Language/Plateau-malagasy/Grammar/Basic-Sentence-Structure

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Plateau Malagasy → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Introduction to Plateau Malagasy → Basic Sentence Structure

Plateau Malagasy is a Malagasy language spoken in the central region of Madagascar by the Merina people. It has become the national language of the country, and it is the most widely spoken language in Madagascar. It is one of the three official languages of Madagascar, alongside French and English.

The grammar of Plateau Malagasy follows subject-verb-object (SVO) order, like English. This means that the subject of the sentence comes first, followed by the verb, and then the object. For example, the sentence "I eat rice" would be translated into Plateau Malagasy as "Manoka riziky aho."

Let's take a closer look at each element of the basic sentence structure in Plateau Malagasy:

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Irregular Verbs & 0 to A1 Course.

Subject

The subject of a sentence in Plateau Malagasy can be either a noun or a pronoun. Nouns in Plateau Malagasy have a gender, which affects the form of the noun and the adjectives that describe it. Pronouns in Plateau Malagasy are categorized as first person (referring to the speaker), second person (referring to the listener), or third person (referring to someone or something else).

Examples

Here are some examples of Plateau Malagasy subjects:

Plateau Malagasy	Pronunciation	English
Zaza	/za.za/	Child
Ny vehivavy	/ni.ˈve.hi.ˌva.vi/	The woman
Ianao	/ˈja.naw/	You (singular)
Izahay	/i.ˈza.haj/	We

Verb

The verb in a Plateau Malagasy sentence comes after the subject and before the object. Verbs in Plateau Malagasy are conjugated based on tense and person. There are three main tenses in Plateau Malagasy: present, past, and future. The present tense is used for actions that are currently happening or are habitually done. The past tense is used for actions that have already happened. The future tense is used for actions that will happen in the future.

Examples

Here are some examples of Plateau Malagasy verbs:

Base Form	Present Tense Conjugation	Past Tense Conjugation	Future Tense Conjugation
Mandeha	Manomboka mihira aho.	Nanomboka mihira aho.	Hanao mihira aho.	To go	I am starting to sing.	I started to sing.	I will sing.
Mihira	Mihira rano ny mpihira.	Nirano ny mpihira.	Hanohitra ny mpihira.	To sing	The singers are singing.	The singers sang.	The singers will sing.
Mieritreritra	Mieritreritra aho fa tsara.	Nieritreritra aho fa tsara.	Hiezerana ho tsara aho.	To think	I'm thinking it's good.	I thought it was good.	I'll think it's good.

Object

The object of a sentence in Plateau Malagasy comes after the verb. It can be either a noun, a pronoun, or a phrase that acts as a noun. In a basic sentence structure, there is usually only one object. However, complex sentences can have multiple objects.

Examples

Here are some examples of Plateau Malagasy objects:

Plateau Malagasy	Pronunciation	English
Ny vary	/ni ˈva.ri/	The rice
Ny sakafo tsara	/ni ˈsa.ka.fo ˈtsa.ra/	The good food
Izy ireo	/i.zi i.ˈre.o/	Them

Word Order

In Plateau Malagasy, the basic word order is subject-verb-object (SVO). However, certain adverbs or other sentence constructions can change the word order. For example, adverbs of time typically come at the beginning of the sentence.

Examples

Here are some examples of Plateau Malagasy sentences with different word orders:

• Mampianatra aho angamba ny vehivavy.
• Ny vehivavy no mampianatra aho angamba.
• Angamba ny vehivavy no mampianatra aho.

• I'm teaching the woman maybe.
• The woman is being taught by me maybe.
• Maybe it's the woman who is being taught by me.

Negation

To make a negative sentence in Plateau Malagasy, the word "tsy" is added before the verb. For example, "Manoka rano aho" means "I'm drinking water," while "Tsy manoka rano aho" means "I'm not drinking water."

Examples

Here are some examples of negation in Plateau Malagasy sentences:

• Tsy te hihinana lela aho.
• I'm not eating rice.
• Tsy misy mpampianatra ao anatiny.
• There isn't a teacher in there.

With a good understanding of basic sentence structure in Plateau Malagasy, students will be on their way to mastering the language. Happy learning!

Table of Contents - Plateau Malagasy Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Plateau Malagasy

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Nouns and Gender
• Pronouns and Their Usage

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Numbers, Dates, and Time

• Numbers and Counting
• Days, Months, and Seasons

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Regular Verbs
• Irregular Verbs
• Present, Past, and Future Tenses

  ---

Food and Drink

• Common Food Items
• Beverages and Dining

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
• Adverbs and Their Usage

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases and Directions

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Common Prepositions
• Conjunctions and Their Usage

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships and Emotions

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Plateau Malagasy Customs and Traditions

• Festivals and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance

Other Lessons

• Adjectives
• Conjunctions and Their Usage
• How to Use Be
• Conditional Mood
• Adverbs and Their Usage
• Descriptive Adjectives
• Present, Past, and Future Tenses
• Nouns and Gender
• Give your Opinion
• Alphabet and Pronunciation

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