Learn Malagasy
Learn Malagasy fast with an app that gets you speaking in minutes. Build the confidence to chat with family and friends across Madagascar, or pick up useful phrases for your travels around the island.
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Learn to speak Malagasy like a local
Many people want a structured Malagasy language course to reconnect with family in Madagascar or to support travel or work on the island. Malagasy is widely spoken and central to everyday life in Madagascar. French is also used in the country, reflecting its colonial history. Many resources stop at a handful of words rather than building lessons you can use.
uTalk is the solution. We’ll help you avoid:
- Relying on scattered word lists instead of a structured course teaching conversational skills
- Struggling to find a Malagasy learning method that's genuinely motivating
- Losing confidence because you don't have a way of checking your Malagasy pronunciation
Learn Malagasy online today and start joining in with everyday conversations.
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Three steps to learn Malagasy fast
No classes to schedule. No confusing jargon. Just a clear path to learning Malagasy.
Start in minutes
Subscribe now, download the app or open the web app. Choose Malagasy and select your first category.
Get StartedPractise real phrases
Work through short lessons with native speaker audio and memory-boosting games. Reviews focus on the words you find hardest, giving you extra practice where you need it.
Speak like a local
Try your Malagasy in real life. Beginners and more experienced learners can develop practical speaking skills and start enjoying real conversations across Madagascar.
Why uTalk is the best Malagasy learning app
uTalk helps you learn how to speak and recognise a wide variety of Malagasy words and phrases. It's app-based, online and ready when you are.
Speak first
Practical content covering greetings, travel, work and daily life. Everything you need to start speaking from day one.
Authentic speakers
Learn from real Malagasy speakers, not computer voices. Hear the language exactly as it's spoken across Madagascar.
Beginner friendly, fun and effective
Game-like practice builds your confidence and helps boost your memory. Lessons are short, focused and based on real-life situations.
Learn Malagasy online — Common phrases and audio
uTalk helps you learn how to speak and recognise key words and phrases. It's app-based, online and ready when you are.
Anaovy kafe azafady.
I’d like a coffee, please.
Manahoana.
Hello.
Ie.
Yes.
Ie, misaotra.
Yes please.
Non.
No.
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Aoka izao fa misaotra.
No thanks.
Eo moa e.
Please.
Misaotra.
Thank you.
Misaotra betsaka.
Thank you very much.
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Ts'isy fisaorana.
You’re welcome.
Labiera roa, azafady.
Two beers, please.
bus
bus
fiara
car
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taxi
taxi
lamasinina
train
gara
railway station
aerôpôro
airport
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hotely
hotel
pasipaoro
passport
telefaona
telephone
Azafady.
Excuse me.
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Amin'ny firy izao ?
What time is it?
Ahoana hoy ianao azafady ?
Can you repeat that please?
Azafady, mba mitenena moramora.
Please speak more slowly.
Tsy azoko.
I don’t understand.
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Azafady.
Sorry.
Aiza ny WC ?
Where are the toilets?
WC Vehivavy
Ladies’ Toilet
WC Lehilahy
Gents’ Toilet
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Aiza ny amoron-dranomasina ?
Where is the beach?
Aiza ny banky ?
Where is the bank?
Ohatrinona kay ity ?
How much does this cost?
carte de crédit
credit card
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distributeur
cash machine
Veloma.
Goodbye.
paracétamol
paracetamol
lakile
keys
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sarintany
map
havia
left
havanana
right
iray
one
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roa
two
telo
three
Where is it spoken?
Madagascar
Number of speakers
25,000,000
Language family
Austronesian
Malayo-Polynesian
East Barito
Fun facts | Malagasy
- When travelling in Madagascar, it is important to respect the 'fady' or traditional taboos, which vary from region to region. For example, it is forbidden to point at a grave and to work on certain days of the week.
- The formal word for 'you' is 'tompoko', which literally means 'my master / mistress'.
- Despite being spoken on an island off the coast of East Africa, Malagasy is actually related to Malay, Indonesian, Filipino and the various Polynesian languages.
How our Malagasy lessons work
Learning Malagasy should feel simple and enjoyable from the start. Begin with greetings and high-frequency words, then move into practical categories covering family, numbers and everyday phrases. The ‘Repoblikan’i Madagasikara’ topic also introduces cultural words you may come across on the island, including ‘Tana’, a nickname for the capital, and ‘mofo gasy’, a traditional food. Memory-boosting tests reinforce what you learn, and reviews adapt to focus on the words you find trickiest.
Pick a category and the app organises the content so you get quick wins early on. Lessons are short and built for beginners. Every word you hear is recorded by native speakers, helping you absorb the language's sounds and rhythms naturally. You'll practise speaking Malagasy from the start, building your confidence as you improve. Each game-like exercise gives you points for correct answers, while progress bars help you track your progress as you work through the exercises. Switch categories any time, learn online or offline, on mobile or desktop. If you have questions, contact our friendly UK-based team at support@utalk.com. We’re here to help.
Malagasy vs. Malay and Indonesian
What connects Malagasy to the more distantly related Malay and Indonesian languages? Let's find out.
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Key points
- Although Madagascar lies off the coast of East Africa, Malagasy belongs to the Austronesian language family, not the Bantu language spoken in much of the nearby region.
- Malagasy is an Austronesian language whose origins are linked to seafarers from Southeast Asia, particularly Borneo, who reached Madagascar over a thousand years ago.
- Its closest relatives are languages of the South East Barito group, spoken in Borneo, including Ma’anyan.
- Malagasy is also related to Malay and Indonesian, although they are more distant relatives.
