Malta language guide: Maltese, English and what to expect

Two official languages, one practical reality

Malta has two official languages: Maltese and English. Both are enshrined in the Constitution and used in government, courts, education and broadcasting. For a visitor, this means something simple and important: you can travel through Malta from arrival to departure with only English and never encounter a communication problem.

This is not a tourist-facing surface. English is genuinely embedded in Maltese society — schools teach in English alongside Maltese, university education is largely in English, and most Maltese people switch seamlessly between the two languages mid-sentence (a phenomenon linguists call code-switching that is specific to Malta and reflects how intertwined the two languages are).

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Maltese: the language itself

Maltese is one of the most linguistically distinctive languages in Europe. It is the only Semitic language written in a Latin script, and it is the only Semitic language that is an official language of the European Union.

Its roots are primarily in Siculo-Arabic — the Arabic dialect spoken in Sicily and Malta between the 9th and 13th centuries, when the islands were under Arab rule. After the Normans took Malta in 1091, the Arabic base absorbed significant layers of:

• Sicilian and Italian (over several centuries of contact)
• French (from the Knights of St John, who governed Malta 1530–1800)
• English (from British rule, 1800–1964)

The result is a language that looks like Arabic written with Latin letters, sounds vaguely Semitic to linguists, and contains words that English and Italian speakers can occasionally recognise — but cannot actually understand without study.

Sample Maltese sounds

The Maltese alphabet has several letters not found in English:

• Ħ / ħ (dotted H): a pharyngeal fricative — roughly like the “h” in “hotel” but stronger and aspirated from the throat
• Għ: originally a consonant (like Arabic ‘ayn’), now mostly silent but affects surrounding vowels
• IE: a diphthong, roughly “ee-eh”
• Q: a glottal stop (like the catch in the middle of “uh-oh”)

For a visitor, none of this matters practically — you will encounter Maltese mostly on street signs and menus, and everything important is also in English.

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English in Malta: everywhere and genuine

British rule from 1800 to 1964 (Maltese independence) left English not as a colonial remnant but as an active second mother tongue for most of the population. Several characteristics of English in Malta:

Accent. Maltese English has a distinctive accent — influenced by Semitic phonology, with certain consonants pronounced more emphatically than in British English, and with a rhythmic quality that reflects Maltese word stress patterns. It is clearly English; foreign visitors understand it immediately.

Which variety? Maltese English is closer to British English than American English in vocabulary, spelling and some grammar conventions. Spellings like “colour” and “behaviour” rather than “color” and “behavior”; “biscuit” rather than “cookie”; “petrol” rather than “gas.” This is relevant if you are purchasing things or reading official documents.

Where you hear it. In Valletta and the tourist areas, almost every interaction happens naturally in English. In more rural areas of Gozo — small farming villages, older residents — you may encounter people more comfortable in Maltese, but even there, younger people speak excellent English.

Online and official. Government websites, tourist information, all signage in airports and ferries, menus in virtually all restaurants — all are in English as a matter of course.

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Italian in Malta

Italian is not an official language in Malta, but it occupies a special cultural position. Before British rule, Italian was the prestige language of the Maltese aristocracy and the legal system (court proceedings were in Italian until the 20th century). Maltese contains thousands of Italian loanwords.

Practically: many Maltese people, especially older generations, have some Italian. Italian television is widely watched — RAI channels have been received in Malta for decades. In tourist-facing roles in Valletta and Sliema, Italian is commonly spoken.

If you are an Italian traveller, you may be able to use Italian in many situations. For other nationalities, English is the reliable option.

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A short Maltese phrasebook for visitors

Knowing even a handful of Maltese words creates immediate warmth with local people, who are generally delighted (and slightly surprised) when visitors make the effort.

