Upper-Intermediate to Advanced English Vocabulary - Compound Adjectives

Hello everyone, Anna here  from englishlikeanative.co.uk

Hello lil kulħadd, Anna hawn minn englishlikeanative.co.uk

Thank you for joining me for this top-class, fun-filled, upper-intermediate English lesson.

Grazzi talli ngħaqadt miegħi għal din il-lezzjoni tal-Ingliż tal-aqwa klassi, mimlija pjaċir u ta' livell għoli.

Wow, what are those?

Ara naqra, dawk x'inhuma?

They are compound adjectives.

Huma aġġettivi komposti.

What is a compound adjective?

X'inhu aġġettiv kompost?

A compound adjective is made up of two or  more words that work together to describe 

Aġġettiv kompost huwa magħmul minn żewġ kelmiet jew aktar li jaħdmu flimkien biex jiddeskrivu

a noun.

nom.

These words should be hyphenated so  that the reader knows that they are  

Dan il-kliem għandu jkun imqassam biex il-qarrej ikun jaf li qed

working together as an adjective.

jaħdmu flimkien bħala aġġettiv.

Besides the compound adjectives you just heard,  other examples of compound adjectives are:

Minbarra l-aġġettivi komposti li għadek kif smajt, eżempji oħra ta’ aġġettivi komposti huma:

‘well-known’

‘magħruf’

This is a well-known song.

Din hija kanzunetta magħrufa.

and ‘full-time’

u 'full-time'

I’m looking for a full-time job.

qed infittex impjieg full-time.

Compound adjectives provide a concise  and descriptive way to modify a noun,  

L-aġġettivi komposti jipprovdu mod konċiż u deskrittiv biex jimmodifika nom,

often conveying a specific  quality or characteristic.

ħafna drabi jwassal kwalità jew karatteristika speċifika.

Today we are covering 15 compound adjectives  that are commonly used to describe people.

Illum qed inkopru 15-il aġġettiv kompost li huma komunement użati biex jiddeskrivu n-nies.

Now knowing and using compound adjectives will  

Issa li tkun taf u tuża aġġettivi komposti tgħinek

help you to express yourself  more precisely and fluently.

tesprimi ruħek b'mod aktar preċiż u fluwenti.

But of course, simply having a large  vocabulary doesn’t make you fluent.

Imma ovvjament, sempliċiment li jkollok vokabularju kbir ma jagħmlekx fluwenti.

And so, if you would like to know about the  effective strategy that I use to help my students’  

U għalhekk, jekk tixtieq tkun taf dwar l-istrateġija effettiva li nuża biex ngħin lill-istudenti tiegħi

reach English fluency, then come and take  part in my FREE 90-minute Fluency Masterclass.

jilħqu l-ħeffa fl-Ingliż, imbagħad ejja u ħu sehem fil-Masterclass tiegħi ta' Fluency B'XEJN ta' 90 minuta.

I will leave a link in the description below  so you can see when the next class is running.

Se nħalli link fid-deskrizzjoni hawn taħt sabiex tkun tista' tara meta tkun qed taħdem il-klassi li jmiss.

Now let’s boost your vocabulary.

Issa ejja nsaħħu l-vokabularju tiegħek.

Number one.

Numru wieħed.

Absent-minded.

Assenti.

This means forgetful or lacking attention  to detail due to a preoccupied mind.

Dan ifisser minsi jew nuqqas ta 'attenzjoni għad-dettall minħabba moħħ preokkupat.

“Ah I forgot to bring the tickets with me,  

"Ah insejt inġib il-biljetti miegħi,

honestly I am so absent-minded at the moment,  I’m surprised I don’t forget my own name.”

onestament jiena daqshekk distratt fil-mument, sorpriż li ma ninsax ismi stess."

The second vowel in the  word ‘absent’ is pronounced 

It-tieni vokali fil-kelma 'assenti' hija ppronunzjata

as a schwa /ə/, so we have  /ˈæbsənt/ rather than /ˈæbsent/.

bħala schwa /ə/, għalhekk għandna /ˈæbsənt/ aktar milli /ˈæbsent/.

