Numbers

1. Wieħed, tnejn, tlieta

   One, two, three

   Usage

   Maltese numbers 1–3, used when confirming prices or quantities

   Grammar Note

   Maltese numerals are mainly from Arabic but have evolved unique phonetic forms

2. Erbgħa, ħamsa, sitta

   Four, five, six

   Usage

   Maltese numbers 4–6

   Grammar Note

   "ħamsa" (5) shares its origin with Arabic "خمسة" (khamsah)

3. Sebgħa, tmienja, disgħa

   Seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   Maltese numbers 7–9

   Grammar Note

   The "għ" in numerals is a near-silent pharyngeal, corresponding to Arabic 'ayn (ع)

4. Għaxra

   Ten

   Usage

   Maltese number 10

   Grammar Note

   Derives from Arabic "عشرة" (asharah, meaning ten)

5. Għoxrin, mija, elf

   Twenty, hundred, thousand

   Usage

   Larger numbers used when stating prices or quantities

   Grammar Note

   "elf" (1000) comes from Arabic "alf" and is a Semitic word, like "mija" (100)

6. Tnejn u tletin

   Thirty-two

   Usage

   Demonstrating how compound numbers are formed in Maltese

   Grammar Note

   Maltese compound numbers follow the pattern "units + u (and) + tens", Arabic style

7. X'inhu n-numru?

   What is the number?

   Usage

   Generic phrase to ask for a phone number, room number, or any number

   Grammar Note

   "numru" derives from Italian "numero" (number)

8. Ħames mitt

   Five hundred

   Usage

   Expressing prices or quantities in hundreds

   Grammar Note

   "mitt" is the combining form of "mija" (hundred), used before a multiplying numeral

9. L-ewwel, it-tieni, it-tielet

   First, second, third

   Usage

   Ordinal numbers used for hotel floors, queue positions, and rankings

   Grammar Note

   "ewwel" (first) derives from Arabic "awwal" (first/foremost)

10. Xi siegħa u kwart

    One fifteen / a quarter past one

    Usage

    Practical expression for telling the time or stating a duration

    Grammar Note

    "kwart" from Italian "quarto" (quarter) is widely used in time expressions

11. Għandi sebgħa u għoxrin sena

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    Giving your age — the answer to "Kemm għandek snin?" (How old are you?)

    Grammar Note

    Age is "għandi + numeral + year". Two to ten take the plural "snin" (as in "tlett snin"), but from eleven upwards the singular "sena" returns. Compound numerals put the unit first, as in "tnejn u tletin" (32)

12. Din is-sena nagħlaq tmienja u għoxrin sena

    I turn 28 this year

    Usage

    Saying what age you will reach during the current year

    Grammar Note

    "jagħlaq X-il sena" is the set phrase for turning an age; the verb "għalaq" basically means "to close". The first-person singular prefixes n-, giving "nagħlaq". "sena" is feminine, hence "din", and the article assimilates to the sun letter s, giving "is-"

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