Malagasy Adverbs
Learning the Malagasy Adverbs is very important because its structure is used in every day conversation. The more you master it the more you get closer to mastering the Malagasy language. But first we need to know what the role of Adverbs is in the structure of the grammar in Malagasy.
Malagasy adverbs are part of speech. Generally they're words that modify any part of language other than a noun. Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives (including numbers), clauses, sentences and other adverbs.
Grammar Tips:
While in English adverbs are usually formed by adding (-ly)
to adjectives. In Malagasy there is no one way to form adverbs. They are most
of the time adverbs by nature. In some cases you can form adverb by repeating
the word root of adjectives twice, preceded by the particle “tsi”. But this
method can also be used for other purposes. In general repeating the word root
twice emphasizes or deemphasizes the meaning. Examples:
Adverbs by nature: haingana (quick); izao (now)
By repeating the root twice and adding the prefix “tsi-“:
mora (slow) => tsimoramora (slowly); kely (small) => tsikelikely (little
by little)
Here are some examples:
| English Adverbs | Malagasy Adverbs |
| adverbs | Mpisolo |
| I read a book sometimes | mamaky boky aho indraindary |
| I will never smoke | tsy hifoka izany mihitsy aho/tsy hifoka mandrakizay aho |
| are you alone? | irery va ianao? |
As you can see from the example above, the structure of the Adverbs in Malagasy has a logical pattern. Locate the Adverbs above and see how it works with the rest of the sentence in Malagasy.
List of Adverbs in Malagasy
Below is a list of the Adverbs of time place manner and frequency in Malagasy placed in a table. Memorizing this table will help you add very useful and important words to your Malagasy vocabulary.
| English Adverbs | Malagasy Adverbs |
| adverbs of time | Mpisolo fotoana |
| yesterday | omaly |
| today | anio |
| tomorrow | rahampitso |
| now | izao/amin'izao fotoana izao |
| then | avy eo |
| later | rehefa avy eo |
| tonight | ra-alina |
| right now | izao dia izao |
| last night | omaly alina |
| this morning | anio maraina/izao maraina izao |
| next week | amin'ny herinandro |
| already | efa |
| recently | vao haingana/vao tsy ela |
| lately | taty aoriana |
| soon | tsy ho ela |
| immediately | maika |
| still | mbola |
| yet | anefa/efa |
| ago | lasa/taloha |
| |
| adverbs of place | Mpisolo toerana |
| here | eto |
| there | ery |
| over there | ery |
| everywhere | eny rehetra eny |
| anywhere | na aiza na aiza |
| nowhere | tsy aiza tsy aiza |
| home | trano |
| away | lasa/lavitra |
| out | ivelany |
| |
| adverbs of manner | Mpisolo toetra |
| very | tena |
| quite | eo ho eo |
| pretty | azo lazaina |
| really | tena |
| fast | haingana |
| well | tsara |
| hard | enjana/mafy |
| quickly | haingana |
| slowly | miadana |
| carefully | amim-pitandremana |
| hardly | zara raha |
| barely | zara raha |
| mostly | ny ankamaroany |
| almost | saika |
| absolutely | tena |
| together | miaraka |
| alone | irery |
| |
| adverbs of frequency | Fiverimberenana |
| always | foana |
| frequently | matetika |
| usually | matetika |
| sometimes | indraindray |
| occasionally | indraindray |
| seldom | indraindray |
| rarely | zara raha/tsy matetika |
| never | tsy mihitsy |
Adverbs of time place manner and frequency have a very important role in Malagasy, therefore they need very special attention. Once you're done with Malagasy Adverbs, you might want to check the rest of our Malagasy lessons here: Learn Malagasy. Don't forget to bookmark this page.