lagħab

Maltese

Root
l-għ-b
12 terms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /laːp/
  • IPA(key): /laˤːp/ (archaic)
  • Homophone: lgħab

Etymology 1

From Arabic لَعِبَ (laʕiba).

Verb

lagħab (imperfect jilgħab, past participle milgħub, verbal noun logħob)

  1. to play
  2. to gamble
  3. to cheat, to deceive
  4. to waver, to be undecided
Conjugation
Conjugation of lagħab (Form I)
positive forms
singular plural
1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
perfect m lgħabt lgħabt lagħab lgħabna lgħabtu lagħbu
f lagħbet
imperfect m nilgħab tilgħab jilgħab nilagħbu tilagħbu jilagħbu
f tilgħab
imperative ilgħab ilagħbu
negative forms
singular plural
1st person 2nd person 3rd person 1st person 2nd person 3rd person
perfect m lgħabtx lgħabtx lagħabx lgħabniex lgħabtux lagħbux
f lagħbitx
imperfect m nilgħabx tilgħabx jilgħabx nilagħbux tilagħbux jilagħbux
f tilgħabx
imperative tilgħabx tilagħbux

Etymology 2

From Arabic لَعّاب (laʕʕāb).

Originally the noun was pronounced /laʕˈʕaːp/, while the verb was /ˈla.ʕap/. Both merged in the 19th century when was vowelised. The spelling lagħgħab, which is sometimes seen, is incorrect because can never be geminated in Maltese.

However some speakers might still pronounce it as /laˈaːp/ especially to differentiate between it and the verb.

Noun

lagħab m (plural lagħaba, feminine lagħaba)

  1. gambler
    Synonyms: lagħbi, lagħabi