Basic Nouns

1. Rano

   Water

   Usage

   Ask for drinking water; pair it with “bottle” if you want sealed water

2. Sakafo

   Food

   Usage

   The general word for food; useful when hunting for somewhere to eat

3. Vola

   Money

   Usage

   The base word for paying and changing currency

4. Kabone

   Toilet

   Usage

   Combine it with the “where” question

5. Mosara

   Tissue

   Usage

   Many toilets have no paper — use this word to buy some

   Grammar Note

   A loan from French "mouchoir" (handkerchief).

6. Fanafody

   Medicine

   Usage

   At a pharmacy; combine it with gestures for your symptom

7. Entana

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking in, carrying on, or reporting lost bags

8. Lakile

   Key

   Usage

   At hotel reception when collecting or returning it

   Grammar Note

   A loan from French "la clé" (key).

9. Tapakila

   Ticket

   Usage

   Covers both transport tickets and admission tickets

10. Pasipaoro

    Passport

    Usage

    Comes up at check-in, currency exchange, and any police check

11. Finday

    Phone

    Usage

    When you need to borrow one or ask for a number

    Grammar Note

    "Finday" is the Malagasy word for a mobile phone; a landline is "telefaonina."

12. Chargeur

    Charger

    Usage

    To borrow one at a hotel or café, or buy one in a shop

    Grammar Note

    French "chargeur" is used as is; Malagasy has no native word for it.

13. Gara

    Station

    Usage

    A landmark word when asking for directions

    Grammar Note

    A loan from French "gare"; it also covers long-distance taxi-brousse depots.

14. Hopitaly

    Hospital

    Usage

    The first word you need if you fall ill

15. Polisy

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents; combine it with “where?”

16. Fivarotana

    Shop

    Usage

    When looking for somewhere to buy something

17. Efitrano

    Room

    Usage

    Use it when asking a hotel about vacancies

18. Lalana

    Road

    Usage

    The base word when asking the way

19. Fianakaviana

    Family

    Usage

    A guaranteed small-talk topic; showing photos goes a long way

20. Anarana

    Name

    Usage

    For introductions and for giving your name at a counter

21. Loha

    Head

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

22. Maso

    Eye

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

23. Nify

    Tooth

    Usage

    Use at a dentist or pharmacy to show where it hurts

24. Tenda

    Throat

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

25. Kibo

    Stomach / Belly

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

26. Lamosina

    Back

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

27. Valahana

    Lower back / Waist

    Usage

    Use for lower-back pain, as distinct from the upper back

28. Tongotra

    Leg / Foot

    Usage

    Point at your own leg or foot to narrow down which part you mean

29. Tanana

    Hand

    Usage

    Point at your own hand; note tanàna with an accent means "town", a different word

30. Tratra

    Chest

    Usage

    Use for chest pain or tightness (the chest, anatomically)

31. Sofina

    Ear

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

32. Vozona

    Neck

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

33. Soroka

    Shoulder

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

34. Lohalika

    Knee

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

35. Rantsan-tanana

    Finger

    Usage

    Point at the injured or painful finger while showing the card

36. Hoditra

    Skin

    Usage

    Use when reporting a rash, itching, or sunburn

37. Sandry

    Arm

    Usage

    Point at the body part card to show where it hurts

38. Orona

    Nose

    Usage

    Use when reporting a blocked or running nose

39. Hotely

    Hotel

    Usage

    Point at it as your destination when asking for directions

40. Seranam-piaramanidina

    Airport

    Usage

    Point at it as your destination in a taxi

41. Ambasady

    Embassy

    Usage

    Point at it as your destination if you lose your passport

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