ried / irid + complement
Desire Across Time
The desire verb identifies who wants; its imperfect complement identifies who acts.
How It Works
A desire verb takes a finite imperfect complement: ridna naqraw means “we wanted to read.” Both verbs identify us. Past wanting does not turn this complement into a perfect: the imperfect describes the desired action relative to the desire. Present trid likewise introduces an intended action. Maltese has no separate morphological infinitive for this purpose.
When the actor differs, an object suffix can identify that actor: riedna naqraw means “he wanted us to read.” Compare ordinary ridna and riedna: the former marks plural wanters; the latter contains a singular wanter and plural object. These are ordinary spellings, not pronunciation notation. A li clause is another accepted strategy for a different actor. Wanting does not assert fulfilment, and context can give irid a necessity reading.
Examples (3)
- Ridna naqraw il-messaġġ flimkien.
We wanted to read the message together.
We are both the wanters and intended readers.
- Riedna naqraw il-ktieb qabel il-laqgħa.
He wanted us to read the book before the meeting.
Ried identifies him; attached -na and naqraw identify us.
- Rita trid li Pawlu joħroġ kmieni.
Rita wants Pawlu to leave early.
The li clause explicitly names a different actor.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Track the wanter and desired actor independently, using the exact ridna/riedna contrast and a li complement. Past desire retains an imperfect action complement and does not assert fulfilment.
- irid + imperfectWanting an Action
Shared-subject desire supplies the starting pattern before this lesson separates past wanting from its imperfect desired action.
Level 2 - A Pronoun Attached to a Verb
The object lesson separates attached -na identifying desired readers in riedna from subject agreement identifying plural wanters in ridna.
Level 3 - li + clauseLinking a Following Clause
A content clause with its own named subject prepares Rita trid li Pawlu joħroġ as the alternative different-actor strategy.
Level 2
Related Patterns
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Practice ried / irid + complement in Bubblegum
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