Expressions.
Metaphors, idioms, greetings, and other forms of Kinyarwanda speech.
Ways of speaking
guteka
gutéeka
the cow does not stop giving milk, it cooks
guteka
gutéeka
to cook
to reign
gutemburuka
gutéemburuka
to get up
gutera ubwoba
gutéera ubwóoba
to instill fear
praise: to be something else/extraordinary
gutimba
gutiimba
to hit
gutindura
gutiinduura
to finish all drinks
gutiyura
gutiyuura
to hit somebody repeatedly
gutonda
gutoonda
to lose recollection
to climb
gutumuka
gutumuuka
to disappear
gutwara
gutwaára
to carry
to lead
ibandi
ibaandi
that bandit is scary/is incredible
that house is scary/is incredibly fantastic
ibihogo
ibihogó
brown cow
type of intore dance
ibyo aho
ibyo aho
remove those (things) from there
remove the testicle from there
icyana/ibyana
icyáana/ibyáana
child/children
the augmentative class marker reads as big/ugly or sympathetic, depending on tone
igicucu
igicúucu
stupid
igihugu
igihúgu
country
very big (e.g. a house)
igihunyira
igihúunyirá
stupid
igikobwa/ibikobwa
igikoóbwa/ibikoóbwa
girl/girls
the augmentative class marker inspires sympathy or antipathy, depending on tone
igikumba
igikúumba
temporary residency for cows
igikuri
igikuri
dwarf
igipfamatwi
igipfáamatwí
deaf
igipfura
igipfuura
from gupfuura "to remove hair or feathers"
from gupfuura "to remove hair or feathers"
igisabo
igisaabo
milk gourd
a healthy child
igisabo
igisaabo
milk calebash
king's stomach