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How to Type in Maltese — Ġ, Ħ, Ż, Ċ on the Maltese Keyboard

How to Type in Maltese — Ġ, Ħ, Ż, Ċ on the Maltese Keyboard

· 2 min read · by Robin Érsek-Obádovics

Maltese (Malti) is unique: the only Semitic language written in Latin script (and the only Semitic official EU language). Spoken by ~520,000 people in Malta. Uses QWERTY-MT keyboard with 4 dedicated keys for Maltese-specific characters: Ġ, Ħ, Ż, Ċ.

Maltese character set

30-letter alphabet:

  • Standard A-Z (without C — replaced by Ċ)
  • Ċ ċ (c with dot above) — "ch" sound
  • Ġ ġ (g with dot above) — "j" sound
  • Ħ ħ (h with stroke) — guttural h
  • Ż ż (z with dot above) — "z" sound
  • Għ għ (digraph) — silent or guttural

QWERTY-MT layout

Practice the Maltese layout at /mt/qwerty_mt/.

Common Maltese typing patterns

  • il, ta', tal-, fi — common articles/prepositions
  • bonġu, grazzi, jekk jogħġbok — politeness (hello, thanks, please)
  • Malta, Maltese, Imdina — proper nouns
  • għaliex, ħafna, kollox — common words
  • għalliem, xemx, ġnien — daily vocabulary

The digraph għ is silent or guttural depending on dialect — typed as g + ħ.

Touch typing tips

  1. Drill the 4 dotted/struck characters — Ċ, Ġ, Ħ, Ż
  2. għ digraph — type as two letters
  3. Right pinky workload — most specials on right
  4. No accents on vowels — Maltese doesn't use à é í style
  5. English-compatible — A-Z in QWERTY-US positions

Target: 40-50 WPM in 4-6 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Maltese use Latin script if it's Semitic?

European (Italian, British) influence over centuries led to Latin script adoption. The 4 dotted/struck letters handle Arabic-derived sounds.

Is Maltese similar to Arabic?

Linguistically related (Semitic) but written and modernized differently. Maltese has many Italian/English loanwords.

Can I type Maltese on QWERTY-US?

Via US-International for some characters, but you'd lose direct Ċ, Ġ, Ħ, Ż access. QWERTY-MT is essential.

How is Ħ pronounced?

Voiceless pharyngeal fricative — strong throat sound (no English equivalent). Common in words like "ħamsa" (five).

Is Maltese typing taught in schools?

Yes — part of Maltese ICT curriculum with focus on the 4 special characters.

How many people speak Maltese?

~520,000 — almost entirely in Malta. One of the smallest official EU languages.

Practice Maltese typing

Practice Maltese on Typing Hero App — 19 lessons including Ċ, Ġ, Ħ, Ż.

For more: QWERTY-MT layout, How to type special characters, How to choose a keyboard layout.