Language/Southern-betsimisaraka-malagasy/Vocabulary/Cardinal-Numbers
As a Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy language teacher, I have noticed that numbers and counting are usually the main challenges for learners of the language. That's why in this lesson, I will teach you how to count from 1 to 100 in Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy using cardinal numbers.
Don't miss the chance to check out these pages as you wrap up this lesson: Hobbies and Interests & Idiomatic Expressions.
Cardinal Numbers
Cardinal numbers are used for counting, for example, "one, two, three". In Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy, we use a combination of the tens and ones to count up to 100. Here are the numbers from 1 to 10:
| Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| iray | ee-rah-y | one |
| roa | roo-ah | two |
| telo | teh-loo | three |
| efatra | eff-ah-tr | four |
| dimy | dee-m | five |
| enam | eh-nahm | six |
| fito | fee-too | seven |
| valo | vah-loo | eight |
| Sivy | see-v | nine |
| folo | foh-loh | ten |
Now let's learn how to count from 11 to 100 by building on these numbers.
To count the numbers from 11 to 19, we simply add the word "folo" (ten) to the corresponding number from 1 to 9. For example:
- Androfolo: "Andro" means "day" and "folo" means "ten", so "Androfolo" means "ten days". This is how we represent the number eleven.
- Roapolo: "Roa" means "two", so "Roapolo" means "twenty".
From 20 to 100, you need to combine the words "roapolo" (twenty), "telopolo" (thirty), "efapolo" (forty), "dimampolo" (fifty), "enampolo" (sixty), "fitopolo" (seventy), "valopolo" (eighty), or "sivifolo" (ninety) with the numbers from 1 to 9. Here are some examples:
| Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| iraikitra | ee-rah-kee-tr | twenty-one |
| telopolo sy iray | teh-loo-poo-loh see ee-rah-y | thirty-one |
| efapolo sy roa | eff-ah-poo-loh roo-ah | forty-two |
| dimampolo sy telo | dee-mum-poo-loh teh-loo | fifty-three |
| enam-polo sy efatra | eh-nahm-poo-loh eff-ah-tr | sixty-four |
| fitopolo sy dimy | fee-too-poo-loh dee-m | seventy-five |
| valopolo sy enam | vah-loo-poo-loh eh-nahm | eighty-six |
| Sivifolo sy fito | see-v-ee-foh-loh fee-too | ninety-seven |
| zato | zah-too | one hundred |
As you may notice, the number for one hundred is "zato". It is generally used in business or administrative contexts, but it can be used in daily conversations as well.
That's it! You now know how to count from 1 to 100 in Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy using cardinal numbers. It takes a bit of practice to get familiar with the numbers, but you'll get there with time.
Remember to use these numbers in real-life situations whenever possible, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Speaking Southern Betsimisaraka Malagasy is all about practicing and getting comfortable with the language.