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/
    • Rhymes: -ajjar

    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/
    • Rhymes: -aːr

    Noun

    ħajjar m (plural ħajjara or ħajjarin, feminine ħajjara)

    1. agent noun of ħajjar
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