Ways to say it
| Maltese | IPA |
|---|---|
| l-għodwa t-tajba | /ˈlɔːd.wa‿tˈtaj.ba/ /ˈlɔˤːd.wa‿tˈtaj.ba/ (archaic) |
| bonġu | /ˈbɔn.d͡ʒu/ |
| bonġornu |
These phrases are used when seeing someone for the first time in the morning.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase l-għodwa t-tajba literally translates to the morning the good, following the Maltese pattern of placing the adjective after the noun.
Which one should you use?
l-għodwa t-tajba is the standard expression, while bonġu and bonġornu are loanword versions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
l-għodwa t-tajba is the more formal way to say good morning. In contrast, bonġu is an informal, shortened version of the French-derived word and is very common in casual daily speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase l-għodwa t-tajba, the definite article l- is attached to the noun għodwa and the adjective tajba takes the specific prefix t- to agree with the noun's gender and definiteness.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlɔːd.wa‿tˈtaj.ba/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- Using the formal l-għodwa t-tajba to a close friend can sometimes be interpreted as a joke or a sign that you are being intentionally stiff or sarcastic.
- The letter combination għ in għodwa is a visual relic of an ancient guttural sound, but in modern pronunciation, it acts as a silent letter.
- The phrase l-għodwa t-tajba follows a noun-adjective order that mirrors Romance languages like Sicilian.
Examples in context
- Bonġu.Good morning!This example is useful for practicing the use of bonġu.Tatoeba #1387885 by enteka, translation #329713 by YURY0608
- L-għodwa t-tajba lil kulħen.Good morning to everyone.
- L-għodwa t-tajba, kif int?Good morning, how are you?
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Andre meet at the office kitchen.
- ElenaL-għodwa t-tajba, Andre!Good morning, Andre!
- AndreBonġu, Elena. Inti tajjba?Good morning, Elena. Are you well?
- ElenaIva,Grazzi. Inti?Yes, thanks. And you?
- AndreTajjeb, grazzi.I'm good, thanks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good morning” translations and entries l-għodwa t-tajba, bonġu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
