Malagasy phrasebook
Malagasy (in French, Malgache) is the national language of Madagascar.
Pronunciation guide
Vowels
Consonants
Common diphthongs
Phrase list
Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.
Basics
- Hello.
- Salama. (like Arabic Salaam ) or Manao Hoana (Manow-OWN)
- Hello. (informal)
- mbola tsara. (mm-BOOL-uh TSAR-uh)
- How are you?
- inona voavoa? (ee-nan vow-vow)
- Sir/Madam
- tompoko (TOOM-pook)
- Fine, thank you.
- tsy misy (tsee-mees)
- What is your name?
- inona ny anaranao? (n-new-na knee a-nair-a-now)
- My name is ______ ny aranako.
- ______ . (knee anaRAkoo.)
- Nice to meet you.
- Faly mahafantatra anao ( )
- Please.
- azafady. ( az-a-fad)
- Thank you.
- Misaotra. (meesh-OW-truh)
- You're welcome.
- tsy misy fisaorana ( )
- Yes.
- Eny. (Any) although 'yoh' is more widely used
- No.
- Tsia. (Tseeya)although 'ahh' is more widely used
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- Azafady-o ( )
- Excuse me. (begging pardon)
- Aza fady. ( )
- I'm sorry. Aza fady
- . (') formal = miala tsiny
- Goodbye
- Veloma. (ve-LOOMa)
- Goodbye (informal)
- . ( )
- I can't speak name of language [well].
- Tsy mahay teny malagasy aho ( tsy MA-high tain-NEY malagasy AH-oh)
- Do you speak English?
- ? ( ?)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- ? ( ?)
- Help!
- ! ( !)
- Look out!
- Masiaka! (Mash-YUCK)
- Go away!
- Mandehana! (man-day-HAN)
- Good morning.
- . ( )
- Good evening.
- . ( )
- Good night.
- . ( )
- Good night (to sleep)
- . ( )
- I don't understand.
- . ( )
- Where is the toilet?
- Aiza Toilety( Aizuh twal-YET-ee)
Problems
- Go away!
- Mandehana ("man-day-HAN")
- Beware of dog
- Alika masiaka ("a-LEEK-ya mash-YUK")
Numbers
- 1
- iray (I-yrah)
- 2
- roa (ROU-ah)
- 3
- telo (TEH-lou)
- 4
- efatra (EH-fatreh)
- 5
- dimy (DE-mey)
- 6
- enina (EH-ne)
- 7
- fito (FEE-tou)
- 8
- valo (VAH-lou)
- 9
- sivy (SI-vi)
- 10
- folo (FOU-lou)
- 11
- raikambin'ny folo
- 12
- roambin'ny folo
- 13
- teloambin'ny folo
- 14
- efatrambin'ny folo
- 15
- dimiambin'ny folo
- 16
- eninambin'ny folo
- 17
- fitoambin'ny folo
- 18
- valoambin'ny folo
- 19
- siviambin'ny folo
- 20
- roambolo
- 21
- iraikiambiroapolo
- 22
- roambiriapolo
- 23
- teloambiroapolo
- 30
- telompolo
- 40
- efapolo
- 50
- dimampolo
- 60
- enimpolo
- 70
- fitompolo
- 80
- valompolo
- 90
- sivifolo
- 100
- zato (ZAH-tou)
- 200
- roanjato
- 300
- telonjato
- 1000
- arivo (ah-REE-voo) like in Antananarivo which means "city of the thousand"
- 2000
- roa arivo
- 10,000
- iray alina
- 100,000
- iray etsy
- 1,000,000
- iray tapitr'isa
- Number __ (train, bus, etc.)
- nomerao __
- Half.
- sasany, antsasany, tapany
- Less.
- latsaka
- More.
