ħa

From Arabic أَخَذَ (ʔaḵaḏa). Disregarding the different vowel colour (triggered by the ħ-), the vocalic development was exactly the same as in kiel (“to eat”), which see. The paradigm was further complicated by an unusual loss of -d in all word-final positions (except for the participle); this is also found in some Maghrebi dialects, compare Tunisian Arabic ناخو (nāḵu, “I take”).

• IPA^(key): /ħaː/

ħa (imperfect jieħu, past participle meħud, verbal noun teħid)

1. to take, to receive

   ħa nifs ― he took a breath

   ħa riħ ― he got a cold

2. to experience, to feel

   Biex xita li kien hemm ħa tixriba qawwija.

   With the amount of rain falling he experienced a great drenching.

3. to deceive
4. to occupy, take up
5. to lead [with għal]
6. to marry [with b’ and mart]
7. to treat [with direct object and bħal ‘as someone’]

   Ħadni bħal wieħed iblah. ― He treated me as if I were a fool.

8. to wound

   Ħa riġlu lbieraħ. ― He wounded his foot yesterday.

9. to undertake responsibilities [with fuq]
10. to feel the effects [with ġo or f’ ‘of’]
11. to take after [with minn]

    Ħadet minn ommha. ― She took after her mother.

12. to be offended [with għal]

    Ħadet għalija b’li għedt. ― She was offended by what you said.

13. to be take personally [with b’ and kbira]

    Toħodhiex bi kbira din li se ngħidlek ― Don't take personally what I'm about to say.

14. to quarrel [with -ha ‘dummy object’ and ma’ ‘with someone’]

    Ħadha miegħi. ― He quarreled with me.

15. to assert one's self [with ta’]

    Ħa tiegħu. ― He asserted himself.

16. to shake hands [with b’ and id]

    Malli raħ ħadlu b’idejh. ― Once he saw him he shook his hand.