Expressions.

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

Ways of speaking

452 expressions

baranyiha

baranyíihá

they give-themselves-me

They are giving themselves to me; They are giving me to themselves

Structural

baraza bakanga umwana

baraaza bakaanga umwáana

they come and hate the child

they came and scared the child

Homonym

bavuze ko bamugaye

bavuze kó baámugaye

they said that they lost respect for him/her

they said that they became handicapped

Homonym

bavuze ko mu nzu hatatse

bavuze kó muu nzu hataatsé

they said the house is decorated inside

they said the house has no light inside

Homonym

bizuru

bizuuru

big nose

surname for somebody who has a big nose or a pig

Praise name

data se!

daáta sé!

Eh, father!

vocative exclamation

Exclamation

databukwe

daatábukwé

"father-in-law"

"father-in-law"

Taboo

dore inka badaha amazi

dore inká badahá amáazi

here is the cow that they don't give water to

here is the cow that they're removing the water from

Homonym

dore re!

dore ré!

look!

exclamation drawing attention to something

Exclamation

gitare

gitáre

white

personal name and cow's name

Praise name

guca igikumba

gucá igikuúmba

to cut a temporary residency for cows

to multiply

Metaphor

gucana injishi

gucáana injíishi

to burn the rope to tie cows

to lose all the cows

Idiom

gucika intege

gucíika integé

to have the hollow of the knee cut

to be tired/discouraged

Hyperbole

gucika umugongo

gucíika umugóongo

to have a broken back

to become sad

Hyperbole

gucunda

gucúunda

to churn milk

to start an intore dance

Metaphor

gufata injishi

gufáta injíishi

to own cows

Idiom

gufata nk'amata y'abashyitsi

gufáta nk'ámatá y'ábashyitsi

to treat like guests' milk

to do things very carefully/to treat somebody like a prince

Idiom

gufungura

gufuungura

to mix drinks

to eat

Euphemism

guhaka

guháka

to be pregnant (cow)

Ijuru riraháka imvúra 'the sky is cow-pregnant rain' > the sky is cloudy

Metaphor

guhaka

guháka

the cow does not get pregnant, it receives people as clients

Euphemism

guhaka

guháka

to have a client

to be very useful to somebody

Metaphor

guhambura

guháambuura

to defecate

Vulgar

guhenura

guhenuura

to wake up

Vulgar

guherekeza abashyitsi

guhérekeza abashyitsi

to walk away guests

to eat

Euphemism
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