Maltese units of measurement

In modern usage, metric is used almost exclusively in commercial transactions. These units are mostly historical, although they are still used in some limited contexts and in Maltese idioms and set phrases. Many of these terms are directly related to Arabic units. The Weights and Measures Ordinance of 1921 established uniformity in the conversion of such weights and measures. All these measures were defined as simple multiples of the Imperial units then in use in Britain.

Length

Length units were typically used for measuring goods and building sizes. Distances were traditionally measured in terms of travel time, which explains the lack of large scale units.

Table of length units

Unit	Plural	Relative value	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
pulzier	pulzieri	1/12	~2.183 cm	~859.4 thou	The Maltese inch. Exactly 55⁄64 imperial inches.
fitel	iftla	1/2	~13.1 cm	~5.156 in	The Maltese hand-span. This unit is not in the 1921 act.
xiber	ixbar	1	~26.19 cm	~10.31 in	The Maltese foot. Exactly 10  5⁄16 imperial inches.
qasba	qasab, qasbiet	8	~2.096 m	~2.292 yd	This is exactly 82.5 inches, or 6 ft 10.5 in. It corresponds to the fathom, but was used in both land and sea contexts.

Area

land

In 1921, these units were redefined with respect to the British Imperial standard. These values reflect this change.

Table of area (land) units

Unit	Plural	Relative value	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
kejla	kejliet	1/60	~18.74 m²	~22.41 sq yd
siegħ	sigħan	1/6	~187.4 m²	~224.1 sq yd
tomna	tomniet, or tmiem	1	~1,124 m²	~1344 sq yd	exactly 5/18 acre, or 12,100 square feet. This unit is also exactly 256 qasba kwadru. Sometimes called a tumolo in English texts. Also called Tumoli with modern real estate agents Cf. dunam.
wejba	wejbiet	4	~4497 m²	~1.111 acres	exactly 10/9 acres.
modd	mdied	16	~1.799 ha	~4.444 acres	exactly 40/9 acres

Square

Table of area (square) units

Unit	Plural	Relative value	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
pulzier kwadru	pulzieri kwadri	1/144	~4.765 cm²	~0.7385 sq in
fitel kwadru	iftla kwadri	1/4	~171.5 cm²	~26.59 sq in
xiber kwadru	ixbar kwadri	1	~686.1 cm²	~106.3 sq in
qasba kwadru	qasab kwadri, or qasbiet kwadri	64	~4.391 m²	~5.252 sq yd	an area 1 qasba by 1 qasba

Volume

These units were all (except for the cubic units) defined in 1921 relative to the British Imperial gallon, which was defined in the 1824 act. This is equal to 10 pounds of water at a specified temperature and air pressure. This (~4.546 090 31 litres) is slightly larger than the modern definition (exactly 4.546 09 litres).

Beer, wine, and spirits measure

None of the units from this group are mentioned in TY Maltese.

Table of volume (beer, wine, & spirits) units

Unit	Plural	Relative value	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
pinta	pinet	1/8	~142.1 ml	0.25 pt
terz	terzi	1/4	~284.1 ml	0.5 pt	'third'
nofs	infas	1/2	~568.3 ml	1 pt	'half'
kartoċċ	krateċ	1	~1.137 litres	2 pt
kwarta	kwarti	4.75	~5.398 L	9.5 pt	'quarter'
ġarra	ġarar	9.5	~10.8 L	2.375 gal
barmil	bramel	38	~43.19 L	9.5 gal	'barrel'

Milk and Oil measure

Table of volume (milk & oil) units

Unit	Plural	Relative value	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
kwartin	kwartini	1/40	~31.96 ml	1.125 fl oz	'quarter'. Referenced in 1921 Act only.
kejla	kejliet	1/10	~127.9 ml	4.5 fl oz	'measure' Referenced in 1921 Act only.
terz	terzi	1/4	~319.6 ml	11.25 fl oz	'third'
nofs	infas	1/2	~639.3 ml	22.5 fl oz, or 1.125 pints	'half'
kartoċċ	krateċ	1	~1.279 litres	2.25 pt
kwarta	kwarti	4	~5.114 L	9 pt, or 1.125 gal	'quarter'
qafiż	qafiżi	16	~20.46 L	4.5 gal	Referenced in 1921 Act only.

