Warm and relaxed: natural, less formal, grounded in honest conversation. Occasionally fun.
Crisp and clear: to the point. Write for scanning first, reading second. Keep it simple.
Ready to lend a hand: anticipate real needs and give the right information at the right time.
Keep the audience in mind. Technical terms for technical audiences. Common words and phrases for consumers.
Write short, easy-to-read sentences.
Avoid passive voice. It is hard to read and understand quickly.
Be pleasant. Make explanations feel individualized and enjoyable to read.
Avoid slang. Use colloquialism with care. Stay professional in a conversational tone.
Do not overuse company, brand, or product names and logos. Use the names correctly.
Avoid the corporate we, as in We're proud to introduce… or We want you to know. Keep the focus on you, the reader.
Style: clear, friendly, concise. Use everyday conversational language, not formal technical language.
Choose words that are not standard translations when that stays truer to the intent of the source.
Never translate literally. A literal translation can be irrelevant to the customer. Follow the intent of the text and what the customer needs to do the task.
Sample translations in this guide are not prescriptive terminology. Take approved terminology from the approved terminology source and the latest glossaries.
en-US uses short, simple, everyday words. Shorter words are more conversational, save screen space, and read faster.
en App: use app, not application or program.
en Pick, choose: use pick in fun, less formal, light-weight situations (pick a color, not choose a color); choose in more formal situations. Do not use select unless the UI requires it.
en Drive: for general reference to any drive type. Name the specific drive type when needed.
en Get: OK as a synonym for obtain or come into possession of. Avoid for other general meanings.
en Info: use in most situations unless information fits better. Use info when pointing the reader elsewhere (for more info, see <link>).
en PC: use for personal computing devices. Use computer for situations covering PCs and Macs.
en You: address the user as you, directly or through first- and second-person pronouns. Avoid third-person references such as user. They sound formal and impersonal.
Maltese limits shortened word forms. Shortening words like info and sync is not common usage. Exception: app, increasingly common in speech. Generally only compounds shorten to one word in speech.
en personal computer: kompjuter personali -> kompjuter
en The password isn’t correct, so please try again. Passwords are case-sensitive. -> mt Il-password mhix tajba, għalhekk erġa’ pprova. Il-passwords huma sensittivi għall-case.
en This product key didn't work. Please check it and try again. -> mt Dan il-kodiċi tal-prodott ma ħadimx. Jekk jogħġbok iċċekkjah u erġa’ pprova.
en All ready to go -> mt Lest biex jibda
en Would you like to continue? -> mt Tixtieq tkompli?
en To go back and save your work, click Cancel and finish what you need to. -> mt Biex tmur lura u tissejvja xogħlok, ikklikkja Ikkanċella u lesti dak li hemm bżonn.
en Give your PC a name—any name you want. If you want to change the background color, turn high contrast off in PC settings. -> mt Agħti isem ieħor lill-PC tiegħek–kwalunkwe isem li trid. Jekk tixtieq tibdel il-kulur tal-isfond, itfi l-kuntrast għoli fis-settings tal-PC.
en Picture password is a new way to help you protect your touchscreen PC. You choose the picture—and the gestures you use with it—to create a password that’s uniquely yours. -> mt Password stampa hija mod ġdid biex tipproteġi l-PC touchscreen tiegħek. Agħżel l-istampa — u l-mossi li int tuża magħha — biex toħloq password li hija unika għalik.
en Let apps give you personalized content based on your PC’s location, name, account picture, and other domain info. -> mt Ippermetti li applikazzjonijiet jagħtuk kontenut personalizzat ibbażat fuq il-post, l-isem, l-istampa tal-kont, u informazzjoni oħra tad-dominju tal-PC tiegħek.
en To go back and save your work, click Cancel and finish what you need to. -> mt Biex tmur lura u tissejvja xogħlok, ikklikkja Ikkanċella u lesti dak li teħtieġ tagħmel.
en To confirm your current picture password, just watch the replay and trace the example gestures shown on your picture. -> mt Biex tikkonferma l-password stampa attwali tiegħek, kemm tara l-eżekuzzjoni mill-ġdid u ssegwi l-mossi tal-eżempju murija fl-istampa tiegħek.
en It’s time to enter the product key. It should be in an email that shows you bought Windows. When you connect to the Internet, we’ll activate Windows for you. -> mt Wasal il-ħin li ddaħħal il-kodiċi tal-prodott. Dan għandu jkun f’posta elettronika li turi li xtrajt Windows. Meta taqbad mal-Internet, nattivawlek Windows.
en The updates are installed, but Windows Setup needs to restart for them to work. After it restarts, we’ll keep going from where we left off. -> mt L-aġġornamenti huma installati, iżda l-Konfigurazzjoni ta’ Windows teħtieġ tirristartja biex dawn jaħdmu. Wara li tirristartja, inkomplu minn fejn ħallejna.
en If you restart now, you and any other people using this PC could lose unsaved work. -> mt Jekk tirristartja issa, inti u nies oħrajn li qed jużaw dan il-PC tistgħu titilfu xogħol mhux issejvjat.
en This document will be automatically moved to the right library and folder after you correct invalid or missing properties. -> mt Dan id-dokument jitmexxa awtomatikament fil-librerija u l-fowlder it-tajbin wara li tikkorreġi l-propjetajiet neqsin jew mhux validi.
en Something bad happened! Unable to locate downloaded files to create your bootable USB flash drive. -> mt Ġrat xi ħaġa ħażina! Ma setax isib il-fajls li tniżżlu biex joħloq USB flash drive.
Use plain language. Straightforward, concrete, familiar words. Prefer a two-syllable word to a three-syllable word, several clear words to one complicated term.
Take care with references to parts of the world. Do not name politically disputed cities, countries, or regions in examples. In examples that cover several regions, use equivalent references. Do not mix countries with states or continents.
Represent diverse perspectives and circumstances in text and images. Show people from all walks of life taking full part in activities, across professions, educational settings, locales, and economic settings.
