Expressions.

Metaphors, idioms, greetings, and other forms of Kinyarwanda speech.

Ways of speaking

452 expressions

amabyi

amabyí

"excrements"

"excrements"

Taboo

amahanga

amahaánga

foreign countries

very big (e.g. a house)

Hyperbole

amase

amasé

dung

something which is very tender

Metaphor

amata y'impundu

amatá y'ímpuúndu

milk of noise of happiness

congratulations

Idiom

amata y'isuka

amatá y'íisúka

milk of hoe

harvest

Idiom

amavuta

amavúta

butter

oil

Metaphor

arararara

arárárárá

sound expressing pain, surprise, or astonishment

used for either pain or delight, depending on context

Bipolar

arasomera umugore ibaruwa

arasomera umugoré ibáruwá

s/he is reading woman letter

s/he is reading a letter for the woman; s/he is reading the woman's letter

Idiom

aratumaze

aratumaze

s/he finishes us

s/he is the champion

Hyperbole

aratwishe

aratwíishe

s/he just killed us

s/he is the champion

Hyperbole

ari ho

ari hó

-ri "be" + hó "on"

s/he lives

Idiom

babyeyi babyaye

babyeéyi baábyaaye

mothers who gave births

addressee exclamation

Exclamation

babyitaye ho

babyiitaaye hó

kubyíita "to throw oneself" + hó "on"

they care about it

Idiom

bagabo ba mama

bágabo baa maamá

husbands of my mother

addressee exclamation

Exclamation

bakobwa bakwowe

bakoóbwa baákwoowe

girls to whom bridewealth have been given

addressee exclamation

Exclamation

bamubwiye yakwemera

bámubwiiye yaakwéemera

if they told him/her, s/he would accept

if they told him/her, s/he would believe you

Homonym

bamureze

baámureze

it is they who raised him/her

it is they who accused him/her

Homonym

barabatwandikisha

barabatwaandikiisha

they cause-them-us-write

They are making us write them; They are making them write us

Structural

baracyiga

baracyíiga

they are still studying

they are studying it

Homonym

baragura nimugoroba

baragura nímugórooba

they will buy in the evening

they do divination in the evening

Homonym

baraku-m-pa

baraku-m-pa

they give-you-me

They are giving me to you; They are giving you to me

Structural

barambika umwana mu nzu

baraambika umwáana muu nzu

they are clothing the child in the house

they are lying the child on the floor in the house

Homonym

baramukumpera

baramukumpéera

they give-him-you-me for-me

They are giving him/her to you for me; you to him for me; me to him for you; me to you for him; you to me for him; him to me for you

Structural

baramukwiyerekera

baramukwíiyerekera

they show-him-you-themselves

They are showing themselves to him/her for you; They are showing him/her to themselves for you; They are showing you to him/her for themselves

Structural
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