Learning Maltese?

Don't bother .... Not worth the effort.

I know that the usual recommendation is not to bother learning Maltese and MiL hasn't really learnt much in her 14+ years in Malta, but should you have an interest in doing so are there any recommended ways or places?

Although we have always thought it a good idea to learn some of the language while planning for our move, life has got in the way. Now it looks like we have sold our house and the move is becoming more "real" we are again turning our thoughts to learning the lingo - ideally efficiently and with fun!

We will be operating a Pet Grooming business on the island and think we have found some premises to rent. It might be a good idea if we could speak the local language?!

So, has anyone managed to learn conversational Maltese - and if operating a service business, will it be a good idea and/or worth it?

Thanks
Matt

PS - Sorry for jumping on your thread again Roy! 

lambada wrote:

Don't bother .... Not worth the effort.

The effort to learn Maltese (or anything else) is as much worth as you value it!
What others do or expect should not be of much relevance for your wishes/needs/desire.

If you like languages or have a wish to try then go for it.
You will get pleasure from trying and if you are in business then it can only help.
Its a bit frustrating because Maltese you meet will invariably reply in English!

Local councils will have beginners  lessons and they may be free depending on individual circumstances.

Terry

In our preparations to move, we have acquired a book to learn Maltese.

To Matt, I used to run two customer focused business (a chill out bar and night club in Romania). These we're frequented mostly by 'trendy' westernized young generation Romanians who knew English very well. I did however find it very beneficial to learn the language when it came to dealing with suppliers and workman etc. Plus it made me look cool! :-) hahaha. Joking aside, it was worth it from a business point of view, and more importantly, I enjoyed learning it.

My wife and I love the 'sound' of the Maltese language, and are eager to learn it :-)

Try this very useful site chaps.......

It even has sound

Enjoy

Mike

Great! Thanks very much for the link Mike, I've Favorited it, and will set aside some evenings to give it a go :-)

MikeInPoulton wrote:

Try this very useful site chaps.......

It even has sound

Enjoy

Mike

Great - thanks MikeinPoulton 

drael wrote:

In our preparations to move, we have acquired a book to learn Maltese.

To Matt, I used to run two customer focused business (a chill out bar and night club in Romania). These we're frequented mostly by 'trendy' westernized young generation Romanians who knew English very well. I did however find it very beneficial to learn the language when it came to dealing with suppliers and workman etc. Plus it made me look cool! :-) hahaha. Joking aside, it was worth it from a business point of view, and more importantly, I enjoyed learning it.

My wife and I love the 'sound' of the Maltese language, and are eager to learn it :-)

Hi David, thanks for your thoughts - it certainly can't do any harm! Terry mentioned giving it a go if we liked languages - but we don't have anything other than English (I got F at O level for french - after being in the top stream all school life!)

How is the book going? (can you recommend it?)

We were wondering whether Italian might be easier? Probably showing the fact that we aren't in Malta yet, just thought it might be a popular language (although I understand that past history may still run deep). Just shooting the breeze while I wait for the spag bol to cook on a sunny evening in Dorset 

Hi Matt,

Hahaha Spag Bol...I'm waiting for my wife to come home with the ingredients to cook it tonight also!

The book is great and highly recommended, if you can find it! It's called:

Pocket Dictionary and Phrase book: English - Maltese with Imitated pronunciation, by Capt. Paul Bugeja (with a photo of our Capt. smoking a cigar on the back cover!).

Published by Gutenberg press.

It's a (basic) start to learning the language, and it makes my wife laugh a lot at my tongue twisting antics. She's European and has little trouble with pronunciations! :-/

Enjoy the sunny evening

David

Thanks David -  I'll search for the book

another good book to read is Learn Maltese - why not by Joseph Vella. bdlbooks.com/maltese/359-learn-maltese-why-not-workbook.html

Can highly recommend the Maltese for Foreigners series by C. D. Saliba which were first published end of last year.

Level 1 
My First 750 Words in Maltese
Maltese for Foreigners: Speaking Maltese

Available in Agenda Bookshops or amazon.