Language/Southern-betsimisaraka-malagasy/Grammar/Questions
Hi Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on questions in Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy. Being able to ask questions is essential for communication, so we hope this lesson will help you improve your skills in asking questions in Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy. Don't forget to practice with native speakers on Polyglot Club! 😊
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Questions are an essential part of communication, as they allow us to ask for information, clarification, and opinions. In Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy, questions are formed using various question words, word order, and intonation.
In this lesson, we will learn how to ask questions in Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy using various question words, such as "ahoana" (how), "iza" (who), and "inona" (what). We will also learn about the word order in questions and the different intonations used in different types of questions.
Let's get started! 🚀
Don't hesitate to look into these other pages after completing this lesson: How to Use "Be", Adjectives and ..., Adjectives & Simple Future Tense.
Word Order in Questions[edit | edit source]
In Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy, the word order in questions is similar to that in statements, with some slight differences. The basic word order in a statement is subject-verb-object (SVO).
For example,
| Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Tsy mahafinaritra aho | tsy mahafinaritra aho | I'm not happy. |
To turn this statement into a question, we simply exchange the subject (I) and the verb (am not) and add the question marker "ve" at the end.
| Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mahafinaritra ve aho? | mahafinaritra ve aho | Am I happy? |
As you can see, the word order for a yes-or-no question in Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy is verb-subject, opposite of the standard SVO order.
Let's look at another example:
| Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mivoaka aho an-tsonga | mivoaka aho an-tsʊŋa | I am going out with friends. |
To turn this statement into a question, we add the question word "ahoana" (how) at the beginning of the sentence and add the question marker "ve" at the end.
| Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ahoana no mivoaka an-tsonga ve aho? | ahoana no mivoaka antsʊŋa ve aho | How am I going out with friends? |
In questions starting with question words, the word order is question word - verb - subject - object (QVSO).
Common Question Words[edit | edit source]
In Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy, there are various question words used to ask different types of questions. Some of the most common question words are:
| Question Word | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ahoana | ahoana | how |
| iza | iza | who |
| inona | inona | what |
| etsy | etsy | where |
| aiza | aiza | where (for persons) |
| manao ahoana | manao ahoana | why |
| firy | firy | which |
Let's see some examples of how these question words are used in Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy:
- Person 1: Ahoana no vaovao aloha androany? (How was your day today?)
- Person 2: Tsara, misy tsara, fa niezaka hiditra ny efitranon'ny trano. (Good, it was fine, but I struggled to get into the house gate.)
- Person 1: Iza no nandidy ilay zaza? (Who bought the child?)
- Person 2: Tsy fantatro, fa tena marina tsy nandidy aho. (I don't know, but I really didn't buy the child.)
- Person 1: Inona no nataonao tamin'ny Sabotsy lasa teo? (What did you do last Saturday?)
- Person 2: Naratra nandritra ny fotoana maraina ary nanontany tena marina. (I got up early and asked some questions.)
- Person 1: Efa ho levy ve ianao? (Are you going to pay tax?)
- Person 2: Tsy ahoana. (I don't know.)
- Person 1: Etsy no kaontakao amin'izao fotoam-pivavahana azo antoka izao? (Where can I contact you during these holidays?)
- Person 2: Misy akaikin'izao tontolo izao fa tsy fantatro ny mailaka sy ny fangatahana momba ny teknolojia. (It's available on this planet, but I don't know the details about email and technology.)
Intonation in Questions[edit | edit source]
The intonation used in questions in Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy can vary depending on the type of question being asked. For example, a yes-or-no question will often end in a rising tone, while a question starting with a question word will often end in a falling tone.
Let's look at some examples:
- Person 1: Mbola ohatrinona silamo rehefa mamoaka antsaraana? (Do you still have salt when you get down?)
- Person 2: Ahoana? (What?)
As you can see in the above example, the yes-or-no question has a rising tone at the end, while the question starting with a question word ends in a falling tone.
Here's another example:
- Person 1: Ahoana no fanandevozana anao aloha? (How were you educated?)
- Person 2: Tsy fantatro, fa tena olon-dratsy aho. (I don't know, but I'm really uneducated.)
In this example, the question starting with "ahoana" (how) ends in a falling tone.
Remember that intonation can vary depending on the context, the speaker's intention, and the region where Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy is spoken.
Practice Dialogue[edit | edit source]
Here's a dialogue to help you practice asking questions in Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy:
- Person 1: Iza no nampiasa ity raki-tsary ity? (Who used this saw?)
- Person 2: Tompoko no nampiasa fa tsy dia azoko akory ny valiny. (It's mine, but I don't remember exactly.)
- Person 1: Ahoana no fanazavakoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaoanaonandroany? (What's your explanation about yesterday?)
- Person 2: Tsy misy fanazavakoana, fa tsy dia fantatro hoe inona no itadiavako amin'izany. (I have no explanation, but I don't know what to do about that.)
You can come up with your own questions and practice them with native speakers on Polyglot Club! 😊