Bonġu, kif int?
In Maltese, "hello how are you" is expressed as Bonġu, kif int?
This phrase is a friendly greeting used to initiate a conversation and inquire about another person's well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Bonġu, which means "Good day" or "Good morning" and kif int?, which means "how are you?"
When do people say it?
When responding to this greeting, a common way to say "Good, thanks" is Tajjeb, grazzi if the person speaking is male or Tajba, grazzi if the person speaking is female.
Did you know?
- Maltese is the only Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet, so when you say Bonġu, kif int?, you are using a script usually reserved for Romance languages.
- While the greeting begins with a French word, Bonġu, the rest of the phrase is rooted in Arabic. This creates a unique linguistic blend where Romance and Semitic structures sit side by side.
- The distinction between Tajjeb and Tajba in the response depends entirely on the gender of the speaker, not the person being asked. You must change the ending to match your own gender.
Examples in context
- Bonġu, kif int?Hello, how are you?
