għajn

Maltese

Root
għ-j-n (eye)
2 terms

Root
għ-j-n (spring)
2 terms

Għajn

Etymology

From Arabic عَيْن (ʕayn).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /aːjn/, /ajn/
• IPA^(key): /aˤːjn/ (archaic)

• Audio (Gozo):

  (file)

• Homophone: għin (one pronunciation)

Noun

għajn f (plural għajnejn)

2. (anatomy) eye
   • 2018 [1977], Alfred Massa, L-Istar tal-Imgħoddi, 2nd edition, Horizons, page 80:

     ”Taħseb li r-Russi m’humiex b’seba’ għajnejn biex jaraw min qed jidħol fl-Ammbaxxati tal-Punent? Jien għandi ħsieb ieħor”, qalilna Alexander.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

3. (in the definite) the evil eye
   • 1865, P. P. Castagna, Malta bil ghzejer tahha u li ghadda min ghaliha: It-tieni parti‎^[1], page 61:

     Bosta jemnu bil għain, u forsi nemmen biha jen ucoll; għax bosta circostanzi għaddeu min għalìa, li ma staitx ma nemminx illi jinsabu certi bnedmin li b’ħarsitom igħainu dac l’icun tant għogiobom.

     Many believe in the evil eye, and maybe I believe in it too; because many circumstances have happened to me, such that I have been unable not to believe that there are certain people who with their glance curse that which has appealed to them so much.

Inflection

Inflection of għajn

		singular		plural
		m	f
singular	1st person	għajni		għajnna
	2nd person	għajnek		għajnkom
	3rd person	għajnu	għajnha	għajnhom
plural	1st person	għajnejja		għajnejna
	2nd person	għajnejk		għajnejkom
	3rd person	għajnejh	għajnejha	għajnejhom

• Especially in informal Maltese, the possessive inflections of the plural are also used with singular meaning, then taking singular agreement, e.g. għajnejh il-leminija (“his right eye”) instead of għajnu l-leminija. This use occurs also with other paired body parts and is always restricted to the possessive.

Derived terms

• għajjen
• għatu tal-għajn

 

Noun

għajn f (plural għejun, diminutive għawejna)

2. spring, source of water

See also

• nixxiegħa
• fawwara