- mihoatra
Time
- Now
- izao, ankehitriny
- Very late
- avy eo, aoriana
- Before
- talohany
- Morning
- maraina
- In the morning
- ny marainany
- Afternooni
- tolak'andro
- Evening
- hariva
- In the evening
- ny ariva
- Night
- alina
Clock time
- One o'clock in the morning
- iray ora maraina
- Two o'clock in the morning
- roa ora maraina
- Nine o'clock in the morning
- sivy ora maraina
- Noon
-
- One o'clock in the afternoon
- iray ora antoandro
- Two o'clock in the afternoon
- roa ora hariva
- Six o'clock in the evening
- enina ora hariva
- Seven o'clock in the evening
- fito ora hariva
- Quarter 'til seven (in the evening), 18:45
- amin'ny fito latsaka fahefany
- Quarter past seven (in the evening), 19:15
- amin'ny fito sy fahefany
- Half-past seven, 19:30
- amin'ny fito sy sasany
- Midnight
- sasakalina (X)
Duration
- _____ minute(s)
- ______ X (mini tr)
- _____ hour(s)
- ______ X (leh-ra)
- _____ day(s)
- ______ X (and-roe)
- _____ week(s)
- ______ X (ehrinandro)
- _____ months
- ______ X (volahnah)
- _____ year(s)
- ______ X (taouna)
- weekly
- isan-kerinandro
- monthly
- isam-bolana
- anually
- isan-taona
Days
- Today
- androhany
- Yesterday
- omaly
- Tomorrow
- rahampitso
- This week
- ity herinandro ity
- Last week
- herinandro ambony
- Next week
- herinandro ho avy
- Sunday
- alahady
- Monday
- alatsinainy
- Tuesday
- talata
- Wednesday
- alarobia
- Thursday
- alakamisy
- Friday
- zoma
- Saturday
- asabotsy
Months
- January
- janoary
- February
- febroary
- March
- martsa
- April
- aprily
- May
- mey
- June
- jona
- July
- jolay
- August
- aogositra
- September
- septambra
- October
- oktobra
- November
- novambra
- December
- desambra
Colors
- Black
- mainty
- White
- fotsy
- Grey
- volon-davenona
- Red
- mena
- Blue
- manga
- Yellow
- mavo
- Green
- maitso
- Orange
- volom-boasary
- Purple
- ranonombalahy
- Brown
- volontany
Transportation
Bus et Train
- How much is a ticket to go to ____ ?
- X ____ ? (Ohatrinohna nee sahrah-dalana mankany _____ )
- A ticket for ____, please.
- X ____ X. ( anowvee sahrah-dalana iray mankany ______ azafady )
- Where is the train/bus ?
- X ? (Mankayza ee-tee masinina /bus ty?)
- Where is the train/fiarakodia for ____ ?
- X ____? (Aiza ny masinina/bus mankany ____ ?)
- This train/bus stops at ____ ?
- X ____ ? (mijanona any _____ ve ty?)
- When does the train/bus for ____ leave ?
- X _____ X ? ('amin'ny fïry no mandeha ny masinina/bus mankany_____ X)
- When will the train/bus arrive at _____ ?
- X _____ ? (amin'ny fïry ty machine/bus ty no tonga any _____ _____)
Directions
- Where is the _____ ??
- aiza ny_____?
- ...train station ?
- gara ?
- ...bus station ?
- stationa ?
- ... airport ?
- a
- ...downtown?
-
- ...neighborhood ?
-
- ...youth hostel ?
- ...hotel _____ ?
-
- ...the [American/Australian/British/Canadian] embassy?
-
- ...tourist attractions ?
- Can you show me on the map ?
-
- Road
-
- Turn to the left.
-
- Turn to the right.
- Left
-
- Right
- Straight
-
- In the direction of _____
-
- After the _____
-
- Before the _____
-
- Locate the _____.
-
- Crossroads
- sapan-dalana
- North
- avaratra
- South
- atsimo
- East
- atsinanana
- West
- andrefana
- On top
- ambony
- On bottom
- ambany
Taxi
- Taxi!
-
- Take me to ___, please.
- Atero any (ary) amin'ny _____ anie aho, azafady.
- How much does it cost to go to _____?
- Ohatrinona kay mandeha any (ary) amin'ny _____ ?
- Take me there, please.
- Atero etsy anie aho, azafady.
Money
Eating
sakafo : aliments;
mihinana : manger;
- A table for one/two people, please.
-
- Can I have a menu ?
-
- What is the house specialty
-
- Is there a local specialty?
-
- I am vegetarian.
- Tsy mihinan-kena aho.
