ħtieġ

Maltese

Etymology

From Arabic اِحْتاجَ‎ (iḥtāja, “to need”). The impersonal use seems to mirror that of Italian bisognare, but the Arabic passive يُحْتاجُ أَن (yuḥtāju ʾan) is also used in this way, so the Romance influence is not certain.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈħtɪːt͡ʃ/

Verb

ħtieġ (imperfect jeħtieġ or jaħtieġ or jiħtieġ, past participle meħtieġ or maħtieġ or miħtieġ)

  1. to need; to require
    Synonym: għandu bżonn
  2. (impersonal) to be necessary
    Jeħtieġ li nkunu onesti magħna nfusna.
    We must be honest with ourselves.
    (literally, “It is necessary that we are honest with ourselves.”)

Usage notes
  • In the sense of “need, require” it is used especially with actions (as in something needs reform) rather than with things.

Conjugation
conjugation of ħtieġ
singular plural
1st person 2nd person 3rd person m 3rd person f 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
jien(a) int(i) hu(wa) hi(ja) aħna intom huma
perfect ħtiġt ħtiġt ħtieġ ħtieġet ħtiġna ħtiġtu ħtieġu
imperfect neħtieġ teħtieġ jeħtieġ teħtieġ neħtieġu teħtieġu jeħtieġu
imperative ħtieġ ħtieġu

Derived terms
  • nħtieġ
  • ħtieġa
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