Food & Drinks

1. Romazava

   Ro-ma-za-va

   Romazava (national dish stew with zebu beef and leafy greens)

   Usage

   Madagascar's national dish—a meat and vegetable stew always served with rice

   Grammar Note

   "Clear broth" literally. A slow-cooked meat stew with "anamalao" greens. French colonial influence sometimes adds a sauce element.

2. Ravitoto

   Ra-vi-to-to

   Ravitoto (cassava leaves with pork)

   Usage

   A Malagasy home cooking staple—cassava leaves stewed with pork

   Grammar Note

   Ravina (leaf) becomes ravi- in compounds and joins toto (pounded in a mortar) to give ravitoto. Cassava is a vital food crop across Africa and Madagascar.

3. Mofo gasy

   Mo-fo ga-sy

   Mofo gasy (Malagasy rice cake - street food)

   Usage

   Breakfast staple—rice flour fritters sold on street corners everywhere

   Grammar Note

   "Gasy" is an adjective meaning "Malagasy/local" and follows the noun it modifies. Adjective-after-noun placement is standard in Malagasy.

4. Laoka

   Lao-ka

   Laoka (side dish served with rice)

   Usage

   Malagasy meals center on rice (vary) and laoka (side dish). Always eaten together

   Grammar Note

   Madagascar is one of the world's top rice consumers. Rice ("vary") appears at all three daily meals. Rice cultivation was introduced by Austronesian settlers from Indonesia.

5. Hen'omby

   He-n'om-by

   Zebu beef

   Usage

   Dish using Madagascar's native zebu cattle. Commonly found at local markets

   Grammar Note

   Zebu are cultural symbols of wealth in Madagascar. "Hena" means meat and combines with animal names to specify the type.

6. Sakay

   Sa-kay

   Sakay (hot chili paste condiment)

   Usage

   All-purpose chili condiment in Malagasy cuisine. Use with caution—very spicy

   Grammar Note

   Sakay is a paste of ginger, garlic, and chili peppers served as a condiment with almost every Malagasy dish.

7. Ranon'ampango

   Ra-non'am-pan-go

   Ranon'ampango (toasted rice water drink)

   Usage

   Traditional drink made by pouring hot water over toasted rice crust. Drunk after meals or in place of water

   Grammar Note

   "Rano" (water) + "ampango" (toasted rice). Important as a safe drinking alternative and said to aid digestion.

8. Ranom-baovao

   Ra-nom-bao-vao

   Fresh water

   Usage

   Asking for clean drinking water

   Grammar Note

   "baovao" (new/fresh) is an adjective following the noun. In Madagascar, care should be taken with drinking water quality.

9. Lavanila Madagasikara

   La-va-ni-la Ma-da-ga-si-ka-ra

   Madagascar vanilla (produces ~80% of world's supply)

   Usage

   Madagascar is the world's largest vanilla producer. Popular as a souvenir

   Grammar Note

   "Madagasikara" is the official Malagasy name. About 80% of the world's vanilla comes from Madagascar. Export rules are strict—buy from authorized vendors.

10. Misy sakay be ve izany?

    Mi-sy sa-kay be ve i-za-ny?

    Is this very spicy?

    Usage

    Checking spiciness before eating. Malagasy sakay chili paste can be very hot

    Grammar Note

    Spiciness is naturally asked about by asking whether the dish contains chili (sakay). Note that masira means "salty", not "hot/spicy" (masina means "holy"). Malagasy cooking itself is fairly mild, but sakay is very hot.

11. Matsiro be!

    Ma-tsi-ro be!

    Very delicious!

    Usage

    Expressing that food is delicious. Also used to compliment cooking

    Grammar Note

    "Matsiro" means delicious/tasty. Intensify with "be." Malagasy people greatly appreciate verbal compliments about their cooking.

12. Vary masaka

    Cooked rice

    Usage

    Refers to cooked rice, which is a different word from raw rice

13. Mofo

    Bread

    Usage

    Point at it when ordering breakfast or a snack

14. Manta

    Raw / Uncooked

    Usage

    Point at it when you want to avoid uncooked food

15. Sira

    Salt

    Usage

    Point at it at a market or a table

16. Siramamy

    Sugar

    Usage

    Point at it at a market or a table

17. Dipoavatra

    Pepper

    Usage

    Point at it at a market or a table

18. Menaka

    Oil

    Usage

    Point at cooking oil, also useful when asking for less of it

19. Vinaingitra

    Vinegar

    Usage

    Point at it at a market or a table

20. Dibera

    Butter

    Usage

    Point at it at a market or at breakfast

21. Fromazy

    Cheese

    Usage

    Point at it at a market or at breakfast

22. Tantely

    Honey

    Usage

    Point at it at a market or at breakfast

23. Lasopy

    Soup

    Usage

    Point at it when ordering

24. Voankazo

    Fruit

    Usage

    Point at it at a market

25. Tongolo gasy

    Garlic

    Usage

    "Tongolo gasy" is garlic and "tongolo be" is onion; plain "tongolo" is ambiguous

26. Tongolo be

    Onion

    Usage

    Point at it to ask for a dish without it

27. Sakamalao

    Ginger

    Usage

    Point at it at a market

Browse all TravelPhrases languages