Markets & Souvenirs

1. Kemm jiswa dan?

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   Basic phrase for asking the price at a market or souvenir shop

   Grammar Note

   Maltese blends Arabic with Sicilian/Italian. "Jiswa" has Arabic origins meaning "is worth"

2. Nista' nnegozja l-prezz?

   Can I bargain on the price?

   Usage

   Asking whether bargaining is possible

   Grammar Note

   "Nista'" is the Arabic-derived modal "can/may". "l-" is the Maltese definite article before consonants

3. Noffri għoxrin ewro

   I'll offer twenty euros

   Usage

   Offering a counter-price during bargaining

   Grammar Note

   "Noffri" is the first-person present of "offra" (to offer). Malta uses the euro

4. Tista' tagħtini skont?

   Can you give me a discount?

   Usage

   Requesting a discount

   Grammar Note

   "Tista'" is the 2nd-person modal. "Skont" comes from Italian "sconto" (discount)

5. Dan magħmul bl-idejn?

   Is this handmade?

   Usage

   Checking whether an item is handmade

   Grammar Note

   "Bl-idejn" contracts "b" (by) + "l-" (the) + "idejn" (hands, plural of "id")

6. Minn liema materjal hu magħmul?

   What material is this made of?

   Usage

   Asking about the material of an item

   Grammar Note

   "Liema" is the question word "what/which". "Materjal" derives from Italian "materiale"

7. Tista' tgħappaħħu bħala rigal?

   Can you gift-wrap this?

   Usage

   Requesting gift wrapping

   Grammar Note

   "Rigal" (gift) comes from Italian "regalo". "bħala rigal" means "as a gift"

8. Fejn hu s-suq tal-lejl?

   Where is the night market?

   Usage

   Asking the location of a night market

   Grammar Note

   "Suq" derives from Arabic "sūq" (market). Open-air markets are an important part of Maltese village culture

9. Nista' nieħu riċevuta?

   Can I have a receipt?

   Usage

   Asking for a receipt after a purchase

   Grammar Note

   "Riċevuta" derives from Italian "ricevuta" (receipt). Maltese borrowed extensively from Italian and Sicilian. NOTE: "irċevuta" does not appear in the word-form list of the normative dictionary (the headword is "riċevuta")

10. Meta jiftaħ is-suq?

    When does the market open?

    Usage

    Checking when the market opens

    Grammar Note

    "Jiftaħ" is the 3rd-person masculine singular of "ftaħ" (to open), of Arabic origin

11. Qiegħed biss inħares, grazzi

    I'm just looking, thank you

    Usage

    Politely declining a shopkeeper's approach

    Grammar Note

    "Grazzi" comes from Italian "grazie". "Biss" (only/just) is of Arabic origin

12. Taċċettaw il-karti tal-kreditu?

    Do you accept credit cards?

    Usage

    Checking whether card payment is accepted

    Grammar Note

    "Taċċettaw" is the 2nd-person plural. Malta has a strong tourism sector and card payment is widely accepted

13. Qiegħed nixtrih bħala souvenir għal ħabib

    I'm buying it as a souvenir for a friend

    Usage

    Telling the seller it is a souvenir gift

    Grammar Note

    "Ħabib" derives from Arabic "ḥabīb" (beloved/friend). A key example of the Arabic layer in Maltese

14. Dan jista' jintbagħat barra mill-pajjiż?

    Can this be shipped internationally?

    Usage

    Asking about international shipping options

    Grammar Note

    "Barra mill-pajjiż" means "outside the country". MaltaPost is Malta's main postal service

15. Liema huwa l-aqwa prodott tiegħek?

    What is your best product?

    Usage

    Asking for the seller's top recommendation

    Grammar Note

    "Aqwa" is the elative (superlative) of "qawwi" (strong), meaning "the finest / best". The superlative of "tajjeb" (good) is "aħjar". Similar in structure to Arabic comparatives

16. Il-prezz huwa negozjabbli?

    Is the price negotiable?

    Usage

    Checking whether the price can be negotiated

    Grammar Note

    "Negozjabbli" derives from Italian "negoziabile". Tourist market vendors in Malta may accept bargaining

17. Għandek daqs ieħor?

    Do you have a different size?

    Usage

    Looking for a different size

    Grammar Note

    "Għandek" (you have) is of Arabic origin. Add "ikbar" (bigger) or "iżgħar" (smaller) to specify

18. Dan huwa għali wisq

    This is too expensive

    Usage

    Expressing that the price is too high

    Grammar Note

    "Wisq" (too much) is of Arabic origin. "Ftit għali" (a little expensive) signals openness to negotiation

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