Language/Maltese/Vocabulary/Sports
In this lesson, you will learn the vocabulary related to sports and leisure activities in Maltese. You will learn the words for various sports, how to express likes and dislikes, and how to ask and answer questions about leisure activities. Additionally, you will learn about the role of sports in Maltese culture and some interesting facts about sports in Malta.
Sports in Maltese Culture
Sports play a significant role in Maltese culture, with football being the most popular sport in the country. The Malta Football Association was founded in 1900 and is one of the oldest associations in the world. Other popular sports in Malta include basketball, volleyball, and water polo.
The Maltese also enjoy water sports such as sailing, windsurfing, and swimming due to the country's proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, horse racing and greyhound racing are popular betting sports in Malta.
Sports Vocabulary in Maltese
Team Sports
Here are some common team sports in Maltese:
| Maltese | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| futbol / ballun tal-pied | /footbol/ /balːun tal ˈpiːd/ | Football / soccer |
| korball | /korbɐl/ | Basketball |
| vollejball | /vollɛjbɐl/ | Volleyball |
| pallanuoto | /palːanʊːtɔ/ | Water polo |
Note: "ballun tal-pied" is another name commonly used for football in Maltese, literally meaning "football of the foot".
Individual Sports
Here are some common individual sports in Maltese:
| Maltese | Pronunciation | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| teniż | /tɛniʒ/ | Tennis |
| atletika | /ɐtlɛtika/ | Athletics |
| karate | /kɐratɛ/ | Karate |
| surf | /surf/ | Surfing |
Note: "surf" is commonly used in Maltese to refer to the sport of surfing.
Likes and Dislikes
To express likes and dislikes for sports and leisure activities in Maltese, you can use the following expressions:
- Nixtieq sport... (I like sport...)
- M'għoġbniex sport... (I don't like sport...)
- Nixtieq nilgħab... (I want to play...)
- Ma nagħmlux minn hobbies... (I'm not into hobbies...)
For example:
- Nixtieq sport tal-futbol. (I like football.)
- M'għoġbniex sport tal-vollejball. (I don't like volleyball.)
- Nixtieq nilgħab korball. (I want to play basketball.)
- Ma nagħmlux minn hobbies, imma nippjana twielda! (I'm not into hobbies, but I plan to start!)
Questions and Answers
To ask and answer questions about sports and leisure activities in Maltese, you can use the following expressions:
- X'inti nippreferi tfisser? (What do you prefer, exactly?)
- Kuntrarju minnek, x'inħobb jilgħab f'ħin il-ħażna? (Different from you, what do I like to play when there is free time?)
- X'inhi l-attività sabiħa l-aktar milli toħroġ għall-hin? (What is the most beautiful activity to go out in your free time?)
For example:
- X'inti nippreferi tfisser? Nippreferi sport tal-karate. (What do you prefer, exactly? I prefer karate.)
- Kuntrarju minnek, x'inħobb jilgħab f'ħin il-ħażna? Kuntrarju minnek, tixtieq tistenna xewqat tiegħi biex nilgħab futbol. (Different from you, what do I like to play when there is free time? Different from you, would you mind waiting for my wishes so that I can play football?)
- X'inhi l-attività sabiħa l-aktar milli toħroġ għall-hin? F'opinjoni tiegħi, l-attività sabiħa l-aktar huwa toqba l-bajja. (What is the most beautiful activity to go out in your free time? In my opinion, the most beautiful activity is diving in the bay.)
Conclusion
In this lesson, you have learned the vocabulary related to sports and leisure activities in Maltese. You have also learned about the role of sports in Maltese culture and some interesting facts about sports in Malta. Continue practicing the Maltese language by exploring other lessons in the "Complete 0 to A1 Maltese Course".