No generalizing or stereotyping by region, culture, age, or gender, not even a positive stereotype. For job roles, choose names that reflect a variety of gender identities and cultural backgrounds.
No profane or derogatory terms.
No slang that could be cultural appropriation.
No terms with unconscious racial bias, or terms tied to military actions, politics, or controversial historical events and eras.
en Guru -> expert; mt guru -> espert
en Guys -> colleagues; mt ħbieb -> kollegi
en fat -> overweight; mt oħxon/ħoxna -> b’piż eċċessiv
en mother or father -> parent; mt omm jew missier -> ġenitur
Use language as neutral as possible. Do not stress gender differences or reinforce stereotypical distinctions. The neutral approach also applies to scenarios, comparisons, examples, illustrations, and metaphors.
Use gender-neutral alternatives for common terms. Avoid compounds containing gender-specific terms. Replace terms unnecessarily marked for gender, e.g. -person instead of -man. Use gender-neutral nouns when they exist.
Instead of naming the two genders separately, use a general term that includes both, such as nies, utenti, persuni.
en chairman -> chairperson
en salesman -> salesperson
Infermier(a) -> nurse. Gender-neutral nouns are not common in Maltese and tend to be English loanwords; nurse works for male and female professionals.
For a generalization, use plural noun forms, e.g. nies, individwi, studenti.
Never use gendered pronouns (hi, hija, hu, huwa) in generic references. Instead rewrite in the second or third person (inti, xi ħadd), or rewrite with a plural noun and pronoun.
Avoid verb forms taking masculine or feminine affixes. The Maltese imperative and the second-person imperfect and perfect do not distinguish sex, unlike the participles. Where a gender-sensitive form is unavoidable, substitute another verb rather than address a male or female or give both forms and lengthen the text.
en If the user has the appropriate rights, he can set other users' passwords. -> Users with the appropriate rights can set other users' passwords.; mt Jekk l-utent ikollu d-drittijiet xierqa jista’ jissettja l-passwords ta’ utenti oħra. -> Utenti bid-drittijiet xierqa jistgħu jissettjaw il-passwords ta’ utenti oħra.
en To call someone, select his name, select Make a phone call, and then select his number. -> To call someone, select the person's name, select Make a phone call, and then choose the number you'd like to dial.; mt Biex iċċempel lil xi ħadd, agħżel ismu, agħżel Agħmel telefonata, imbagħad agħżel in-numru tiegħu. -> Biex iċċempel lil xi ħadd, agħżel l-isem tal-persuna, agħżel Agħmel telefonata, imbagħad agħżel in-numru li tixtieq tiddajlja.
en A user with the appropriate rights can set another user’s password. -> Users with the appropriate rights can set other users' password.; mt Utent bid-drittijiet xierqa jista’ jissettja l-passwords ta’ utent ieħor. -> Utenti bid-drittijiet xierqa jistgħu jissettjaw l-passwords ta’ utenti oħra.
If you cannot write around the problem, the plural pronoun huma is OK in a generic reference to a single person. Never use constructions like hu/hi or huwa/hija.
For a real person, use the pronouns that person prefers, huwa, hija, huma, or another. Gendered pronouns like huwa, hija, tiegħu, tagħha are OK for real people who use them.
Focus on people, not disabilities. No words that imply pity, such as li jsofri minn or li jbati minn.
Mention a disability only when relevant.
en handicapped -> person with a disability; mt andikappat -> persuna b’diżabbiltà
en normal person; healthy person -> person without a disability; mt persuna normali; persuna f’saħħitha -> persuna mingħajr diżabbiltà
Use generic verbs that fit all input methods and devices. In procedures and instructions, avoid verbs that make no sense with alternative input methods.
en Click -> Select; mt Ikklikkja -> Agħżel
Keep paragraphs short and sentence structure simple. Aim for one verb per sentence.
Read text aloud and imagine a screen reader speaking it.
Spell out words like u, plus, dwar. Screen readers can misread special characters such as &, +, ~.
Acronyms are made of the initial letters of the major parts of a compound term and are pronounced as a new word, e.g. WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get), OLE (Object Linking and Embedding), RAM (Random Access Memory).
Generally do not add a generic term after an acronym when a letter of the acronym already stands for that term. Correct this in the target even when the US English does it.
In Maltese this is acceptable when the acronym is not well known or stands for English words, because the generic term helps the user understand the meaning or mark a plural. Judge each case.
numru personali (PIN)
Not: lingwa HTML
Gender of an acronym is generally that of the main word: (memorja) RAM, (netwerk) LAN, (numru) PIN. Context can change it: (lingwa) HTML and (format) HTML, where the generic term has a different meaning.
Mark the plural of an acronym with nouns before it and adjectives after it, as in netwerks LAN ikkonfigurati.
In online help and documentation, spell out the acronym on first use. Give the language-specific translation, the US term, and the acronym: Organizzazzjoni Internazzjonali għall-Istandardizzazzjoni (International Organization for Standardization, ISO).
In the UI there is usually no room for all three terms. Only in wizards can the acronym be spelled out and localized on first mention. Under space constraints or with no first occurrence, judge whether to leave the acronym as is or spell it out and localize it.
Users differ in product knowledge. An Exchange user understands DL, but an average user might need lista tad-distribuzzjoni. Stay consistent within a product.
Never create a new acronym from the translated term. Leave the English acronym or abbreviation intact.
en Internet Information Services (IIS) -> mt Servizzi ta’ Informazzjoni fuq l-Internet (IIS)
en DDE/OLE Links -> mt Links DDE/OLE
Many abbreviations and acronyms are standardized and stay untranslated. Add the full English spelling only when the acronym needs explanation. For a common acronym, the spelled-out form only confuses users, so use the acronym alone.
Commonly understood, never localized or spelled out: ISO (International Standards Organization), USB.
en a very nice friend -> mt ħabib twajjeb (masc.) / ħabiba twajba (fem.) ħafna
Possessive adjectives: omit them in translations (your keyboard, your software) unless needed. tiegħek or the equivalent suffix is at times recommended for a courteous personal interface, and may sometimes be elided. Where try rephrasing your query is rendered in Maltese style and syntax, your query becomes redundant through the verb staqsi. tixtieq is more courteous and more informal than teħtieġ.