Absent, repeat after me absent  /ˈæbsənt/, absent /ˈæbsənt/.

Assenti, irrepeti warajja assenti /ˈæbsənt/, assenti /ˈæbsənt/.

In the compound adjective, the T is dropped.

Fl-aġġettiv kompost, it-T titneħħa.

So we have /ˌæb sən ˈmaɪndɪd/,  absent-minded /ˌæb sən ˈmaɪndɪd/.

Allura għandna /ˌæb sən ˈmaɪndɪd/, assenti /ˌæb sən ˈmaɪndɪd/.

Next on the list is ‘bad-tempered’.

Li jmiss fuq il-lista huwa 'bad-tempered'.

This means easily irritated or quick to anger.

Dan ifisser irritata faċilment jew malajr biex jirrabja.

“Oh, my sister’s bad-tempered husband cast  a shadow over the entire celebration.”

“Oh, ir-raġel ħażin ta’ oħti tefa’ dell fuq iċ-ċelebrazzjoni kollha.”

For this one, I want to focus on  the ending, ‘temperED’, we have the  

Għal dan, irrid niffoka fuq it-tmiem, 'temperED', għandna l

“-əd” sound, tempered /ˈtempəd/.

-ħoss “-əd”, ittemprat /ˈtempəd/.

Bad-tempered /ˌbædˈtempəd/.

Ittemprat ħażin /ˌbædˈtempəd/.

Moving on we have ‘big-headed’.

Nimxu ‘l quddiem għandna ‘big-headed’.

This means having an inflated  sense of one's own importance,  

Dan ifisser li jkollok sens minfuħ tal-importanza tiegħu stess,

so you think you are more important  than you are, like, to be arrogant.

allura taħseb li int aktar importanti milli int, bħal, li tkun arroganti.

“I want to hire the young celebrity but  he is so big-headed and egotistical.”

"Irrid nimpjega liċ-ċelebrità żagħżugħa iżda huwa daqshekk kbir ta 'ras u egoist."

Next, ‘easy-going’. This means to  be generally relaxed and tolerant.

Sussegwentement, 'easy-going'. Dan ifisser li tkun ġeneralment rilassat u tolleranti.

“It helps to be easy-going when you’re working  with kids. They are often noisy and messy.”

“Jgħin biex tkun faċli meta tkun qed taħdem mat-tfal. Ħafna drabi jkunu storbjużi u mħawda.”

Now the S in ‘easy’ is pronounced  as a Z, so don’t pronounce it as  

Issa s-S f''easy' huwa ppronunzjat bħala Z, allura ma tippronunzjahiex bħala

easy-going /ˈiːSıˈgəʊıŋ/, but  as easy-going /ˈiːZıˈgəʊıŋ/.

faċli /ˈiːSıˈgəʊıŋ/, iżda bħala faċli /ˈiːZıˈgəʊıŋ/.

Next we have ‘good-tempered’,  opposite to ‘bad-tempered’.

Sussegwentement għandna 'tajba', oppost għal 'bad-tempered'.

‘Good-tempered’ describes a person with  a pleasant and agreeable disposition.

'Tajjeb' jiddeskrivi persuna b'dispożizzjoni pjaċevoli u pjaċevoli.

“Most people think rottweilers are dangerous,  

"Ħafna nies jaħsbu li r-rottweilers huma perikolużi,

but in my experience, they have always  been sweet and good-tempered dogs.”

iżda fl-esperjenza tiegħi, dejjem kienu klieb ħelwin u ta' temperament tajjeb."

Moving on. ‘Laid-back’. This means  to be relaxed not tense or stressed.

Nimxu fuq. 'Laid-back'. Dan ifisser li tkun rilassat mhux tensjoni jew stressat.

“I love eating in this restaurant because  it has a lovely, laid-back atmosphere.”

“Inħobb niekol f’dan ir-restorant għax għandu atmosfera sabiħa u rilassata.”

