Pronouncing Malagasy words can be quite straightforward once you understand a few basic rules. Here are some tips to help you with Malagasy pronunciation:
1. Vowels
Malagasy vowels are pronounced similarly to vowels in most Romance languages (e.g., Spanish, Italian):
A: Sounds like "ah" (as in father)
E: Sounds like "ay" (as in say)
I: Sounds like "ee" (as in see)
O: Sounds like "oo" (as in door) or "oh" (like in go) depending on context
Example:
"Salama" (hello) is pronounced sah-LAH-mah.
2. Consonants
H: Always pronounced, like the English "h" in hello. Example: Manahoana (how are you) is pronounced mah-nah-HOH-ah-nah.
R: Rolled lightly, similar to the Spanish "r".
Ts: Sounds like "ts" in cats. Example: Tsara (good) is pronounced TSAR-ah.
J: Pronounced like the "dz" in adze. Example: Jereo (look) is pronounced dzay-RAY-oo.
T: Pronounced with a soft touch, without aspiration (less breathy than in English).
K: Also unaspirated, like the "k" in skate.
3. Stress
In Malagasy, the stress typically falls on the second-to-last syllable (penultimate syllable).
Example:
Misaotra (thank you) is pronounced mee-SOW-trah.
Veloma (goodbye) is pronounced vay-LOO-mah.
4. Combining Vowels and Consonants
Words often combine vowels smoothly. For example:
Anarana (name) is pronounced ah-nah-RAH-nah.
Faly mahalala anao (nice to meet you) is pronounced FAH-lee mah-HAH-lah-lah ah-NOW.
5. Diphthongs
Diphthongs (two vowel sounds combined) are pronounced clearly, but as a single syllable:
Ai: Sounds like "eye". Example: Mahafaly (to make happy) is pronounced mah-hah-FAH-lee.
Ao: Sounds like "ow" (as in how). Example: Ao (here) is pronounced OW.
6. Special Sounds
Ng: Pronounced like the "ng" in sing. Example: Tonga (arrived) is pronounced TOO-ngah.
Mp: Pronounced as one sound, starting with "m". Example: Mampianatra (to teach) is pronounced MAM-pee-ah-NAH-trah.
7. Speak Slowly and Clearly
Malagasy is a phonetic language, so every letter is pronounced. Don’t rush—take your time to pronounce each syllable.
If you'd like, I can help you with specific words or phrases!
