Malagasy

Malagasy: Living in the City

Tana

Mipetraka eto Madagasikara aho. I live in Madagsacar.
Betsaka ny zavatra mahafinaritra momba ny fiainana eto. There are many nice things about living here. fiainana – living
Mora ny sakofo ary mora koa ny taxi be. The food is cheap and the taxi bes are cheaper.
Ny samosa ny Shoprite dia lafo be kokoa noho ny karatra taxi be. A samosa at Shoprite is more expensive than a bus ticket.
Na izany aza, betsaka ny fako. However, there is a lot of trash.
Betsaka ny fako na izany aza. However, there is a lot of trash.
Betsaka koa ny alika dia. There are also lots of wild dogs.
Tsy tiako ny alika dia ary tena tsy tiako ny fako eny andalana. I do not like wild dogs and I really do not like trash in the street. eny andalana – in the street [contraction of eny amin’ny lalana]
Indraindray, manahy aho sao hanaikitra ahy ny alika dia. Sometimes, I worry that the dogs will bite me. manaikitra – to bite
Indraindray, manahy aho sao hihinana ahy ny alika dia. Sometimes, I worry that the dogs will eat me. mihinana  – to eat

Washington, DC

Oviana nahazo trano vaovao ianao? When did you get a new house?
Tamin’ny Alatsinainy. Last Monday.
Misy efitrano firy ny tranonao vaovao? There are how many rooms in your new house?
Efitranoko efatra! Lakozia, WC sy kabone, efitrano ho an’ny mozika ary efitrano fatoriana. There are four! The kitchen and toilet room and music room and bedroom. lakozia – kitchen

kabone / WC – toilet room

ho an’ny – for

ladosy – bathroom

fandriana – bed

efitrano fatoriana – sleeping room

Aiza ho aiza any DC ny tranonao vaovao? Where exactly in DC is your new house?
Any Arlington, Virginia ny tranoko vaovao. My new house is in Arlington, Virginia.

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Resources for Self-Instructional Learners of Less Commonly Taught Languages Copyright © by University of Wisconsin-Madison Students in African 671 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.