- I do not eat pork.
- Tsy mihinan-kisoa aho.
- I eat kosher meat.
- Tsy mihinana afatsy hanin-jiosy aho.
- Can you cook light ? ('with less oil/butter/fat) : Afaka manao nahandro matsatso ve ianao.
- menu
-
- à la carte
-
- Breakfast
-
- Lunch
-
- Dinner
-
- I would like _____
-
- I would like a meal with _____.
-
- Chicken
- henan akoho (EN-ahn a-KOO)
- Beef
- henan omby (En-ahn OOMB)
- Fish
-
- Salmon
-
- Tuna
-
- White fish
-
- Cod
-
- Seafood
-
- Lobster
-
- Clams
-
- Oysters
-
- Snails
-
- Frogs
-
- Ham
-
- Pork
- .
- Cheese
-
- Eggs
-
- Salad
- Vegetables
- anana
- Fruit
- voankazo (vwan KAZoo)
- Banana
- kata-kata
- bread
- mofo (MOOF)
- Toast
-
- Rice
- vary
- Beans
- X (X)
- Can I have a glass of _____?
- zao mety mahazo verra ny ____?
- Can I have a packet of _____?
-
- Can I have a bottle of _____?
-
- Coffee
- café
- Tea
-
- Juice
-
- Sparkling Water
-
- Water
- rano
- Beer
- Red/White wine
-
- Can I have some _____?
-
- Sugar
- sira mamy
- Salt
- sira
- Pepper
-
- Butter
-
- Excuse-me ? (to get attention)
- azafady (aza-FAD)
- I'm finished
-
- It was delicious (literally very tasty)
- matsiro be
- I am (very) full (after having eaten lots of food)
- voki (be) sao
- You can clean the table.
-
- The check please.
Bars
- Do you serve alcohol ?
- Aiza ny toaka ?
- Do you have table service?
- One beer, please.
- Alefaso aty ny labiera
- A glass of red/white wine, please.
-
- One bottle please.
- Whisky
-
- Vodka
-
- Rum
- toaka
- Water
- rano
- Soda
-
- Orange juice
- ranom-boasary
- Do you have bar snacks (Chips or nuts) ?
- Another, please.
- Another for the table, please.
-
- What time do you close?
-
Shopping
- Do you have this in my size
- Misy antonina ahy ve ny tahak'ity ?
- How much does this cost ?
- Hoatrinona ?
- That's expensive !
- Lafo loatra !
- Do you accept [US dollars/Pound Sterling]?
-
- Expensive
- lafo
- Cheap
- mora
- I cannot pay.
- Tsy mahavidy aho
- I don't want that
- Tsy mila aho.
- You confused me.
- Fitahinao aho
- I'm not interested.
- Tsy mila aho
- I understand.
- I would like to use a sack?
-
- I need ____.
-
- ...toothpaste.
-
- ...a toothbrush.
-
- ...tampons.
-
- ...soap.
-
- ...shampoo.
-
- ...pain reliever (aspirin, ibuprofen)
-
- ...cold medicine.
-
- ...stomach medicine.
-
- ...a razor.
-
- ...batteries.
-
- ...umbrella
-
- ...sunscreen.
-
- ...a postcard.
-
- ...stamps.
-
- ...letter paper.
-
- ...a pen.
-
- ...books in English
- ...a newspaper in English.
-
- ...a Malagasy-English dictionary.
-
Driving
- I would like to rent a car.
- I would like to get insurance ?
-
- Stop (on a sign)
- stop
- Yield
-
- Parking prohibited
-
- Speed limit
-
- Gas station
- Gas
- Diesel
Authority
Use the word Tompoko ("TOOM-pook") (unisex: sir/madam) after a sentence when speaking to an elder/authority figure.
- I did not do anything wrong.
- Tsy nanao ratsy na inona na inona aho
- It's a mistake.
- Misy diso.
- Where are you taking me ?
- Entinareo aiza aho
- Am I under arrest?
- Samborinareo ve aho
- I am a(n) American/Australian/British/Canadian.
- Vazaha ?/?/?/kanadiana aho
- I demand to call the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy
-
- I want to talk with a lawyer.
-
- Can I simply pay a fine ?
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