QWERTY-MT (Maltese) — Ġ, Ħ, Ż, Ċ Positions on the Maltese Keyboard
QWERTY-MT is the Maltese keyboard layout — designed for one of Europe's smallest language communities (~520,000 speakers in Malta). It's QWERTY with dedicated direct keys for 4 Maltese-specific characters: Ġ ġ, Ħ ħ, Ż ż, Ċ ċ.
Maltese's unique characters
Maltese is the only Semitic language written in Latin script (and the only Semitic official EU language). Its alphabet includes 4 characters not in standard Latin:
- Ċ ċ (c with dot above)
- Ġ ġ (g with dot above)
- Ħ ħ (h with stroke)
- Ż ż (z with dot above)
Plus standard A-Z (except some rarely used letters).
Where each Maltese character lives on QWERTY-MT
- Ġ ġ: dedicated key (typically top-right, where
[is on US) - Ħ ħ: dedicated key (typically top-right area, where
]is on US) - Ż ż: dedicated key (typically right of P)
- Ċ ċ: dedicated key (typically bottom right area)
- Standard A-Z: same positions as QWERTY-US
Practice the Maltese layout at /mt/qwerty_mt/.
Why Maltese needs unique characters
The 4 dotted/struck characters represent sounds that don't have standard Latin letters:
- Ċ: voiceless palato-alveolar affricate ("ch" sound)
- Ġ: voiced palato-alveolar affricate ("j" sound)
- Ħ: voiceless pharyngeal fricative (no English equivalent — gutteral "h")
- Ż: voiced alveolar fricative ("z" sound, distinct from regular z which is "ts")
Maltese has Arabic roots (descended from Sicilian Arabic) which shaped its consonant inventory.
Common Maltese typing patterns
- u, il, ta', tal, tal- — common articles/prepositions
- għaliex, ħafna, kollox — common words
- Malta, Maltese, Imdina — proper nouns
- bonġu, grazzi, jekk jogħġbok — greetings/politeness
- għalliem (teacher), xemx (sun), ġnien (garden) — daily vocabulary
Maltese uses għ (silent or guttural depending on dialect) as a digraph — but each letter is typed separately.
Touch typing tips for Maltese
- Drill the 4 special characters — Ċ, Ġ, Ħ, Ż appear in everyday vocabulary
- għ digraph — type both letters separately (g + ħ)
- Right side workload — most specials on right pinky reach
- English compatibility — letters A-Z in standard positions, English typing easy
- No accents on vowels — Maltese doesn't use à é í style accents
After 30 days of QWERTY-MT practice: 40-50 WPM in real Maltese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Maltese use Latin script if it's Semitic?
When Malta came under European (Italian, then British) influence, Maltese adopted Latin script. The 4 dotted/struck letters were added to handle Arabic-derived sounds without dedicated Latin letters.
Is Maltese similar to Arabic for typing?
Linguistically related (Semitic family), but Maltese is written left-to-right in Latin script. Arabic is right-to-left in Arabic script. Completely different typing experience.
Can I type Maltese on QWERTY-US?
Yes via US-International or Alt codes — but you'd lose direct access to Ċ, Ġ, Ħ, Ż. QWERTY-MT is much more efficient.
Is Maltese typing taught in schools?
Yes — touch typing is part of Maltese ICT curriculum, with focus on the 4 special characters.
Why is Ħ used instead of just H?
Maltese distinguishes between "regular h" (mostly silent or pronounced as English h in loanwords) and "ħ" (voiceless pharyngeal — strong throat sound). Different letters for different sounds.
How many people speak Maltese?
About 520,000 native speakers — almost entirely in Malta. Plus a small Maltese diaspora globally. One of the smallest official EU languages.
Are there alternative Maltese layouts?
A few variants exist but QWERTY-MT is the universal standard.
Try it
Practice QWERTY-MT on Typing Hero App — 19 lessons including Ċ, Ġ, Ħ, Ż.
For more: How to type in Maltese, How to choose a keyboard layout, How to type special characters.