Il-
The prefix Il- serves as the definite article in the Maltese language, which can be translated as the in the English language. Il- derives from Arabic Al-, and has more or less the same function and dynamics.
The Maltese definite article is L- when in front of a word that starts with a vowel and Il- when in front of a word that starts with a consonant.
- l-omm (the mother)
- il-missier (the father)
Much like in Arabic, the Maltese definite article assimilates when in front of solar consonants (konsonanti xemxin), that are: Ċ, D, N, R, S, T, X, Ż and Z.
- iċ-ċikkulata (the chocolate)
- id-dar (the house)
- in-nar (the fire)
- ir-razzett (the farm)
- is-serrieq (the saw)
- it-tifel (the boy)
- ix-xemx (the sun)
- iż-żarbun (the shoe)
- iz-zalzetta (the sausage)
When the word before the article ends with a vowel, the I of Il-, that is, l-i tal-leħen (the voice's I), is dropped.
- Rajna l-Papa (we saw the Pope)
- Smajtu l-ħsejjes (you heard the noises)
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; from the article "Il-". Image Credit.
