Dialogue:

Situation: one person passes and greets the anonymous pedestrian he encounters (no hand shaking)

A: Manahoana

B: Salama

Situation: two neighbors seeing each other through the fence

A: Manahoana (Hi)

B: Manahoana (Hi)

In the coastal part of Madagascar

A: Salama

B: Salama

b: Samy tsara (bye) (may every one of us fare well)

Situation two: two friends, shake hands, or kiss

A: Manahaona ny fahasalamana.

B: Tsara fa misaotra (I am fine thank you) ( or I am not well... Tsy salama aho )

A: Inona ny vaovao? (what are your news? )

B: Tsisy ( none= nothing new) (or you give your news )

Vaovao : the malagasy use also the word "maresaka" which means the same thing = inona no vaovao? or inona no maresaka? or inona ny vaovao sy ny maresaka?

A: Manahoana ny fahasalamana?

B: tsara fa misaotra ( or I am not well... Tsy salama aho )

A: Inona ny vaovao sy ny maresaka?

B: Tsisy.

Tsara fa misaotra is a ritual answer, you cannot change and say ratsy ( bad), you just give the good or bad news instead.

The same remark for Tsisy= if there is news you give the news, you don't say 'misy' (there is ( news)

Exercise

How do you say good afternoon, sir?

How do you say good morning

How do you say Bye ( it is the afternoon)

How do you say Bye ( it is the morning)

How do you say I am fine, thanks

How do you say What are your news?

How do you say good morning in the coastal part of Madagascar

How do you say bye in the coastal part of Madagascar

Important words to learn=

manahoana

salama

veloma