baqa'

See also: baqa

Maltese

Etymology

From Arabic بَقِيَ (baqiya). The final root letter għ was added by analogy: When għ began to be vowelised, the paradigm generally remained distinct from the paradigm of actual vocalic verbs on the basis of vowel colour; compare smajt (“I heard”) from sama’, Arabic سَمِعَ (samiʕa), versus bdejt (“I began”), from beda, Arabic بَدَأَ (badaʔa). However, in the verb baqa’ the vowel colour had been influenced by the preceding q (bqajt), and thus was it eventually integrated into the għ-class. Compare the same in iltaqa’ (“to meet”), from اِلْتَقَى (iltaqā).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɐʔɐ/

Verb

baqa’ (imperfect jibqa’)

1. to remain