Mark the plural of an acronym with nouns before it and adjectives after it, as in netwerks LAN ikkonfigurati.
Adjectives deriving from topographic names: capitalize the first letter: ir-reġjun Bask, iċ-ċentru Mosti
Be consistent when translating option names. Use the same part of speech for all of them where possible. If verbs, nouns, and adjectives are mixed for option names or related strings, ask the language coordinator whether one part of speech can be used throughout.
Consider how you would say the word in context. Do not let the English text unduly influence you. In Maltese the vast majority of definite nouns and adjectives take the article. Omitting the article sounds unnatural and can change the meaning.
English capitalizes all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions in headings. Never apply this to Maltese headings. Follow normal Maltese capitalization rules. The same applies to software strings.
en Sorting and Grouping -> mt Ordinar u Gruppar
Nouns and adjectives take a negative meaning through a derivative marker. This is less common than in English.
en antivirus -> mt antivirus
en invisible -> mt inviżibbli
en unchecked -> mt diżattivat
en unlocked -> mt żblukkat
en noncontiguous -> mt mhux kontigwu
en unavailable -> mt mhux disponibbli
en undefined -> mt mhux definit
Singular they and their, and the Maltese huma (often omitted) and tagħhom, are common in informal speech but ungrammatical. Avoid them in formal speech and writing, localization included.
Capitalize the article only at the start of a sentence, phrase, heading, or subheading, or when it is an integral part of a proper noun: It-tfal kibru, Il-Poeżija Maltija, It-Torċa u Il-Mument
Capitalize the first letter of the article beginning a proper name when the name stands on its own, e.g. in an address, a table, a map: Il-Gudja, L-Italja
Many strings contain placeholders later replaced with product names. Keep it simple and use no article.
The hyphen - in definite articles differs from the hyphen of compound words, which Maltese uses sparingly for compounding nouns and adjectives.
The most common definite article forms are l- and il-: l-art, il-Ħamis, il-programm, l-investigazzjoni.
Instead of l one of the sun letters (xemxin) can stand before the hyphen, matching the initial sun letter of the following noun. Sun letters: ċ, d, n, r, s, t, x, ż, z. Forms with and without the euphonic vowel i: (i)ċ-ċitazzjoni, (i)d-dominju, (i)n-netwerk, (i)r-reviżjoni, (i)s-sistema, (i)t-tagħrif, (i)x-xogħol, (i)ż-żieda, (i)z-zokkor
Unlocalized product and non-translated feature names take no definite or indefinite article.
en Windows Mail shares your Internet Connection settings with Microsoft Edge -> mt Windows Mail jaqsam is-setting tat-Tqabbid mal-Internet ma’ Microsoft Edge.
en Website addresses will be sent to Microsoft -> mt L-indirizzi tas-siti elettroniċi jintbagħtu lil Microsoft
Translated feature names take a definite or indefinite article. They are not proper names.
en Hide the Task Manager when it is minimized -> mt Aħbi l-Ġestjoni tal-Attivitajiet meta tiċċekken
For English borrowed terms, check approved terminology to confirm a new loanword and its proper article.
If the first word of the English source string is capitalized, capitalize the first target word too. If it is not, do not, unless language-specific rules require it.
Some strings are concatenated at run-time and can lack a subject or start mid-sentence. Do not start such strings with an upper-case letter unless Maltese spelling rules require it.
en on day %d of every month -> mt fil-jum %d ta’ kull xahar
en Enter the password for %1!ws!: %0 -> mt Daħħal il-password għal %1!ws!: %0
Capitalize proper names of applications, wizards, and programs, as in Microsoft Office Outlook or Excel. Write generic terms in lowercase.
General Maltese capitalization closely follows English. Follow Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ilsien Malti (2008). Deċiżjonijiet 1.
Proper names: capitalize the first letter of each word making up the name, excluding the article and the preposition: Marija Borg; il-Gudja; Malta; Venere; Triq il-Kbira; Bieb il-Belt; in-nies ta’ Tas-Sliema; l-Aġenzija Appoġġ; Ħadd il-Palm; Ta’ Pinu; ix-xatt ta’ Ta’ Xbiex; f'Ta’ Paris; l-Awtorità tax-Xandir; il-Kamra tal-Avukati; l-Ordni ta’ San Ġwann; il-Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb; il-Bank Nazzjonali tad-Demm; l-Università ta’ Malta
The article: capitalize only at the start of a sentence, phrase, heading, or subheading, or when integral to a proper noun: It-tfal kibru; Il-Poeżija Maltija; It-Torċa u Il-Mument
The article beginning a proper name: capitalize the first letter when the name stands alone, e.g. in an address, a table, a map: Il-Gudja, L-Italja
Common names used as proper names: capitalize the first letter of the name: il-Knisja f’Malta; nidħol sal-Belt; il-Kritika Prattika suġġett interessanti ħafna
Directions: capitalize the first letter of each word making the names of compass points: riħ Tramuntana; Grieg il-Lvant; il-Punent; il-Lvant; in-Nofsinhar; ix-Xlokk
Publications: capitalize the first letter of each word of the name: reklam f’Il-Ġens, il-karattru ewlieni fi Ħdejn in-Nixxiegħa
Scientific names: species names have two words, genus and species, both in italics or underlined. Capitalize the first letter of the genus. Write the species in lower case: il-Pistacia lentiscus; it-Tyrannosaurus rex; il-Monticola solitarius
Scientific and product names taking a euphonic vowel: capitalize the first letter of the name itself, not the euphonic vowel: l-iSparidae; l-iStegosaurus; l-iStromatopteris; l-iSpell
