ħtieġ

Maltese

Root
ħ-w-ġ
5 terms

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈħtɪːt͡ʃ/

Verb

ħtieġ (imperfect jeħtieġ, past participle meħtieġ or miħtieġ or maħtieġ, verbal noun ħtieġa)

1. to need, 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		1st person	2nd person	3rd person
perfect	m	ħtiġt	ħtiġt	ħtieġ		ħtiġna	ħtiġtu	ħtieġu
	f			ħtieġet
imperfect	m	neħtieġ	teħtieġ	jeħtieġ		neħtieġu	teħtieġu	jeħtieġu
	f			teħtieġ
imperative			ħtieġ				ħtieġu