- uTalk includes Malagasy, Malay and Indonesian, so if you learn one, you may recognise common features among the others.
Malagasy and its wider language family
- Malagasy is spoken in Madagascar, but its closest language relatives are found thousands of miles away across maritime Southeast Asia and the Pacific. That's because Malagasy belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family.
“We help make learning Malagasy easy.”
“We understand how difficult it can be to find structured Malagasy learning resources teaching speaking and listening skills in an engaging way. At uTalk, we believe every language matters, which is why we recorded native Malagasy speakers so you can learn the language exactly as it's spoken at home.”
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Richard Howeson
uTalk Founder
Why learners trust uTalk for Malagasy
At uTalk, we are passionate about supporting languages that other apps often overlook. Our Malagasy content is recorded by native speakers, so every lesson gives you audio you can trust. The app works for English speakers and for speakers of more than 140 other languages. Check our reviews and see how learners are turning daily practice into real progress.
Your Malagasy language learning journey
Maybe you want to connect with Malagasy-speaking family or support travel or work across Madagascar. But finding structured Malagasy lessons that teach speaking and listening skills in an engaging way can be a real challenge.
Get StarteduTalk can help. Take your first proper look at Malagasy with First Words like manahoana (hello), then build everyday phrases you can use in real situations. You'll listen to native Malagasy speakers, record yourself repeating them and compare your pronunciation with theirs. Game-like practice makes it fun for beginners, while practical content helps more experienced learners fill gaps in their vocabulary. Learn online or offline, follow a guided path or choose what to work on and when.
The outcome is simple. You'll speak Malagasy with confidence and understand more of what people say around you. You'll use your new skills with family, friends and new connections across Madagascar. uTalk fits your life.
Learn real-life categories in Malagasy
Malagasy and its regional language neighbours
Madagascar has two official languages, Malagasy and French. Malagasy is widely spoken across Madagascar, while French is used in government, business and higher education. Mozambique lies across the Mozambique Channel from Madagascar, with Tanzania farther north along the East African coast. Portuguese is the official language of Mozambique, while more than 40 indigenous Bantu languages are also spoken across the country. Tanzania is multilingual, with Swahili as its national language and English also widely used in government, education and business, alongside many regional and community languages.
If you're interested in learning any of these languages spoken near Madagascar, uTalk offers Swahili, Portuguese, French and English. Malagasy isn't closely related to the languages of its immediate geographical neighbours, although it does include some loanwords from Bantu languages as a result of centuries of trade and migration.
Get StartedYour Malagasy questions, answered
Do you offer live online classes or is it just an app?
uTalk is an app and online language learning software. Lessons are digital, short and practical. If you want a tutor, the app still helps you prepare for class and review between sessions.
Can I start as a beginner?
Yes. The course begins with basic greetings and everyday words and phrases and takes you to an A1–A2 level on the CEFR scale. Some of our topics even cover material you’d learn as you grow your skills to B1 or B2.
What application languages do you support? Can I learn without English?
Yes. uTalk works for speakers of more than 140 languages. Choose the one that suits you in Settings.
How is content selected and ordered?
Topics are based on real-life situations. You can select any category and the app suggests a smart learning order for beginners. You can change it at any time.
How does uTalk compare with YouTube lessons?
YouTube can be useful, but it’s hard to check pronunciation or get structured reviews. uTalk gives you native speaker audio, games that test tricky words more often and a clear path from basic to practical use.
Is Malagasy related to Malay?
Yes, though less closely than their similar names would suggest. Both are in the Austronesian language family, and Malagasy was carried to Madagascar by seafarers from Borneo over a thousand years ago. Its nearest relatives are the Barito languages still spoken in southeastern Borneo, with Malay and Indonesian a step further out on the same family tree.
Is Malagasy easy to learn?
Malagasy spelling is relatively consistent, although some pronunciation features may take practice. uTalk's short lessons and native speaker audio help you build confidence in your Malagasy speaking and listening skills step by step.
How fast can I learn to speak Malagasy?
Short, regular sessions work best. Many learners can handle simple conversations after a few weeks of steady practice. Your progress depends on how often you use the app and how much you review.
Can I learn Malagasy for free with uTalk?
Yes. Getting started with uTalk is easy, and you can cancel whenever you want. We want you to love uTalk, so we even offer a 28-Day Money Back Guarantee if you are not satisfied.
Where can I learn Malagasy with uTalk?
We’re available on iOS, Android, web, Mac and PC. Get started now and you’ll be directed to download uTalk for your device.
Topics
- First Words
- Transport
- Restaurant
- Food and Drink
- Cooking
- Places
- Directions
- Illness
- Doctor
- Body
- Emergencies
- Social Phrases
- Leisure
- Likes and Dislikes
- Football Match Abroad
- Football Commentary
- Sports
- Shopping Words
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Clothes
- Ingredients
- Home
- Bathroom
- Kitchen
- Tools
- Family
- Occupations
- Animals
- Animals' Bodies
- Farming
- Technology
- School
- Business
- Numbers up to Twenty
- Numbers up to Ten Million
- Essential Phrases
- Adjectives
- Prepositions
- Colours
- Countries
- Calendar
- Time
- Timetable
- Outdoors
- Holiday
- Skiing
- Camping
- Golf
- Sailing
- Driving
- Olympics
- Summer Olympics
- Winter Olympics
- Military Commands
- Military Peace Keeping
- Military Intelligence
- Accommodation
- Shopping Phrases
- Travelling
- Free Starter Words
- Disaster Relief - Volunteers
- Natural Disasters
Get by with basic greetings, words and phrases including 'hello', 'thank you' and 'I'd like a coffee please'.