With this adjective the D at the end of ‘laid’  /leɪd/ is not released, your tongue tip moves  

B'dan l-aġġettiv id-D fl-aħħar ta' 'mqiegħda' /leɪd/ ma jiġix rilaxxat, il-ponta ta' lsienek titla'

up to the /d/ position on the roof of the mouth  d – d – d, but doesn’t release the /d/ sound.

sal-pożizzjoni /d/ fuq is-saqaf tal-ħalq d – d – d, iżda ma toħroġx il-/d / ħoss.

Instead, your lips close ready for the B of ‘back’  

Minflok, xufftejk jagħlqu lesti għall-B ta' 'dahar'

/bæk/. /ˈleı... ˈbæk/, /ˈleı... ˈbæk/.

/bæk/. /ˈleı... ˈbæk/, /ˈleı... ˈbæk/.

Next, narrow-minded.

Sussegwentement, dejjaq.

If you are narrow-minded then  you are unwilling to consider  

Jekk inti moħħok dejjaq allura m'intix lest li tikkunsidra

different ideas or opinions, you’re intolerant.

ideat jew opinjonijiet differenti, int intolleranti.

“My manager doesn’t understand the benefits of  diversity in the workplace. I am surprised he that  

“Il-maniġer tiegħi ma jifhimx il-benefiċċji tad-diversità fuq il-post tax-xogħol. Ninsab sorpriż li

he was promoted into the management team  when he has such narrow-minded views.”

ġie promoss fit-tim maniġerjali meta għandu fehmiet daqshekk dejjaq.”

When saying the word ‘narrow’  avoid tapping the R sound.

Meta tgħid il-kelma 'dejqa' evita li ttektek il-ħoss R.

Float the tongue in the middle of the mouth to  

Flott l-ilsien fin-nofs tal-ħalq biex

create this steady sound /ær/ -  narrow /ˈnærəʊ/, narrow /ˈnærəʊ/.

toħloq dan il-ħoss stabbli /ær/ - dejjaq /ˈnærəʊ/, dejjaq /ˈnærəʊ/.

Narrow-minded /ˏnærəʊ`maındıd/.

Dejjaq /ˏnærəʊ`maındıd/.

Rather than /ˏnærə.../, /ˏnærə.../ /ˏnærə...  rə... rə... /. You do not want that.

Minflok /ˏnærə.../, /ˏnærə.../ /ˏnærə... rə... rə... /. Inti ma tridx li.

Opposite to ‘narrow-minded’ is ‘open-minded’. This means you are willing to consider different  

Bil-maqlub ta’ ‘narrow-minded’ hemm ‘open-minded’. Dan ifisser li inti lest li tikkunsidra differenti

ideas and opinions; you are open,  you’re receptive to new experiences.

ideat u opinjonijiet; int miftuħ, int riċettivi għal esperjenzi ġodda.

“She was an open-minded teacher  who encouraged her students to  

"Kienet għalliema b'moħħhom miftuħ li ħeġġet lill-istudenti tagħha biex

think critically and explore new ideas.”

jaħsbu b'mod kritiku u jesploraw ideat ġodda."

Moving on. We have ‘self-centred’.

Nimxu fuq. Għandna ‘self-centred’.

This means excessively  focused on oneself, selfish.

Dan ifisser iffukat eċċessivament fuq innifsu, egoist.

A self-centred person will  only think about themself,  

Persuna li tiċċentra fuqha nfisha biss taħseb dwarha nfisha,

they will put their needs  before the needs of others.

tpoġġi l-bżonnijiet tagħha qabel il-bżonnijiet ta 'oħrajn.

“You shouldn’t spend all your money on new clothes  and night’s out with friends if you can’t afford  

“M’għandekx tonfoq flusek kollha fuq ħwejjeġ ġodda u lejl mal-ħbieb jekk ma tistax taffordja

to feed your children. This sort of self-centred  behaviour makes you look like a bad parent.”

li titma’ lil uliedek. Din it-tip ta’ mġieba ċċentrata fuqek innifsek tagħmlek tidher qisha ġenitur ħażin.”

