | I will call you later so that we can talk. (`nitkellmu` = we talk) |
| Agħtini l-ktieb biex naqrah. | Give me the book so I can read it. (`naqrah` = I read it) |
The subjunctive is also used after verbs expressing desire or necessity, like `irrid` (I want) or `għandi bżonn` (I need).
Master the use of the subjunctive with `biex`.
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In the sentences below, what is the purpose of the action?
Combine the two ideas into one sentence using `biex`.
The subjunctive of purpose with `biex` is incredibly common in everyday Maltese because it's the primary way to answer the question "Why?" (`Għaliex?`). It adds logic and reason to conversation. For example:
Speaker A: `Għaliex qed titgħallem il-Malti?` (Why are you learning Maltese?)
Speaker B: `Qed nitgħallem il-Malti **biex** inkun nista' nkellem lin-nanniet tiegħi.` (I am learning Maltese **so that** I can speak with my grandparents.)
This structure is fundamental to explaining motivations, making plans, and clarifying intentions, making it a powerful tool for deeper communication.
Marija explains why she's so busy this week.
Pawlu: Marija, tidher għajjiena. Kollox sew? (Ma-REE-ya, TID-her ay-YEE-na. KOL-losh sew?)
Marija: Iva, imma għandi ġimgħa impenjattiva ħafna. Qed naħdem sa tard biex inlesti proġett importanti. (EE-va, im-ma AN-dee JIM-aa im-pen-yat-TEE-va HAF-na. 'ed NAH-dem sa tart byesh in-LES-ti pro-JETT im-por-TAN-ti.)
Pawlu: U trid tmur il-ġinnasju wkoll? (Oo treed tmoor il-jin-NAS-yoo oo-KOLL?)
Marija: Ikolli mmur biex inżomm ruħi f'saħħti. U qed nipprova niekol tajjeb biex ikolli l-enerġija. (i-KOL-li mmoor byesh in-ZOMM ROO-hi f'sah-TI. Oo 'ed nip-PRO-va NEE-kol TAI-yeb byesh i-KOL-li l-en-er-JEE-ya.)
Pawlu: Mela għandek bżonn tistrieħ fi tmiem il-ġimgħa! (ME-la AN-dek bzonn tis-TREEH fi tmeem il-JIM-aa!)
Marija: Eżatt. Se norqod ħafna biex nirkupra! (e-ZATT. Se NOR-'od HAF-na byesh nir-koo-PRA!)
Pawlu: Marija, you look tired. Is everything alright?
Marija: Yes, but I have a very busy week. I am working late in order to finish an important project.
Pawlu: And you have to go to the gym too?
Marija: I have to go to keep myself healthy. And I'm trying to eat well so that I have energy.
Pawlu: Well, you need to rest on the weekend!
Marija: Exactly. I will sleep a lot to recover!
The subjunctive mood is used to express purpose, often triggered by the word `biex` (to / in order to). The verb following `biex` is always in the present tense.
`biex` (to/so that), `impenjattiv/a` (busy), `proġett` (project), `inżomm` (I keep/maintain), `f'saħħti` (healthy), `enerġija` (energy), `tmiem il-ġimgħa` (weekend), `nirkupra` (I recover).
Prosit! You've tackled your first piece of advanced grammar. In the next chapter, we'll explore another important structure: `Il-Passiv` (The Passive Voice), which will allow you to describe actions where the focus is on the object that receives the action, such as "The door was opened".