t-

You in an Imperfect Verb

Level 2

Taħseb addresses one person; taħsbu addresses several.

How It Works

When addressing one person, use forms such as tikteb ‘you write’, taħseb ‘you think’, or toħroġ ‘you go out’. Several addressees require plural forms such as taħsbu and toħorġu. Second-person agreement does not distinguish gender.

The label t- analyzes part of a single written word; no hyphen is inserted into tikteb. A pronoun can clarify the addressee: inti is singular and intom plural. Singular t- also marks feminine third person: compare inti toħroġ ‘you go out’ with Sara toħroġ ‘Sara goes out’.

The same agreement appears after future se. A t-initial derived verb has a separate stem-building history; its initial letter alone does not establish second-person agreement.

Examples (3)

  1. Inti taħseb fuq il-prezz.

    You think about the price.

    Inti establishes singular second-person reference.

  2. Intom toħorġu flimkien.

    You go out together.

    The verb addresses several people.

  3. Se tikteb nota?

    Will you write a note?

    Here the speaker addresses one person; without that context the verb could also refer to she.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

t-Level 2You in an Imperfect Verb

Learn This First

Focus on one versus several addressees while retaining the feminine third-person ambiguity. Introduce the derivational caution as a distinction, without requiring the later derived-verb lesson.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.