N.B.—The Multiplicatives are made from the Cardinals by prefixing in-, and making euphonic consonantal changes only in the following few cases:—nf into mp (impìto, impìtopòlo, impòlo); nv into mb (imbàlo, inbàlopòlo); ns into nts (intsìvy, intsìvifòlo); nz into nj (injàto).
Ìsa is used in counting (as ìsa, ròa, &c.—hence the verb manìsa, 'to count'); irày, as a numeral adjective (as, tràno irày, 'one house'); and iraìka, in compound numbers (as iraìkàmbinifòlo) only in the Hova dialect, but as equivalent to, and instead of, ìsa and irày, in several of the other dialects of Madagascar.
N.B.—In counting in Malagasy the units come first, then the tens, &c.: roàmbinifòlo (ròa àmby nỳ fòlo), 'twelve' (literally, two an addition to the ten).
Indrày alone means again; but when used as meaning once, the verb mandèha (to go) or the verb màka (to fetch) must be added; as, tsỳ àzo hànina indrày mandèha (or indrày màka izy), 'it cannot be eaten (at) once', or 'at one go'.
The Ordinals are often used as Fractionals (as, fahènimbàry, the sixth part of the rice-measure called vàry irày). And they are used of measurements; as, fàhafìry mòa nỳ trànonào?—Fàhadìmy. "How many (fathoms in length) is your house?—Five".
Distributives are made by doubling the Cardinals and prefixing tsi-; as, tsiràirày, 'one by one'; tsiròaròa, 'two by two'. Some of the numerals have verbal forms in mi- or man-, as follows:—
Mifìry, to be divided into how many? miròa, to be divided into two; mitèlo, to be divided into three, &c.
