qed

See also: QED

Maltese

Root
q-għ-d
9 terms

Etymology

From a contracted pronunciation of qiegħed, from Arabic قاعِد (qāʕid, “sitting”), used in a number of dialects (like Tunisian Arabic and Hijazi Arabic) to form progressive tenses, originally in the sense “he’s sitting there (talking, drinking, etc.)”. Unrelated to Arabic قَد (qad), a modal particle, which does not express progressiveness.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔɛːt/
• Usually unstressed and then automatically shortened to /ʔɛt/.

Particle

qed

1. A verbal particle indicating progressive verb tenses

   X’qed tagħmel? – Qed naħsel ħwejġek.

   What are you doing? – I am washing your clothes.

   • 2019, Kristina Borg, Imkejjen u Rkejjen, Ede Books, →ISBN, page 18:

     Dal-lejl ħlomt ħolma.
     Waħda ħelwa, imma stramba.
     Fil-verità, waħda li qed noħlom ta’ spiss.

     Last night I had a dream.
     A pleasant dream, but strange.
     Actually, it's a recurring dream.