Popular names of flora, fauna, chemical elements: lower case, like other common names: il-begonja; l-oleandru; il-pitirross; l-awrat; l-aluminju; iċ-ċomb
Topographic names: capitalize the first letter of place names with a topographic element: Il-Baħar Mediterran; il-Vulkan Etna; ix-Xmara Nil; il-Muntanja Sinaj; il-Baħar l-Aħmar; l-Oċean Indjan; il-Wied tal-Isperanza; il-Blata tal-Ġeneral; il-Gżejjer ta’ San Pawl; il-Bajja ta’ San Tumas
Adjectives from topographic names: capitalize the first letter: ir-reġjun Bask; iċ-ċentru Mosti
Names of people from a particular place: capitalize the first letter: Mosti; Għawdxi; Ingliża; Ġermaniżi; Taljan; Ewropea; Amerikani
Languages and language families: capitalize the first letter: il-Malti; l-Ingliż; ir-Rumanz; kliem ta’ nisel Semitiku; Ingliżata; Arabiżmu
Organizations and movements: capitalize the first letter: l-Akkademja tal-Malti; l-Barokk; ir-Rinaxximent; il-Postmoderniżmu; l-Iżlam
Adjectives from names of movements, organizations, religions: capitalize the first letter: l-arti Rinaxximentali, pajjiż Nisrani; stil Sikulo-Normann
Names of members of organizations and movements, cultural, religious: capitalize the first letter: Il-Buddisti; id-Dumnikani; il-Franġiskani Kapuċċini; l-Impressjonisti; il-Kattoliċi; il-Laburisti u n-Nazzjonalisti; ir-Rinaxximentali; ir-Romantiċi
Titles: capitalize the first letter of titles immediately before names of persons: l-Avukat Pawlu Hili; it-Teżoriera Michelle Borg; l-Isqof Pawlu Cremona
Abbreviated titles: always capitalize the first letter: ir-Rev. Ġorġ Attard; Dr Josette Grima; Dott. Mario Piscopo; is-Sur Michael Farrugia, il-Prof. Lina Xuereb, l-Onor. Peter Attard; l-Inġ. Justine Zammit
Titles used alone about a particular person: capitalize the first letter: it-Teżorier qal; l-attendenza tal-Arċisqof
Titles used as common names: lower case: laħaq kanonku; kull teżorier
Currency: lower case: tliet ewro; seba’ ċenteżmi; lira sterlina; disa’ dollari
Months and days of the week: capitalize the first letter: Jannar; Ġunju; Diċembru; il-Ħadd; l-Erbgħa; il-Ġimgħa; is-Sibt
Seasons and centuries: lower case: ir-rebbiegħa; il-ħarifa; l-ewwel jum tas-sajf; fi tmiem ix-xitwa; mis-seklu dsatax sas-seklu wieħed u għoxrin
en Microsoft Corporation Home Page -> mt Paġna Prinċipali ta’ Microsoft Corporation
en To reply to the sender of the selected message, you can also press CTRL+R. -> mt Biex twieġeb lill-mittent tal-messaġġ magħżul, tista’ wkoll tagħfas CTRL+R.
en Sort Options -> mt Issortja l-Għażliet
en If this is correct, choose Next -> mt Jekk dan korrett, agħżel Li Jmiss
en Clock, Language and Region -> mt Arloġġ, Lingwa u Reġjun
English source strings capitalize many more nouns and verbs than expected. Never mimic source capitalization. Use Maltese spelling conventions to decide. Overcapitalization is awkward and creates UI inconsistency.
If a capitalized English noun becomes two words in the target, be consistent: capitalize both, neither, or one, and apply spelling rules consistently.
Compounds contain product and component names. Product names are usually trademarked and must stay unchanged. Add to a product or component name with a hyphen, or use a periphrastic construction.
Use prepositions to link the compound with other words, following Maltese rules.
en Windows password -> mt Password ta’ Windows
en Microsoft Word document -> mt Dokument ta’ Microsoft Word
en Microsoft SQL Server Database -> mt Database ta’ Microsoft SQL Server
Compounds with acronyms, abbreviations, or numerals often need a preposition. Follow Maltese rules.
Put a blank space between numerals and units. Watch which abbreviations take a final period, unless they end a sentence.
The measurement system is SI, per MSA DMS 200:2009 and MSA ISO 1000:2002.
en USB drive -> mt Drajv USB
en 24 bit color value -> mt Valur ta’ kulur ta’ 24 bit
Conjunctions help convey a conversational tone. Starting a sentence with a conjunction conveys an informal tone and style.
en classic As <product> gains features, there is a risk that older content may not display correctly. -> en modern But because of these features older content may not display correctly.
mt classic Ara previżjoni tal-posta rċivuta mit-toolbar, mingħajr ma tħalli l-paġna tal-web li tkun fuqha. -> mt modern Bil-previżjoni tal-posta rċivuta mit-toolbar, ma jkollokx għalfejn tħalli l-paġna tal-web li tkun fuqha.
mt classic Ma stajniex nibagħtu konferma bil-posta elettronika lil din il-persuna, iżda żdiedu fi <prodott>. -> mt modern Billi ma stajniex nibagħtu konferma bil-posta elettronika lil din il-persuna, żidniha fi <prodott>.
Never attach a genitive s to a trademarked product name. It reads as a modification of the name.
Product names and non-translated feature names are proper nouns and take no definite or indefinite article in English. Add to a product or component name with a hyphen or a periphrastic construction.
Microsoft’s products -> Microsoft products, Products by Microsoft
Treat product names and non-translated feature names as proper nouns in Maltese too. Use no article with them.
en Windows Mail shares your Internet Connection settings with Internet Explorer -> mt Windows Mail jaqsam is-setting tat-Tqabbid mal-Internet ma’ Internet Explorer.
en Website addresses will be sent to Microsoft -> mt L-indirizzi tas-siti elettroniċi jintbagħtu lil Microsoft
Since the transition period ended on December 11, 2023, Deċiżjonijiet 2 is the sole authoritative reference for loanwords.
First category: a loanword with no Maltese equivalent whose written form is established and standardized is always written in Maltese.
