Sports & Activities

1. Tia fanatanjahan-tena aho

   Ti-a fa-na-tan-ja-han-te-na a-ho

   I like sports

   Usage

   Basic phrase to express interest in sports

   Grammar Note

   In Malagasy VOS order, the subject "aho" (I) comes last. Structure: "Tia" (like) + object + subject. fanatanjahan-tena literally "strengthening the body" is the general word for sport.

2. Aiza ny kianja filalaovana?

   A-i-za ny ki-an-ja fi-la-la-o-va-na

   Where is the stadium?

   Usage

   Asking for the location of a stadium to watch a game

   Grammar Note

   "Aiza" is the where-question word. "Ny" is the definite article. In Malagasy, question words come at the beginning. kianja is a public square, so kianja filalaovana ("square for playing") is a stadium.

3. Milalao baolina kitra izahay

   Mi-la-la-o ba-o-li-na ki-tra i-za-hay

   We play football / soccer

   Usage

   Football/soccer is the most popular sport in Madagascar

   Grammar Note

   Malagasy distinguishes "izahay" (we, excluding listener) from "isika" (we, including listener). The verb is milalao, from the root lalao "play, game".

4. Milomano aho

   Mi-lo-ma-no a-ho

   I am swimming

   Usage

   Talking about swimming. Popular along Madagascar's coastline

   Grammar Note

   The root lomano takes the active prefix mi- to give milomano "to swim"; the noun is filomanosana "swimming". In VOS order the subject aho comes last.

5. Misy lalao baolina kitra ve androany?

   Mi-sy la-la-o ba-o-li-na ki-tra ve an-dro-a-ny

   Is there a football match today?

   Usage

   Used to check if there is a match on a given day

   Grammar Note

   "Misy … ve?" forms a yes/no existence question. lalao is "game, match"; androany ("today") is andro "day" + any.

6. Tian'ny Malagasy ny baolina kitra

   Ti-an'ny Ma-la-ga-sy ny ba-o-li-na ki-tra

   Malagasy people love football

   Usage

   Used when talking about Madagascar's sports culture

   Grammar Note

   Malagasy has a rich passive voice system. "Tian'ny" means "loved by" — a passive construction (agent: "ny Malagasy").

7. Manao fanatanjahan-tena aho

   Ma-nao fa-na-tan-ja-han-te-na a-ho

   I am doing gymnastics / working out

   Usage

   Talking about gym workouts or gymnastics

   Grammar Note

   "Manao + a nominalized activity" expresses doing that activity. fanatanjahan-tena is a compound of fanatanjahana ("strengthening") + tena ("body").

8. Masiaka ny lalao

   Ma-sia-ka ny la-la-o

   The match is intense

   Usage

   Expressing excitement while watching a game

   Grammar Note

   A predicate adjective comes first and the subject (ny lalao) follows. "Masiaka" literally means fierce or savage and is extended to a hard-fought game.

9. Mandeha milalao rigby izahay

   Man-de-ha mi-la-la-o rig-by i-za-hay

   We are going to play rugby

   Usage

   Rugby is very popular in Madagascar

   Grammar Note

   "Mandeha + verb" expresses going somewhere to do something. Malagasy can chain verbs to express sequential actions. Rugby is spelled rigby in Malagasy.

10. Inona ny vokatra?

    I-no-na ny vo-ka-tra

    What is the score?

    Usage

    Checking the score during a match

    Grammar Note

    "Inona" is the what-question word. vokatra means "produce, result", and of a game it is the score so far.

Browse all TravelPhrases languages