Expressions.
Metaphors, idioms, greetings, and other forms of Kinyarwanda speech.
Ways of speaking
turamubakubitisha
turamubakúbitiisha
we cause-him-them-beat
We are having them/you(pl.) beat him; We are having him/her beat them/you(pl.)
turashize
turashíze
we are finished
we are amazed
tuzababara
tuzaababara
we will suffer
we will count them
twahise mo
twaahise mó
guhíta "to pass" + mó "in"
we selected/we chose
twaranganye
twaáraanganye
we have hated each other
we have got the same size
twararenganye?
twaáraréenganye?
we were victimized
we surpassed each other
u Rwanda
u Rwanda
Rwanda
very big (e.g. a house)
ubugabo
ubugabo
manhood
penis (imboró)
ubukobwa
ubukoóbwa
girlhood
vagina (igituba)
ubuntu
ubuuntu
generosity
small people
uburuhukiro
uburuhuukiro
rest area
morgue
ubushyo
ubushyó
herd of cows
a huge amount/size
ubwana
ubwáana
small children
childhood
ubwo ndaba nzira iki?
ubwo ndabá nzíra ikí?
why should I come?
why should I be harassed?
ubwoko
ubwóoko
clan
ethnicity; type; race
udukobwa/ubukoobwa
udukoóbwa/ubukoóobwa
small girls
the diminutive class marker reads as beautiful or naughty, depending on tone
ukwezi
ukwéezi
moon
month
umubiri
umubiri
body
sex organ
umugabo
umugabo
man
witness; husband; courageous
umuganji
umugaanji
the victorious
the victorious
umugenzi
umugeenzi
the friend he has is bad
the habit he has is bad
umugogo
umugogó
a big firewood
the king's cadaver
umugore
umugoré
woman
wife
umugore ararisha inkoko ubugari
umugoré araríisha inkokó ubugarí
woman eats-with chicken cassava-dough
The woman is having the chicken eat cassava dough; The woman is eating chicken with cassava dough