The ending of this compound adjective  

It-tmiem ta’ dan l-aġġettiv kompost

is “-əd”. Centred /ˈsentəd /, centred  /ˈsentəd /, self-centred /ˏself`sentəd/.

huwa “-əd”. Iċċentrat /ˈsentəd /, iċċentrat /ˈsentəd /, awto-ċċentrat /ˏself`sentəd/.

Also note that you will see a variation  in the spelling depending on the country,  

Innota wkoll li se tara varjazzjoni fl-ortografija skont il-pajjiż,

you may see centered ended with E-R-E-D.

tista' tara ċċentrata spiċċat b'ERED.

Next, we have ‘self-assured’. This basically means  confident in one's own abilities or qualities.

Sussegwentement, għandna 'self-assured'. Dan bażikament ifisser kunfidenti fil-kapaċitajiet jew kwalitajiet tiegħu stess.

“The self-assured athletes perform better overall  in competitions than the nervous newcomers.”

"L-atleti żguri nfushom jaħdmu aħjar b'mod ġenerali fil-kompetizzjonijiet milli l-ġodda nervużi."

Ignore the letter R in ‘assured’  /əˈʃɔːd / and pronounce it as  

Injora l-ittra R f''assigurat' /əˈʃɔːd / u jippronunzjaha bħala

‘assured’ /əˈʃɔːd/. Self-assured /ˏself əˈʃɔːd/.

'assigurat' /əˈʃɔːd/. Żgurat /ˏself əˈʃɔːd/.

You may be able to notice that  the double S is pronounced  

Tista' tinnota li s-S doppju huwa ppronunzjat

as an a sh /ʃ/, shhhh self-assured /ˏself əˈʃɔːd/.

bħala a sh /ʃ/, shhhh self-assured /ˏself əˈʃɔːd/.

Self-assured.

Żgurata waħedha.

Next, we have ‘strong-willed’. This  means to be determined; resolute.

Sussegwentement, għandna 'rieda qawwija'. Dan ifisser li jiġi determinat; riżolut.

“My strong-willed toddler is a handful now but  I am confident that he will achieve whatever 

"It-tifel b'rieda qawwija tiegħi huwa żgħir issa imma jien fiduċjuż li se jikseb dak kollu

he wants in life.”

li jrid fil-ħajja."

Here, the ‘-NG’ can sometimes be  mispronounced as a /n/ sound (a single N),  

Hawnhekk, il-'-NG' kultant jista' jiġi ppronunzjat ħażin bħala ħoss /n/ (N wieħed),

with the front of the tongue  touching the roof of the mouth

bil-parti ta' quddiem tal-ilsien tmiss is-saqaf tal-ħalq

/n/

/n/

rather than the back of the  tongue creating the ‘NG’

aktar milli n-naħa ta' wara tal-ilsien toħloq l-'NG'

/ŋ/ (ng)

/ŋ/ (ng)

So don’t say

Mela tgħidx

/strɒn/

/strɒn/

say strong /strɒŋ/

għid qawwi /strɒŋ/

strong /strɒŋ/

qawwi /strɒŋ/

strong-willed /ˌstrɒŋ ˈwɪld/.

rieda qawwija /ˌstrɒŋ ˈwɪld/.

Next, we have - thick-skinned.

Sussegwentement, għandna - b'qoxra ħoxna.

This means that you are not  sensitive to criticism or insults.

Dan ifisser li m'intix sensittiv għall-kritika jew l-insulti.

You’re able to withstand adversity.

Int kapaċi tiflaħ diffikultajiet.

“Politicians need to be thick-skinned  as they often face a lot of criticism.”

"Il-politiċi jeħtieġ li jkunu ġilda ħoxna peress li ħafna drabi jiffaċċjaw ħafna kritika."

The 'th' here should see the  tongue placed between the teeth.

It-'th' hawn għandu jara l-ilsien imqiegħed bejn is-snien.