Dry

None of these units are mentioned in TY Maltese. Note that there are two conflicting values for the siegħ (1/10 and 1/6 tomna, respectively).

Table of volume (dry) units

Unit	Plural	Relative value	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
lumin	lumini	1/600	~30.31 ml	~1.849 cu in
kejla	kejliet	1/60	~303.1 ml	~18.49 cu in	also called a mondell
siegħ	sigħan	1/10	~1.818 L	~111 cu in	This is the value listed for the siegħ by Aquilina. The 1921 Act has a different value. This amount is exactly 3.2 imperial pints.
għabara		1/6	~3.031 L	~184.9 cu in, or ~0.107 cu ft	Referenced in Aquilina only. The 1921 Act uses this value for the siegħ, and does not mention the għabara by name.
tomna	tmien, or tomniet	1	~18.18 L	~0.6422 cu ft	Sometimes called the tumolo in English texts. This is exactly 4 imperial gallons.
modd	mdied	16	~290.9 L	~10.27 cu ft, or ~0.3805 cu yd	'weigh'. An alternate name given by Aquilina is the salma. This is exactly 64 imperial gallons.

Cubic

Table of volume (cubic) units

Unit	Plural	Relative value	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
pulzier kubu	pulzieri kubi	1/1728	~10.4 ml	~0.6347 cu in
fitel kubu	iftla kubi	1/8	~2.246 L	~137.1 cu in
xiber kubu	ixbar kubi	1	~17.97 L	~1097 cu in
qasba kubu	qasab kubi, or qasbiet kubi	512	~9.202 kl	~12.04 cu yd	a volume 1 qasba by 1 qasba by 1 qasba

Mass

All the Maltese mass units were redefined relative to the British Imperial ton in 1921. Before this, the units were presumably based on an Arabic standard. All equivalent measures listed in pounds below are exact values.

nb. There are two distinct units which are named kwart.

Table of mass units

Unit	Plural	Relative value	Metric value	Imperial value	Notes
ottav	ottavi	1/8 uqija	~3.307 g	~0.1167 oz	'eighth'. Referenced in 1921 Act only.
kwart	kwarti	1/4 uqija	~6.615 g	~0.2333 oz	'quarter'. Referenced in 1921 Act only.
uqija	ewieq	1/30	~26.46 g	~0.9333 oz	The Maltese ounce.
kwart	kwarti	1/4	~198.4 g	7 oz	'quarter'. Referenced in Aquilina only.
ratal	irtal	1	~793.8 g	28 oz, or 1.75 lb	Sometimes called a rotola in English texts.
qsima	qsimiet	1.25	~992.2 g	35 oz, or 2.1875 lb	Referenced in Aquilina only.
wiżna	wiżniet	5	~3.969 kg	8.75 lb	Referenced in Aquilina and TY Maltese. Not mentioned in 1921 Act.
qantar	qnatar	100	~79.38 kg	175 lb
peżata		300	~238.1 kg	525 lb	Referenced in 1921 Act only.

Money

This system was used during the rule of the Knights of St. John in Malta. Subsequent currencies in use are the pre-decimal British Pound and the Maltese lira. Malta has now switched to using the Euro.

Table of money units

Unit	Plural	Relative value	Notes
grani		1
tari		20
scudo	scudi	240

See also: Maltese scudo

References

• Maltese-English Dictionary, appendix 10, p1658, by Aquilina, published by Midsea Books Ltd. No ISBN available.
• Teach Yourself Maltese, pp125-6
• Att dwar il-Metroloġija Kap. 454