Loanwords assimilated into Maltese, established in writing, and adapted to the morphological system are written in Maltese. This covers nouns taking the Maltese plural, verbs following the Maltese verb forms, and adjectives and participles derived from such loanwords.
dish; dishes -> dixx; dixxijiet
source; sources -> sors; sorsi
chip; chips -> ċippa; ċipep
charge (the battery) -> Iċċarġja (il-batterija)
park -> Park (noun); ipparkja (verb)
garaged -> Iggaraxxjat/a/i
Keep writing consistent. Loanwords can have different pronunciations. Choose one phonetic variable, but spell the loanword consistently. Prefer the variable most common and established in writing: kantin/kentin, maniġer/meniġer
Apply the Maltese singular and plural consistently, especially for the same noun, and prefer the integrated plural. Do not prefer the English -s plural over the Maltese plural when the word has assimilated well.
Keep grammatical inflexions of a loanword consistent across the verb, the verbal noun, and the past participle.
Noun: skenn; skener; skening
Verb: skennja, niskennja, skennjajt
Verbal noun: skennjar
Past participle: skennjat
Second category: loanwords that are compound words always stay in English: basketball; roundabout; fire extinguisher; shock absorber; air conditioner; website; software; hardware; online; flowchart; bar graph; network
Loanwords kept in English take no italics and no inverted commas, except in text for pedagogical purposes or for young children.
Third category: a loanword poorly adapted to the Maltese morphological system can go either way.
If the Maltese spelling does not deviate much visually from the English form and has long been present in writing, write it in Maltese: ħelikopter, kamera, plastik, alkoħol
If the Maltese spelling deviates significantly and may confuse the reader, leave the word in English: ċeting (chatting), fawndejxin (foundation), ħoki (hockey), rowbot (robot), slowgan (slogan), smuti (smoothie), suxi (sushi), tajer (tyre), xater (shatter)
The -s plural is not a criterion for integration. If a loanword taking -s is established and common in Maltese writing and does not deviate confusingly, write it with Maltese spelling and affix -s, as in kompjuter – kompjuters.
If the Maltese spelling would deviate significantly and is not common and established, leave the word in English: toilet – toilets, not tojlit – tojlits
Some nouns have no Maltese equivalent or are normally left untranslated.
en Delete it from server. -> mt Ħassru mis-server.
en Enter a password to log into the server -> mt Daħħal password biex tilloggja fis-server
en server IP address -> mt indirizz tal-IP tas-server
en Verify the name of the server’s certificate -> mt Ivverifika isem iċ-ċertifikat tas-server
To make a noun from a verb, use Maltese suffixes per language rules.
en Formatting -> mt Ifformattjar
Always use the same translation for the same source text. Never use different terms for one concept. Keep the same sentence structure.
en Start Time -> mt Ħin tal-bidu; en Stop Time -> mt Ħin tat-tmiem
Maltese nouns have two plural numbers: the DUAL for two items or pairs, and the PLURAL for more than two.
Form the DUAL with the suffix -ejn or -ajn on the singular: darba = darbtejn (twice), ġimgħa = ġimagħtejn (two weeks), jum = jumejn (two days), id = idejn (pair of hands)
Form the general PLURAL with the suffixes -i, -iet, -ijiet, -ien: ajruplan = ajruplani (airplanes), aħbar = aħbarijiet (news), taqsima = taqsimiet (sections), wied = widien (valleys)
Some nouns have a determinate plural preceded by a number and also a collective plural: kelma (a word), erba kelmiet (four words), kliem (words); tuffieħa (an apple), sitt tuffiħiet (six apples), tuffieħ (apples)
Two formation categories: the external plural by suffixes, and the internal plural formed by breaking the word internally.
Use the correct preposition. Do not omit prepositions or change word order under English influence.
Starting or ending a sentence with a preposition is acceptable and conveys a casual, conversational tone.
Maltese prepositions link nouns, pronouns, and phrases to other words. The word or phrase the preposition introduces is its object.
Translate English prepositional phrases by context. Avoid anglicisms.
en associate with -> mt orbot ma’
en change to -> mt aqleb għal
en click on -> mt kklikkja fuq
en connect to -> mt qabbad ma’
en export to -> mt esporta lejn
en export from -> mt esporta minn
en import to -> mt importa fi
en import from -> mt importa minn
en update to -> mt aġġorna għal
en welcome to ... -> mt merħba fi
en in the toolbar -> mt fit-toolbar
en on the tab -> mt fit-tab
en on the menu -> mt fil-menù
en on the net -> mt fuq in-net
en on the Internet -> mt fuq l-Internet
en on the Web -> mt fuq il-Web
en on a web site -> mt f’sit elettroniku
en on a web page -> mt f’paġna web
Translate wizard names as Assistent ta’ to avoid inconsistency between ta’ and għall-.
Prepositions belong to the partiċelli (particles), words showing the relation between words, phrases, and sentences. They occur alone, attached to affixes, or joined. This guide treats prepositions and particles as one.
Prepositions bi, fi, ma’, ta’, sa, minn, lil, għal, bħal join the article to form bil-, fil-, tal-, sal-, mill-, lill-, għall-, bħall-.
minn + article: when followed by nouns starting with sun letters (xemxin), never double the assimilated ending letter. Minn- does not exist in Maltese orthography. Minn-naħa għall-oħra -> Min-naħa għall-oħra; mid-dehra attwali
bi and fi abbreviate to b’ and f’ where appropriate: b’sistema, f’kuntest
Never abbreviate bi and fi before a euphonic vowel (tal-leħen) attached to the noun: b’iffilmjar -> bi ffilmjar; b’issettjar -> bi ssettjar; f’iffajljar -> fi ffajljar; f’imkien -> fi mkien
ta’ is already a standard abbreviated form. Abbreviating further to t’ is orthographically correct: ta’ oħrajn, t’oħrajn, ta’ April, t’April, ta’ informazzjoni, t’informazzjoni, ta’ ffajljar, t’iffajljar. Do not abbreviate if the noun would then take a euphonic vowel.
