Learn Malagasy Online – Level 1

Learn Malagasy, also known as Malgache, is the only language spoken in the whole of Madagascar, and is the official language along with French. Despite being located off northern coast of Africa, it’s more closely related to the Malayo-Polynesian languages of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Because of this, and the inevitable  influences from mainland African languages, in particular the Bantu language of Swahili, (plus Arabic, French and English, due to the colonial, merchant and pirate affect), Malagasy has a soft, musical quality that is truly fascinating.

Reflecting its colourful history, Malagasy is also  very poetical, rich in imagery. For example, we say ‘dusk’, the Malagasy say ‘maizim-bava vilany’ (‘lit when the mouth of the cooking pot is dark’).