'''Malagasy''' (in French, Malgache) is the national language of Madagascar.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

; Hello. : Salama. (''like Arabic Salaam '') or Manao Hoana ; Hello. (''informal'') : mbola tsara. (''mm-BOOL-uh TSAR-uh'') ; How are you? : inona voavoa? (''ee-nan vow-vow'') ; 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! : ! ('' !'') ; Good morning. : . ('' '') ; Good evening. : . ('' '') ; Good night. : . ('' '') ; Good night (''to sleep'') : . ('' '') ; I don't understand. : . ('' '') ; Where is the toilet? : ? ('' ?'')

Problems

; Go away!: Mandehana ("man-day-HAN")

Numbers

; 1 : isa, iray ; 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), <nowiki>18:45</nowiki> : amin'ny fito latsaka fahefany ; Quarter past seven (in the evening), <nowiki>19:15</nowiki> : amin'ny fito sy fahefany ; Half-past seven, <nowiki>19:30</nowiki> : 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 firy no mandeha ny masinina/bus mankany_____ X'') ; When will the train/bus arrive at _____ ? :X _____ ? (''amin'ny firy 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 : ; a la carte : ; Breakfast : ; Lunch : ; Dinner : ; I would like _____ : ; I would like a meal with _____. : ; Chicken : ; Beef : ; Fish : ; Salmon : ; Tuna : ; White fish : ; Cod : ; Seafood : ; Lobster : ; Clams : ; Oysters : ; Snails : ; Frogs : ; Ham : ; Pork : . ; Cheese : ; Eggs : ; Salad : ; Vegetables : anana ; Fruit : voankazo ; bread : mofo ; 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 : cafe ; Tea : ; Juice : ; Sparkling Water : ; Water : rano ; Beer : ; Red/White wine : ; Can I have some _____? : ; Salt : ; Pepper : ; Butter : ; Excuse-me ? (''to get attention''): ) ; I'm finished : ; It was delicious. : ; 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 ? :