lil has three functions. It is often written abbreviated as standard, sometimes completely elided, sometimes written in full alone or attached to the article. Get this often misspelt preposition right.
lil showing direction: usually abbreviated to ’l or ’il, depending on the last letter of the previous word or the first letter of the following word.
en Face up; face down -> mt Wiċċhom ’il fuq; wiċċhom ’l isfel
en Advance -> mt Imxi ’l quddiem
This form of lil never attaches to the article. ’l and ’il look like the article l- and il- but are abbreviations of lil and never take the hyphen.
lil marking the direct object: best not abbreviated with proper nouns that take no article. It attaches to the article in its full form. It may be completely elided and replaced by the article in all other cases.
en France beats Sweden -> mt Franza tirbaħ lill-Iżvezja (full form plus article)
en Contact the systems administrator -> mt Ikkuntattja l-amministratur tas-sistema (lil elided, only the article written)
lil marking the indirect object: never elide it. Write it in full or abbreviate as for direction.
en Address your complaint to the systems administrator -> mt Indirizza l-ilment tiegħek lill-amministratur tas-sistema, Indirizza l-ilment tiegħek ’il-amministratur tas-sistema (note the full lill-, which includes the article)
When abbreviating lil with an apostrophe, use the closing inverted comma. The opening inverted comma and the apostrophe are orthographically incorrect: ‘l/ ‘il -> ’l/’il
English error messages vary in the use of articles, demonstrative pronouns, and possessive pronouns. Handle this variation consistently in Maltese.
Use the article with full sentences, ended with a period or using conjugated verbs.
Use no article when the sentence is incomplete, or before proper names.
Consider how you would say the word in context. Do not let the English text unduly influence you. In Maltese the vast majority of definite nouns and adjectives take the article. Omitting it sounds unnatural and can change the meaning.
Avoid personal pronouns when addressing the user. Avoid possessive pronouns unless necessary.
en File already exists / The file already exists / This file already exists -> mt Il-fajl diġà jeżisti. In complete sentences use determiners consistently even when the US string does not.
en Not enough memory to complete this operation. -> mt Ma għandekx biżżejjed memorja biex tlesti l-operazzjoni. No demonstrative construction unless context makes it important.
en Windows cannot start your system. If the problem persists, contact your network administrator. -> mt Windows ma jistax jistartja s-sistema. Jekk il-problema tissokta, ikkuntattja lil min jamministra n-network. Avoid the possessive marker your unless it marks ownership.
Bulleted lists: capitalization and punctuation are the same as in English.
One space after a period or comma, never two.
Never put a blank space before a comma, period, colon, semicolon, exclamation point, question mark, or ellipsis. They follow the word immediately.
Maltese uses the Latin alphabet. Put a space after commas, periods, exclamation marks, and question marks. No space before them.
Use lower case after a comma unless the next word needs a capital.
Leave a space before and after an ellipsis.
Punctuation closely follows English. Follow DMS 200:2009. Consult also Truss, L (2003). Eats, Shoots & Leaves.
Colon: put a space after it. Do not capitalize the following word, except in letter salutations and enumerations made of full sentences.
Use a colon to separate hours, minutes, seconds: 02:30:00
Use a colon to connect two parts of a sentence, especially when the second amplifies the first. A colon marks a discontinuity with more force than a comma or semicolon: He had always wanted to travel to Italy: When he was six his best friend moved to Venice. In practice a semicolon is more common here, so use the colon sparingly.
Use a colon after a statement introducing a list: We will discuss the following Irish towns: (1) Cork, (2) Galway, and (3) Dublin.
No colon when the introduction is not a complete sentence and an item in the list completes the thought: Meta konna n-Norveġja huma żaru (1) Oslo, (2) Lillehammer, u (3) Trondheim.
Use a colon to introduce a quotation or a formal statement: Hemm regola waħda meta tiġu f’dari: Dejjem ejjew fil-ħin.
Use a colon after the salutation in a formal letter: Għażiż Sur Muscat:
Use a colon after a speaker's introductory remarks: Sur President, Prim Ministru, Sinjuri:
Use a colon in expressions of time, such as 4:30 p.m.
Hyphen: use it to divide words between syllables, to link parts of a compound word, and to connect the parts of an inverted or imperative verb form.
Maltese uses the hyphen and the apostrophe as word-break characters and as an integral part of the preceding word: fil-bidu is two words, fil- and bidu; f'moħħi consists of f' and moħħi.
En dash: used as a minus sign, usually with spaces before and after. It is a little longer than a hyphen, roughly the width of an n. Use it for periods of time where you might use to, and in place of a hyphen when combining open compounds: Is-snin 2020–2023
Use the en dash in number ranges, such as page numbers, with no spaces around it.
Em dash: use only to emphasize an isolated element or to introduce an element not essential to the meaning: Inti l-ħabib—l-uniku ħabib—li offrejt li tgħinni.
Ellipsis: marks an intentional omission, a pause in speech, an unfinished thought, or a trailing off into silence. It calls for a slight pause in speech.
The most common forms are three periods ... or the precomposed glyph …. Em dash use can overlap ellipsis use.
An ellipsis has exactly three dots, never two, never four: U kompla jredden, iredden u jredden ...
Most style guides call for a space between the dots. Use a thin space or a non-breaking space to stop the dots splitting over two lines. Many fonts have an ellipsis symbol. For everyday purposes use regular spaces: type period-space-period-space-period. Keep the dots on one line.
Put a space on each side of an ellipsis. Treat it as a word.
When omitting something after a complete sentence, put the period at the end of the sentence, then a space, then the ellipsis. This gives four dots in a row with spaces, which is a period followed by a three-dot ellipsis, not a four-dot ellipsis.
Period in lists and tables: bulleted items that are complete sentences each end with a period.
Bulleted items continuing an introductory clause take no period.
Items in a list of chapters, sections, products, system requirements, that are neither sentences nor continuations, take no period.
If the translation is longer than the US text, or you split it into several independent sentences, insert a period where it improves Maltese style.