English	Maltese	Pronunciation (approximate)
Hello	Ħello / Bonġu	HELO / bohn-JOO
Good morning	Bonġu	bohn-JOO
Good afternoon/evening	Bonswa	bohn-SWAH
Good night	Il-lejl it-tajjeb	il-LAYL it-TY-yeb
Please	Jekk jogħġbok	YECK yo-JO-bok
Thank you	Grazzi	GRAH-tzee
You’re welcome	Prego	PREH-go (same as Italian)
Yes	Iva	EE-va
No	Le	LEH
How much?	Kemm jiswu?	KEMM YISS-woo
Where is…?	Fejn huwa/hiwa…?	FEYN HOO-wah / HEE-wah
Water	L-ilma	lIL-ma
Beer	Il-birra	il-BEER-ra
Cheers!	Saħħa!	SAH-hah (also means “health”)
Beautiful	Sabiħa / Sabiħ	sa-BEE-ha / sa-BEE
Malta	Malta	MAL-ta
Gozo	Għawdex	OW-desh

Key words you will see on signs

• Ħaġar Qim — pronounced roughly “HA-jar EEM” (the Hagar Qim temples)
• Valletta — val-LET-ta
• Mdina — em-DEE-na
• Mġarr — M’JARR (the “Ġ” is a soft “j”)
• Ġgantija — jee-GAN-tee-ya
• Ħal Saflieni — hal saf-lee-EH-nee (the Hypogeum)
• Marsaxlokk — mar-sash-LOCK
• Marsaskala — mar-sas-KA-la
• Birgu — BEER-goo (also called Vittoriosa)
• Xagħra — SHAH-ra
• Xlendi — SHLEN-dee
• Dwejra — DWEY-ra

Notes on pronunciation

• Għ at the start of a word (like “Għawdex” = Gozo) creates a sound like a soft “aw” — the Għ is mostly silent
• X in Maltese is pronounced “sh” — so Xlendi is “Shlen-dee” and Marsaxlokk is “Mar-sash-lock”
• J is a “y” sound
• Ġ is a soft “j” as in the English word “joy”
• Q is a glottal stop, which English speakers can approximate by briefly holding the throat before the vowel

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Language at practical touchpoints

Restaurants and cafés: Menus are in English everywhere in tourist areas. In village bars and small restaurants, menus may be only in Maltese — point, ask, or use the universal “what do you recommend?” which works in English.

Supermarkets: All major Maltese supermarkets (Lidl, SPAR, Welbee’s, Greens) are stocked for an English-speaking market. Labels are often in English and Maltese simultaneously. Lidl Malta has multilingual product labels as standard.

Transport: All Tallinja bus information (routes, timetables, apps) is available in English. The ferry from Cirkewwa to Mġarr operates with English signage. Airport signage is bilingual.

Emergency services: The standard European emergency number 112 works in Malta. Operators speak English.

Banks and ATMs: English-language interface is the default on Maltese ATMs and in bank branches.

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The Maltese greeting culture

Maltese culture is warm and direct. People say hello in the street, shopkeepers greet you when you enter, and conversation starts easily. A smile and “grazzi” (thank you) will genuinely open doors.

One cultural note: Maltese people are proud of their language’s uniqueness and history, and many are happy to explain it to curious visitors. If you ask “what does that word mean?” you are very likely to get a thoughtful answer and a brief history of Maltese Arabic roots.

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Frequently asked questions about language in Malta

Do I need to learn any Maltese before visiting?

No. English is an official language and used everywhere. That said, knowing a few words — “grazzi” (thank you), “bonġu” (good morning), “saħħa” (cheers) — is received warmly and is a pleasant way to interact with locals.

Is French or German spoken in Malta?

Not widely. English is the foreign language of choice for Maltese people, followed by Italian. French and German are not commonly spoken outside of hotel reception desks in major tourist hotels.

Will I have communication problems in rural Gozo?

No. Even in remote Gozo villages, you will be able to communicate in English. Older residents may prefer Maltese, but a simple “do you speak English?” is understood and usually leads to someone younger stepping in to help.

How do you pronounce “Valletta”?

val-LET-ta. Two t’s, with the stress on the second syllable. Locals also pronounce it val-EH-ta in natural speech. Both are understood.

Is “Maltese” related to Arabic?

Yes — Maltese is descended from Siculo-Arabic, the dialect spoken in Malta and Sicily during the Arab period (9th–13th centuries). It is the only Semitic language written in Latin script and the only Semitic language that is an official EU language. About 50% of Maltese vocabulary has Semitic (Arabic) roots; the rest is Italian, Sicilian, French and English loanwords.

Do Maltese people prefer English or Maltese in conversation?

With each other, Maltese people typically code-switch: sentences that start in Maltese end in English, or vice versa. With visitors, they use English exclusively and do so without any friction — it is not a concession, it is simply one of their languages.

Last reviewed: 2026-04-20