Thick /θɪk/

Ħoxna /θɪk/

thick /θɪk/

ħoxna /θɪk/

thick-skinned /ˌθɪk ˈskɪnd/

ħoxna /ˌθɪk ˈskɪnd/

Moving on we have ‘tight-fisted’.

Nimxu ‘l quddiem għandna ‘tight-fisted’.

Someone that is tight-fisted  is unwilling to spend money.

Xi ħadd li huwa tight-fisted mhux lest li jonfoq flus.

A fun synonym of this is ‘stingy’.

Sinonimu pjaċevoli ta’ dan huwa ‘tgħajjir’.

“Don’t be tight-fisted all your  life, you can’t take your money  

"Tkunx issikkat ħajtek kollha, ma tistax tieħu flusek

with you when you die so you may  as well enjoy it, live a little.”

miegħek meta tmut sabiex tkun tista' tgawdihom, tgħix ftit."

And there are some silent letters  here to try and confuse you.

U hawn xi ittri siekta biex jippruvaw iħawduk.

We have tight /taɪt/

Għandna tight /taɪt/

tight /taɪt/

tight /taɪt/

tight-fisted /ˌtaɪt ˈfɪstəd/.

tight-fisted /ˌtaɪt ˈfɪstəd/.

Next on the list is ‘two-faced’.

Li jmiss fil-lista huwa 'żewġ wiċċ'.

‘Two-faced’ means deceitful or hypocritical;  

'B'żewġ wiċċ' tfisser qarrieqa jew ipokrita;

you behave one way with certain people  but contradict yourself with others.

int iġib ruħek mod wieħed ma’ ċerti nies imma tikkontradixxi lilek innifsek ma’ ħaddieħor.

Like if you are complaining about  Jerry, saying how much you hate him,  

Bħal jekk qed tilmenta dwar Jerry, tgħid kemm tobgħodu,

but then smile and behave like  his friend when you see Jerry,  

imma mbagħad tbissem u aġixxi bħal ħabib tiegħu meta tara lil Jerry,

“Alright, Jerry!” Then you are two-faced.

“Sajjeb, Jerry!” Imbagħad inti żewġ wiċċ.

“Do not trust anything she says to  you because she is so two-faced.”

"Tfada xejn li tgħidlek għax hija tant b'żewġ wiċċi."

Next, we have ‘well-balanced’. When describing a person as well-balanced it  

Sussegwentement, għandna 'bilanċjat tajjeb'. Meta tiddeskrivi persuna bħala bilanċjata tajjeb

means they have a stable, harmonious disposition;  they are mentally and emotionally stable.

tfisser li għandha dispożizzjoni stabbli u armonjuża; huma mentalment u emozzjonalment stabbli.

“Tina has always been a positive influence  within the group, she is just a nice,  

“Tina dejjem kienet influwenza pożittiva fi ħdan il-grupp, hija biss

well-balanced young woman; always willing  to get involved and support everyone.”

mara żagħżugħa sabiħa u bilanċjata tajjeb; dejjem lesta li tinvolvi ruħha u tappoġġja lil kulħadd.”

Now, if you were to choose two  compound adjectives to describe  

Issa, kieku kellek tagħżel żewġ aġġettivi komposti biex tiddeskrivi

yourself and how you are feeling  today, which two would you choose?

lilek innifsek u kif qed tħossok illum, liema tnejn tagħżel?

Let me know in the comments below.

Għarrafni fil-kummenti hawn taħt.

Now, these are commonly used adjectives,  

Issa, dawn huma aġġettivi użati komunement,

but you can also use slang terms to describe  people, like the words I cover in this lesson.

iżda tista 'wkoll tuża termini slang biex tiddeskrivi lin-nies, bħall-kliem li nkopri f'din il-lezzjoni.

Did you see that one?

Dik rajt?

If not, then check it out!

Jekk le, imbagħad iċċekkjah!

Until next time, take care and goodbye.

Sad-darba li jmiss, ħu ħsieb u addiju.