nnifs-

Maltese

Alternative forms

• innifs- (after a consonant, mostly also after a pause)

Etymology

From Arabic نَفْس (nafs, “self, soul, living being”), related with Maltese nifs (“breath”), from Arabic نَفَس (nafas). Regarding the initial gemination in some of the forms perhaps through the prepositional construction بِنَفْسِي (binafsī), بِنَفْسِكَ (binafsika), etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /(ɪ)nˈnɪfs/

Pronoun

nnifs-

1. -self; used with a pronominal suffix to form emphatic pronouns

   Synonym: stess

   jiena nnifsi ― I myself

   Alla nnifsu ― God himself

Usage notes

• Before the ending -ha of the third-person feminine, the stem usually becomes nfis-, thus nfisha (“herself”).
• Before plural endings, the stem becomes nfus- (“-selves”).

Inflection

Inflected forms of nnifs-
Personal-pronoun- including forms		singular		plural
		m	f
1st person		nnifsi		nfusna
2nd person		nnifsek		nfuskom
3rd person		nnifsu	nnifsha	nfushom

See also

• (reflexive pronoun) ruħ-