Airport & Customs

1. Jekk jogħġbok uri l-passaport tiegħek

   Please show your passport

   Usage

   Standard phrase used by immigration officers

   Grammar Note

   "uri" is the imperative of wera "to show"; tiegħek "your" is ta' with a bound pronoun

2. X'inhu l-għan taż-żjara tiegħek?

   What is the purpose of your visit?

   Usage

   Standard immigration question

   Grammar Note

   The article il- assimilates before coronal consonants (ta' + il-żjara → taż-żjara)

3. Kemm-il lejl se toqgħod?

   How many nights are you planning to stay?

   Usage

   Commonly asked at immigration

   Grammar Note

   Nouns after "kemm-il" stay singular; "se" + imperfect forms the future

4. Għandek xi ħaġa biex tiddikjara?

   Do you have anything to declare?

   Usage

   Asked at customs

   Grammar Note

   Maltese has no verb "to have"; possession uses għand- plus a bound pronoun

5. Il-bagalji tiegħi għadhom ma waslux

   My luggage hasn't arrived

   Usage

   Tell baggage claim staff

   Grammar Note

   Negation brackets the verb with ma ... x; the verb agrees with the plural subject (waslu → ma waslux)

6. Din hija bagalja tal-idejn

   This is carry-on luggage

   Usage

   Tell airline staff at check-in or boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "tal-idejn" = "of the hands", the term Maltese airlines use; checked baggage is "bagalja tal-istiva"

7. Jien qiegħed fi tranżitu

   I'm in transit

   Usage

   Used at transit counters or immigration

   Grammar Note

   A female speaker says "qiegħda"; Maltese has no copula and uses a participle or a verbless clause

8. Fejn hu l-bieb?

   Where is the gate?

   Usage

   Ask when looking for your boarding gate; Malta International Airport signs say "Gate" in English, so people often say "Fejn hu l-gate 5?"

   Grammar Note

   bieb is masculine, so the pronoun is "hu" (feminine would be "hi")

9. Meta jibda l-imbark?

   When does boarding begin?

   Usage

   Ask while waiting at the boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   imbark is masculine, so the verb takes the masculine 3rd person form jibda

10. Fejn hu l-ħanut duty-free?

    Where is the duty-free shop?

    Usage

    Ask after clearing security

    Grammar Note

    English "duty-free" is used as is; the formal wording is "ħieles mid-dazju" (free of customs duty)

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