ZQ-XUReply to a Dinner Invitation
Scenario: Mark accepts Anna's dinner invitation and offers to bring dessert.
Full Email
Għażiża Anna,
Grazzi tal-istedina għall-ikla ta' filgħaxija.
Iva, se niġi nhar il-Ġimgħa.
Se nasal fis-sebgħa.
M'għandi l-ebda preferenza għall-ikel.
Nista' nġib xi ħaġa għad-deżerta?
Se nġib kejk żgħir.
Nistenna bil-ħerqa li niltaqa' mal-ħbieb tiegħek.
Tiegħek, Mark
Sentence-by-Sentence Translation and Word Notes
Malti: Għażiża Anna,
Translation: Dear Anna,
| Maltese | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Għażiża | dear | Feminine singular form of address |
| Anna | Anna | Name |
1.
Malti: Grazzi tal-istedina għall-ikla ta' filgħaxija.
Translation: Thank you for inviting me to dinner.
| Maltese | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grazzi | thank you | Polite expression |
| tal-istedina | for the invitation; of the invitation | Contracted ta' + definite article |
| għall-ikla | to the meal; for dinner | Contracted għal + definite article |
| ta' | of; during | Links the noun and time expression |
| filgħaxija | in the evening | Time expression |
2.
Malti: Iva, se niġi nhar il-Ġimgħa.
Translation: Yes, I will come on Friday.
| Maltese | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Iva | yes; all right | Affirmative response |
| se | will | Future marker |
| niġi | I come | First-person singular form |
| nhar | on the day of | Introduces a weekday or date |
| il-Ġimgħa | Friday | Weekday commonly used with the definite article |
3.
Malti: Se nasal fis-sebgħa.
Translation: I will arrive at seven.
| Maltese | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Se | will | Future marker |
| nasal | I arrive | First-person singular form |
| fis-sebgħa | at seven | f' contracts with the definite clock-hour form |
4.
Malti: M'għandi l-ebda preferenza għall-ikel.
Translation: I don't have any food preferences.
| Maltese | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| M'għandi | I do not have | One contracted/negative form of ma għandix |
| l-ebda | no; not any | Negative determiner |
| preferenza | preference | Feminine noun |
| għall-ikel | for food; regarding food | għal contracts with the definite article |
5.
Malti: Nista' nġib xi ħaġa għad-deżerta?
Translation: Can I bring something for dessert?
| Maltese | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nista' | can I? | First-person singular form |
| nġib | I bring | First-person singular form |
| xi | some; a certain | Indefinite determiner |
| ħaġa | thing | Feminine noun |
| għad-deżerta | for dessert | għal contracts with the definite article |
6.
Malti: Se nġib kejk żgħir.
Translation: I will bring a small cake.
| Maltese | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Se | will | Future marker |
| nġib | I bring | First-person singular form |
| kejk | cake | Masculine noun |
| żgħir | small | Masculine singular form agreeing with kejk |
7.
Malti: Nistenna bil-ħerqa li niltaqa' mal-ħbieb tiegħek.
Translation: I look forward to meeting your friends.
| Maltese | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nistenna | I wait; I look forward | First-person singular form |
| bil-ħerqa | eagerly; with anticipation | Fixed adverbial phrase |
| li | to; introduces a clause | Conjunction |
| niltaqa' | I meet | First-person singular form |
| mal-ħbieb | with the friends | ma' contracts with the definite article |
| tiegħek | your; yours | Second-person singular possessive |
Malti: Tiegħek, Mark
Translation: Yours, Mark.
| Maltese | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tiegħek | yours; sincerely | Email closing |
| Mark | Mark | Name |