Never put a period after just one word.
The same convention applies to instruction lists, captions, and callouts.
Decimal separator in Maltese is a period. Never use a space for it. A space separates the numeral from the abbreviation.
In paper sizes, keep the decimal separator and the abbreviation in for inches, since the sizes are US norms.
en 5.25 cm -> mt 5.25 cm
en 5 x 7.2 inches -> mt 5 x 7.2 in
en Letter Landscape 11 x 8.5 in -> mt Letter Orizzontali 11 x 8.5 in
Thousands separator in Maltese is a comma.
en 1,526 -> mt 1,526
en $ 1,526.75 -> mt $ 1,526.75
Quotation marks: US source strings may surround software references with English quotation marks. Prefer double inverted commas to single, because many Maltese words end with an apostrophe.
en Type ‘skip again’ -> mt Ittajpja “erġa’ aqbeż”, not mt Ittajpja ‘erġa’ aqbeż’
If a word ending with an apostrophe falls at the end, change the font of the apostrophe or inverted commas.
Always use curly quotation marks, never straight.
Parentheses: no space between the parentheses and the text inside them, as in English: Rużar Briffa (1906-1963)
Sentence fragments convey a conversational tone. Use them wherever possible. They are short and to the point.
en Use the following steps. -> en fragment Here’s how
Fragments work in Maltese too, especially in media and mass communication, and make instructions easier to follow.
mt long Agħżel il-post li trid tmur fih meta tikklikkja l-immaġni magħżula. -> mt fragment Agħżel il-post fejn trid tmur meta tikklikkja din l-immaġni.
mt long L-ippersonalizzar tal-filmat tiegħek huwa faċli. -> mt fragment Ippersonalizza l-filmat tiegħek faċilment.
mt long Segwi l-passi li ġejjin. -> mt fragment Sif af kif.
Where adjectives and nouns agree and the noun is a placeholder, find out the exact string so a preceding adjective can be inflected. Most source strings are already worded to avoid this, with no adjective modifying a placeholder. Where a noun subject and verb agree, reword the translation to avoid an ungrammatical sentence.
en Replace invalid %s? (user sees Replace invalid data?, Replace invalid file?) -> mt Tissostitwixxi %s mhux valida?
en %s already exists (user sees File already exists, Name already exists) -> mt %s diġà jeżisti
en %s is now set as your personal contact. (user sees Regina is now set as your personal contact, Mr. Kim is now set as your personal contact) -> mt %s bħalissa kkonfigurata bħala l-kuntatt personali tiegħek
en %s stopped working and was closed (user sees The application stopped working and was closed, The program stopped working and was closed) -> mt %s waqfet taħdem u ngħalqet
Use a non-breaking space (CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR) in any abbreviation.
Where non-breaking spaces are impossible, as in Help files, write these abbreviations without a space so one letter does not move to the next line.
Put a space before and after numerals: 110 x 230, 5 mm
Use a non-breaking space (Ctrl+Shift+Spacebar) between the numeral and its unit of measure or currency: 100 mg
Units of measure take no period, unless they end a sentence.
Write years without a thousand separator: 2020, 2022
Use simple tenses. Simple present is easiest to understand. Avoid future tense unless the event really happens in the future and simple present cannot work. Use simple past for events already finished.
An English verb can be used as a loan word and then follows Maltese syntactic and morphological rules.
en chat -> mt jiċċettja, ċċettja, ċċettjar
en crawl -> mt jikkrolja, kkrolja, kkroljar
en debug -> mt jiddibaggja, ddibaggja, dibaggjar
Be consistent when translating option names. Use the same part of speech for all of them where possible. If verbs, nouns, and adjectives are mixed, ask the language coordinator whether one part of speech can be used throughout.
Use conjugated verbs in full sentences, ended with a period.
Use the 2nd polite person to address the user.
Keep the same sentence structure for similar strings, such as error messages.
Translate verbs in error messages consistently. If your language can grammatically omit the predicate be, omit it in error messages, but stay consistent across all of them. Be concise without changing the meaning.
en The document is too large. / Document too large. -> mt Id-dokument kbir wisq. Be consistent in using the verb to be.
en Access was denied. / Access denied. -> mt Aċċess miċħud. In complete sentences use verbs and the same tense as the source.
en The file '%s' is an unknown graphics format. -> mt Il-fajl '%s' għandu format ta’ grafika mhux magħruf. Rephrase is with have when needed.
en The application may attempt to convert the graphic. -> mt L-applikazzjoni tista’ tittanta tikkonverti l-grafika.may + Verb can become Verb + possibly.
en A problem occurred while trying to connect to ... -> mt Kien hemm problema fit-tqabbid ma’ ... Shorten and rephrase if needed.
en The following error occurred: '%1!s!' (error #%2!lx!) -> mt Żball '%1!s!' (żball #%2!lx!) Shorten this construction where possible.
en An unknown error has occurred. / No error occurred. -> mt Żball mhux magħruf. Shorten this construction where possible.
Adapt the translated text to local language, customs, and standards.
The language must have the look and feel of a product originally written in Maltese, with idiomatic syntax and terminology, and high terminological consistency.
Accessibility options and programs make the computer usable by people with cognitive, hearing, physical, or visual disabilities.
Hardware and software components use a flexible, customizable user interface, alternative input and output methods, and greater exposure of screen elements.
Some accessible products and services may not be available in Maltese-speaking markets. Double-check with the appropriate resources.
Application and product names are often trademarked or may become trademarked, so they are rarely translated. Feature names are occasionally trademarked too, e.g. IntelliSense™.
In Maltese, application and product names are not translatable.
Version numbers always contain a period, e.g. Version 4.2.
en Version 1.0 -> mt Verżjoni 1.0
Version numbers are usually part of version strings, but technically they are not the same.
Product, feature, and component names often sit in version strings as they appear in the software. Always translate version strings that contain copyright information. Check approved terminology for the correct translations.
