jambi

Ultimately from Ancient Greek ἴαμβος (íambos).

• IPA^(key): /ˈjɑmbi/, [ˈjɑ̝mbi]
• Rhymes: -ɑmbi
• Hyphenation^(key): jam‧bi

jambi

1. (poetry) iamb

• “jambi”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

In all likelihood from a contraction of jagħmel bi, from the imperfect tense of Arabic عَمِلَ بِ (ʕamila bi, “to do with”), as in “What are you going to do with that?” Similar contractions compare in jaf (“to know”) and ġab (“to bring”). Another theory derives it from Arabic أَبَّ (ʔabba, “to wish, desire”), but this is less likely both phonetically and semantically.

• IPA^(key): /ˈjam.bɪ/

jambi (imperfect only)

1. (in certain constructions, always with x’) to need, to use for some purpose

   Synonym: għandu bżonn

   Dan il-ktieb x’jambuh? ― What do they need this book for?

   M’għandix x’nambi iktar. ― There’s nothing else I need.

• The verb is defective and has no perfect forms. The perfect tense can be expressed with kien + imperfect, though this is rare.