Malagasy active verbs
The prefixes for the active verbs constructions (present tense):
PREFIXES MAN- +RADICAL
Man- before radicals, and with vowels
Ex: ainga=manainga (to lift), aiky=manaiky (to accept), so on…
But some changes occur in the initials of the radical: (see the two charts)
Ex: Mandady ny vitsika.
(from the radical Lady) man+lady
Ants are ramping.
l=>d loko mandoko (to paint)
r=>dr rora mandrora (to spit)
z=>j zera manjera (to make fall)
h=>g hoaka mangoaka (to drill a hole)
Other changes:
H=>O hafatra= manafatra (give a message), harato manarato (to fish with a net)
K=>0 kaikitra= manaikitra (bite),
Ts-=> 0 tsiny= maniny (blame)
No changes=
D=d didy mandidy (cut with a knife),
J=>j jifa manjifa = (formal for to buy), jono manjono (to fish),
g=>g gina mangina (to silence)
PREFIXES MAM- +RADICAL
Man- becomes Mam- before f, p, v, b which fall =>O , otherwise v becomes b and b remains b
Ex: Mamboly vary ny olona.
From the radical voatra
Man + voatra= mamboatra Man=> mam; v=>b
Mamboatra trano izy.
He builds a house.
Other changes for mam-:
v=>b votry mambotry (to exploit)
b=>b beda mambeda (grasp)
v=>0 valy =>mamaly (answer), vita mamita (finish)
F=>0= fono=mamono (wrap) , fatotra mamatotra (tie)
B=>0 babo= mambabo (enslave)
P=> 0 petaka= mametaka (paste)
No change:
B=b beda mambeda (grasp)
PREFIXES MA- +RADICAL
Ma- stays so most of the time when added
Manofy aho
I am dreaming.
Ma+nofy=manofy
However before vowels , -a falls =
Ma+ Aka =maka= to take
Ma+ Endy= manendy= fry
Ma+Ila: mila ( need)
Ma+Ody= mody= to come back home
Ma- =>ma= mosavy mamosavy (poison by sorcellery)
Further reading: Solotiana NIRHY-LANTO RAMAMONJISOA, Narivelo RAJAONARIMANANA,
Le malgache, Paris: Edition Assimil. 2011. 405-406.
Remarks:
The progressive and the simple forms are not distinguished in the verbs.
For the tenses: future or past, M=> H or N for the tenses
For the past tense: nan-,nam-, na-,
For the future tense : han-, ham-, ha-,
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Look at the examples:
-Mandà baiko ny miaramila. (from the radical Là) man+là
The soldiers refuse to obey orders.
-Mandahatra mpianatra ny mpampianatra.(from the radical lahatra)
man+lahatra
The teacher puts the children in ranks.
Exercices:
1- Could you find the radicals by taking away the prefixes? Find in list b the anwers:
A - mandevina, manempotra, mandrefy, mandre, mandoto,
manasina
B- Loto, re, levina, sempotra, loto, refy , lefy, rempotra, devina, hasina, drefy, asina
2-give the active verbs of
Didy:………
Fono :………..
valy :……………..
hafatra:……………
harato:…………….
kaikitra :…………….
vita:………………..
petaka:…………………..
fatotra :…………….
babo:……………
tsiny:…………….
Mandidy, mamono, mamaly, manafatra, manarato, manaikitra, mamita, mametaka, mamatotra, mambabo, maniny,
