Health & Hospital

1. Marary aho, mila dokotera

   Ma-ra-ry a-ho, mi-la do-ko-te-ra

   I am sick, I need a doctor

   Usage

   Basic phrase used when feeling ill and needing medical help

   Grammar Note

   Malagasy often uses VOS word order. "marary aho" = "I am sick" (predicate + subject)

2. Aiza ny hopitaly akaiky?

   Ai-za ny ho-pi-ta-ly a-kai-ky?

   Where is the nearest hospital?

   Usage

   Used to ask the location of the nearest hospital

   Grammar Note

   "ny" is the definite article in Malagasy, placed before nouns

3. Manaintaina ny lohako

   Ma-nain-tai-na ny lo-ha-ko

   My head hurts

   Usage

   Used to express a headache

   Grammar Note

   "-ko" = 1st person possessive suffix. "lohako" = "my head." VOS word order typical

4. Manana alerjia amin'ny ... aho

   Ma-na-na a-ler-ji-a a-min'ny ... a-ho

   I have an allergy to ...

   Usage

   Used to inform a doctor or pharmacist about food or medication allergies

   Grammar Note

   "Amin'ny" combines the preposition amin- with the article ny, "with regard to". Alerjia is borrowed from French allergie — Malagasy has no native word. If you are not understood, fall back on "Tsy mahazaka ... aho" ("I cannot tolerate ...")

5. Azafady, mila fanafody ho an'ny tazo

   A-za-fa-dy, mi-la fa-na-fo-dy ho an'ny ta-zo

   Excuse me, I need medicine for malaria

   Usage

   Used at a pharmacy to ask for malaria medicine — common in Madagascar where it is endemic

   Grammar Note

   "ho an'ny" = "for the." "azafady" is a polite expression used for requests

6. Misy vaksiny ho an'ny aretina ity?

   Mi-sy vak-si-ny ho an'ny a-re-ti-na i-ty?

   Is there a vaccine for this disease?

   Usage

   Used to ask a doctor or pharmacist about vaccines for a specific disease

   Grammar Note

   "ity" = near demonstrative "this." Demonstratives often follow the noun in Malagasy

7. Manaintaina ny kiboko

   Ma-nain-tai-na ny ki-bo-ko

   My stomach hurts

   Usage

   Used to express stomach pain or stomach ache

   Grammar Note

   "Ny kiboko" is "my belly" (kibo + the possessive suffix -ko). Symptoms follow the pattern "manaintaina + ny + body part"; the aching part is the subject, so "I" is not stated

8. Afaka manome ahy fanafody hatory ve ianao?

   A-fa-ka ma-no-me a-hy fa-na-fo-dy ha-to-ry ve ia-nao?

   Can you give me sleeping pills?

   Usage

   Used to request sleeping pills from a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   "ve" is the question particle. Adding "ve" to the end turns a statement into a question

9. Mila mandray vaksiny aho alohan'ny dia

   Mi-la man-dray vak-si-ny a-ho a-lo-han'ny di-a

   I need vaccinations before the trip

   Usage

   Used to discuss required vaccinations with a doctor before traveling

   Grammar Note

   "alohan'ny" = "before." Constructed from "aloha" (front/before) + "-n'ny" (of the)

10. Manana fiantohana ara-pahasalamana ve ianao?

    Ma-na-na fi-an-to-ha-na a-ra-pa-ha-sa-la-ma-na ve ia-nao?

    Do you have health insurance?

    Usage

    Used at hospitals or medical facilities to ask about health insurance

    Grammar Note

    "fiantohana" means "insurance" (the same word as in the car rental cards) and "ara-pahasalamana" means "health-related". "ve ianao" = polite question

11. Bevohoka aho

    I am pregnant

    Usage

    Critical before any medication or X-ray; show it before an examination

12. Manana asima aho

    I have asthma

    Usage

    Tell staff about your condition when you have trouble breathing

13. Manana diabeta aho

    I have diabetes

    Usage

    Use to explain dietary limits or a hypoglycaemic episode

14. Manana aretim-po aho

    I have a heart condition

    Usage

    Tell responders about your condition in an emergency

15. Tapaka ny taolako

    I think a bone is broken

    Usage

    Show at a hospital straight after an injury

16. Sempotra aho

    I have trouble breathing

    Usage

    Point at it when speaking is too hard

17. Mandeha ra ny fery

    I am bleeding

    Usage

    Use when asking for first aid

18. Fery

    Wound / Cut

    Usage

    Show the card while pointing at the wound

19. Kohaka

    Cough

    Usage

    Use at a pharmacy when asking for cough medicine

20. Mangidihidy

    Itchy

    Usage

    Report itching from bites or a rash

21. Fadim-bolana

    Menstruation / Period

    Usage

    The ordinary Malagasy word for menstruation, literally "monthly taboo"

22. Fidirana hopitaly

    Hospital admission

    Usage

    Point to this to ask whether you need to be admitted to hospital

23. Sery

    Common cold

    Usage

    The word for a common cold: a blocked nose with a runny nose and often a cough

24. Antsoy ny dokotera azafady

    An-tsoy ny do-ko-te-ra a-za-fa-dy

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Ask someone present to call a doctor when you cannot do it yourself

    Grammar Note

    "Antsoy" is the passive imperative of "miantso" (to call), the form used to ask someone to call a person. The person to be called (here "dokotera", doctor) follows, and "azafady" (please) at the end makes the request polite.

25. Manaintaina eto

    Ma-nain-tai-na e-to

    It hurts here

    Usage

    Point at the spot that hurts as you show this; it works without knowing the name of the body part

    Grammar Note

    It uses the same verb "manaintaina" (to hurt) as "Manaintaina ny lohako" (my head hurts), with the place adverb "eto" (here) in place of the body part. Say it while pointing at the sore spot.

26. Vizana ny vatako

    Vi-za-na ny va-ta-ko

    My body feels sluggish

    Usage

    Describe heaviness and lack of strength, as distinct from fever or pain

    Grammar Note

    "Vizana" describes being worn out or sluggish, and "ny vatako" (my body) is the subject. It conveys a lack of strength rather than fever or pain.

27. Mila fitsaharana ve aho?

    Mi-la fi-tsa-ha-ra-na ve a-ho?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Ask the doctor after an examination whether you should stay still or may move about

    Grammar Note

    "Mila ... aho" is the frame for "I need ..." (for example "Mila dokotera aho", I need a doctor), and adding "ve" turns it into a question. "Fitsaharana" is the noun for rest.

28. Fivalanana

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    Symptom name; show it to a doctor or pharmacist to say you have diarrhea

29. Amany

    Pee (urine)

    Usage

    The neutral word for urine, used to describe its colour or condition at a check-up (the casual verb for "pee" is vulgar, so it is not used)

30. Mivalana aho

    Mi-va-la-na a-ho

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    "Mivalana" is the verb meaning "to have diarrhea". Malagasy puts the verb first (VOS), so the subject "aho" (I) follows: "Mivalana aho".

31. Te hangery aho

    Te ha-nge-ry a-ho

    I need to poop

    Usage

    Tell a companion or child you need to go for a bowel movement (the casual noun for "poop" is vulgar, so the neutral verb is used)

    Grammar Note

    "Mangery" is the neutral verb for going to the toilet for a bowel movement; its future form is "hangery". Like "Te hividy ... aho" (I want to buy ...), the frame "Te + future verb + aho" means "I want to ...".

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