ħajjar

Maltese

Root
ħ-j-r
5 terms

Etymology 1

Describing conservative accents of the early 19th century, Vassalli distinguished between two verbs, one with /ħ/ meaning “to allure” and one with /χ/ meaning “to let someone choose”. The contemporary ħajjar thus continues Arabic حَيَّرَ (ḥayyara, “to confuse, abash”). The semantic connection may be the Arabic use for “to make someone lose their head”, e.g. romantically, which developed into the notion of “alluring, tempting” in Maltese. The second verb, from Arabic خَيَّرَ (ḵayyara), has been lost.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈħaj.jar/

Verb

ħajjar (imperfect jħajjar, past participle mħajjar, verbal noun taħjir or tħajjir)

  1. to entice, to attract
    Kif nistgħu nħajru lil uliedna għall-qari? ― How can we entice our children to read?
  2. to tempt, to allure, to induce
    Synonym: ttanta (ttenta)
Conjugation
Conjugation of ħajjar (Form II)
positive forms
singular plural
1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
perfect m ħajjart ħajjart ħajjar ħajjarna ħajjartu ħajru
f ħajret
imperfect m nħajjar tħajjar jħajjar nħajru tħajru jħajru
f tħajjar
imperative ħajjar ħajru
negative forms
singular plural
1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
perfect m ħajjartx ħajjartx ħajjarx ħajjarniex ħajjartux ħajrux
f ħajritx
imperfect m nħajjarx tħajjarx jħajjarx nħajrux tħajrux jħajrux
f tħajjarx
imperative tħajjarx tħajrux

See also

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ħajˈjaːr/

Noun

ħajjar m (plural ħajjara or ħajjarin, feminine ħajjara)

  1. agent noun of ħajjar
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