Airport & Customs

1. Asehoy ny pasipaoronareo azafady

   A-se-hoy ny pa-si-pao-ro-na-reo a-za-fa-dy

   Please show your passport

   Usage

   Standard phrase used by immigration officers

   Grammar Note

   Malagasy is verb-initial with the subject last (VOS). Asehoy is the passive imperative of mampiseho (to show). Pasipaoro (passport) takes the possessive suffix -nareo (your, plural) to give pasipaoronareo

2. Inona no tanjon'ny dia nataonareo?

   I-no-na no tan-jon'ny di-a na-ta-o-na-reo?

   What is the purpose of your visit?

   Usage

   Standard immigration question

   Grammar Note

   "Inona" = what

3. Hitoetra alina firy ianao?

   Hi-to-e-tra a-li-na fi-ry ia-nao?

   How many nights are you planning to stay?

   Usage

   Commonly asked at immigration

   Grammar Note

   "firy" (how many) follows the noun; "hitoetra" is the future of "mitoetra" (to stay). Malagasy is verb-initial with the subject "ianao" last

4. Misy entana tokony holazaina ve?

   Mi-sy en-ta-na to-ko-ny ho-la-za-i-na ve?

   Do you have anything to declare?

   Usage

   Asked at customs

   Grammar Note

   "Ve" is a question marker

5. Tsy tonga ny entako

   Tsy ton-ga ny en-ta-ko

   My luggage hasn't arrived

   Usage

   Tell baggage claim staff

   Grammar Note

   "Tsy tonga" = not arrived

6. Io dia entana entina an-tanana

   Io di-a en-ta-na en-ti-na an-ta-na-na

   This is carry-on luggage

   Usage

   Tell airline staff at check-in or boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   Entina is the passive of mitondra (to carry), i.e. "carried"; an-tanana is the adverb "in the hand", so entana entina an-tanana is "luggage carried in the hand" = carry-on. Modifiers follow the noun

7. Mandalo fotsiny aho

   Man-da-lo fo-tsi-ny a-ho

   I'm in transit

   Usage

   Used at transit counters or immigration

   Grammar Note

   Malagasy has no noun for "transit", so the idea is expressed as mandalo (to pass through) + fotsiny (only): "I am just passing through". The subject comes last (VOS)

8. Aiza ny vavahady fiakarana?

   Ai-za ny va-va-ha-dy fi-a-ka-ra-na?

   Where is the gate?

   Usage

   Ask when looking for your boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "Aiza" = where

9. Rahoviana no hanomboka ny fiakarana?

   Ra-ho-vi-a-na no ha-nom-bo-ka ny fi-a-ka-ra-na?

   When does boarding begin?

   Usage

   Ask while waiting at the boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "Rahoviana" = when (future); "oviana" is used for non-future events

10. Aiza ny fivarotana tsy misy hetra?

    Ai-za ny fi-va-ro-ta-na tsy mi-sy he-tra?

    Where is the duty-free shop?

    Usage

    Ask after clearing security

    Grammar Note

    Tsy is the negator, misy is "there is", and hetra is "tax", so tsy misy hetra means "with no tax" = duty-free. Fivarotana is the noun from mivarotra (to sell), i.e. a shop

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