Error messages are sent by the system or a program to tell the user of an error that must be corrected for the program to keep running. They can prompt the user to act or report an error that requires rebooting.
Apply the voice principles so the target reads natural and empathetic, not robotic.
en Something went wrong. -> mt Xi ħaġa marret ħażin.
en Not enough memory to process this command. -> mt M’hemmx biżżejjed memorja biex tipproċessa dan il-kmand.
Use consistent terminology and language style. Never translate error messages exactly as they appear in the US product.
en File not found. / File was not found. / The file was not found. -> mt Il-fajl ma jistax jinstab. Use one basic syntax for all negative sentences.
en Not enough memory. -> mt Memorja insuffiċjenti. for general messages; mt Ma għandekx biżżejjed memorja biex … as a verb phrase for full sentences.
en Wrong file type. -> mt Tip ta’ fajl inkorrett.wrong = incorrect.
en Invalid file type. -> mt Tip ta’ fajl mhux validu.invalid = illegal. Never use invalidu or illegali.
en An illegal name has been entered. -> mt Ktibt isem inkorrett. Never use invalidu or illegali.
en %1 has a bad format. -> mt għandha format mhux validu. Use mhux validu instead of ħażin, unless the meaning is physically broken.
en Object doesn't support current locale setting. -> mt L-oġġett ma jiħux il-konfigurazzjoni reġjonali attwali. Use standard word order. Watch where the negative marker sits.
Standardize standard phrases. The US version sometimes uses different forms for the same thing. Use one standard target phrase for error messages with the same meaning and purpose. Use another wording only if it works better in context.
en Cannot … / Could not … -> mt Ma jistax: Ma jistax isib il-fajl
en Failed to … / Failure of … -> mt Ma rnexxilux: Ma rnexxilux isib il-fajl
en Cannot find … / Could not find … / Unable to find … / Unable to locate … -> mt Ma jistax: Ma jistax isib il-fajl
en Not enough memory / Insufficient memory / There is not enough memory / There is not enough memory available -> mt M’hemmx biżżejjed memorja: M’hemmx biżżejjed memorja fil-kompjuter
en ... is not available / ... is unavailable -> mt Mhux disponibbli: Il-fajl mhux disponibbli
Error messages often have two items: a phrase explaining the problem, and a sentence stating the consequence or the fix. US English separates them with a comma, colon, or semicolon. In Maltese use a full stop to separate them. Translate the first item by the general error-message rules. Translate the second as a full sentence ending with a full stop.
For error messages with placeholders, find out what will replace the placeholder so the sentence stays grammatical. Most source strings carry instructions on the replacement text.
%d, %ld, %u, %lu means <number>; %c means <letter>; %s means <string>
“Checking Web %1!d! of %2!d!” means “Checking Web <number> of <number>”
“INI file "%1!-.200s!" section” means “INI file "<string>" section”
%d minute(s) remaining -> user sees 3 minute(s) remaining
Dialing %s... -> user sees Dialing business phone
The disk in drive %c: cannot be formatted. -> user sees The disk in drive C: cannot be formatted.
English puts placeholders where they naturally occur in English. Numerals usually precede the noun, so numeral placeholders usually precede the noun. Maltese follows this order, but check whether any word needs to move.
en %u hours ago -> mt %u sigħat ilu
en %d hour(s) remaining -> mt Baqa’ %d minuta/minuti
en Replace invalid %s? (user sees Replace invalid data?, Replace invalid file?) -> mt Trid tissostitwixxi %s mhux valida?
en %s already exists (user sees File already exists, Name already exists) -> mt %s diġà jeżisti
en %s is now set as your personal contact. (user sees Regina is now set as your personal contact, Mr. Kim is now set as your personal contact) -> mt %s bħalissa kkonfigurata bħala l-kuntatt personali tiegħek
en %s stopped working and was closed (user sees The application stopped working and was closed, The program stopped working and was closed) -> mt %s waqfet taħdem u ngħalqet
Underlined or highlighted letters in menu options, commands, or dialog boxes mark keyboard shortcuts, which let the user work faster.
Slim characters such as I, l, t, r, f are allowed as keyboard shortcuts.
Characters with downstrokes such as g, j, y, p, q are allowed.
Extended characters: diacritical characters ċ, Ċ, ġ, Ġ, ħ, Ħ, ż, Ż are allowed. Accented vowels À, à, È, è, Ì, ì, Ò, ò, Ù, ù are not allowed.
An additional letter in brackets after the item name is allowed.
A number in brackets after the item name is allowed.
A punctuation sign in brackets after the item name: on the Maltese keyboard the diacritical characters ċ, Ċ, ġ, Ġ, ħ, Ħ, ż, Ż replace `, ~, [, {, ], }, \, | respectively. Get those signs with ALT GR, or ALT GR + SHIFT, plus the Maltese character. Example: ALT GR + ġ = [
Duplicate keyboard shortcuts are allowed when no other character is available.
No keyboard shortcut is assigned when no more characters are available, minor options only.
Only single stroke characters can be used.
Preferred, case-sensitive: Ġ, G, Y, P, J
Preferred, not case-sensitive: a, b, ċ, c, d, e, f, h, ħ, i, k, l, m, n, o, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, z
Allowed, case-sensitive: ġ, g, j, p, q, y
Not allowed: à, è, ì, ò, ù, ż
Numeric, case not applicable: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
access key: a subtype of keyboard shortcut. A letter or number the user types to reach UI controls that have text labels. Access keys go on top-level controls so the user can move through the UI quickly with the keyboard. Example: F in Alt+F. In UI localization: H&ome. Most access keys are used with the Alt key.
key tip: the letter or number that appears in the ribbon when Alt is pressed. In UI localization the key tip is the last character in the string after the ` character. Example: HomeH``
shortcut key: a subtype of keyboard shortcut. A key the user types to do a common action without going through the UI. Shortcut keys are not available for every command. Examples: Ctrl+N, Ctrl+V. Most shortcut keys are used with the Ctrl key. Ctrl+letter combinations and function keys F1 through F12 are usually the best choices.