ħelu
The Maltese word for cute is ħelu.
ħelu is used to describe someone or something that is attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way.
Meaning: attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way (adj)
Which one should you use?
While ħelu is used for 'cute' in a physical or aesthetic sense, it is also the standard word for 'sweet' when referring to the taste of food.
Did you know?
- In Maltese, the word ħelu is inherited from the Arabic word ḥulw.
- The letter ħ in ħelu represents a pharyngeal sound that does not exist in English, which is essential to distinguish it from other similar-sounding words.
- While English uses 'cute' for many things, calling a man ħelu in Maltese can sometimes feel patronising or overly sugary.
Examples in context
- Id-deljun huwa ħelu ħafna.The kitten is very cute.
Example conversation
Kurt and Maria are looking at a puppy in a window.
- KurtMaria, ara dak il-kelb ħelu!Maria, look at that cute dog!
- MariaIva, huwa ħelu ħafna.Yes, he is very cute.
- KurtNista' nieħduh fil-dar?Can we take him home?
- MariaInħarsu l-prezz qabel.Let's check the price first.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ħelu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
