ħelow
/ˈħɛ.lɔw/
The English word "hi" can be translated into Maltese as ħelow.
ħelow is a friendly and informal greeting used to say hello.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈħɛ.lɔw/.
Did you know?
- The Maltese word ħelow is actually a direct loanword from the English 'hello'.
- The letter ħ in ħelow is a voiceless pharyngeal fricative, a sound that does not exist in English and is produced deep in the throat.
- Maltese speakers often use 'greeting' words that change based on the time of day, such as Bonswa for 'good evening', which again mirrors French influences.
Examples in context
- Merħba kollhaWelcome, everyone
Example conversation
Paul and Maria meet at a coffee shop.
- PaulĦelow, Maria!Hi, Maria!
- MariaĦelow, Paul! Inti tajjeb?Hi, Paul! Are you well?
- PaulIva, tinsab tajjeb?Yes, are you doing well?
- MariaIva, kollu tajjeb, grazzi.Yes, everything is good, thanks.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ħelow, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ħelow, CC BY-SA 4.0.
