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Lesson 5 of 10
Shops and hotels in Malagasy
Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk. Play the ten Malagasy words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Malagasy phrases in this lesson
- Manana...ve ianao?mah-NAH-nah...veh ee-AH-nao
- Do you have...?
- Aiza ny...?AH-ee-zah nee...
- Where is...?
- Misokatramee-SOO-kah-trah
- Open
- Mihidymee-HEE-dee
- Closed
- Kitapo?kee-TAH-poo
- A bag?
- Lafo loatraLAH-foo loo-AH-trah
- Too expensive
- Nanao famandrihana ahonah-NOW fah-mahn-dree-HAH-nah ah-OO
- I have a reservation
- Tafiditra ve ny sakafo maraina?tah-fee-DEE-trah veh nee sah-KAH-foo mah-RAI-nah
- Is breakfast included?
- Inona ny tenimiafina wifi?ee-NOO-nah nee teh-nee-mee-ah-FEE-nah WAI-fai
- What's the wifi password?
- Afaka ... ve aho?AH-fah-kah ... veh ah-OO
- Can I...?
ve marks the question, ianao means you. Manana is to have. Shopkeepers understand and will point or shake their head. Supply can be erratic.
Aiza means where, ny is the article. "Aiza ny labiera?" gets you to the beer. Supermarkets are small in most towns; you can also just walk and look.
Lafo means expensive, loatra means too much. In markets, this opens a negotiation. Vendors expect it and will often lower prices, especially if you are friendly.
Literally "I made a booking".
Literally "the secret word".