IBIMANUKA.
An archive of Rwandan knowledge.
Ways of speaking
Aaha uwampaye inka!
aahá uwaámpaaye inká
Impossible the one who gave me a cow
Ababyeyi be bariho barakora cyane.
Ababyéeyi bé barihó barakóra cyane.
His/her parents are alive, they work very hard
His/her parents are working very hard
Abagore bavuze ko abagabo basigaye barera abana
Abagoré bavuze kó abagabo basigáye bárera abáana
The women said that the men stayed home taking care of the children
The women said that the men do the babysitting now
Abana baraza kuririmba
Abáana baraaza kuríriimba
The children are coming to sing
The children are going to sing
Abana na nyirasenge ntibakuvugisha
Abáana na nyíraséenge ntíbaakuvugiisha
if s/he lived with her father's sister, they would not talk to you
the children and their father's sister would not talk to you
Abantu bose ntibaje.
Abaantu bóose ntíbaaje.
people all not-came
Not all the people came; None of the people came — scope ambiguity, only possible when the quantifier sits in the head-noun domain (cf. Abaantu ntíbaaje bóose, unambiguously "not all came")
Amashongore!
amashoongoré
A lot of female herds!
Amashyo!
amashyó
Herds of cows!
Greetings!
Arasa neza ko ko!
Arasa néezá kó kó!
s/he looks good indeed
ironic: s/he is ugly!
Bakwumva
Bakwúumva
they would hear
they would listen to you
Baramumpa
Baramúumpá
they give-him-me
They are giving me to him/her; They are giving him/her to me
Gira abana!
gira abáana
Have children!
Gira inka!
gira inká
Have cows!
Greetings!
Hatabona twakwaka isitimu
Hátaboná twaakwaaka isítimú
if it were dark, we would ask for a flashlight
if it were dark, we would ask you for a flashlight
I Nyanza twataramye!
i nyaánza twáatáramye
At Nyanza when we were at a party
Ibi ni ibiki?
Ibi ni ibikí?
this is what
What is this? — rhetorical exclamation of surprise
Ibiryo bitetse umugore.
Ibiryó biteetse umugoré.
food it-cooks woman (object-subject reversal)
The woman is cooking food
Imbanzamihigo
imbaanzamihigo
the one who starts the challenges
Imbwa irarya inzoka
Imbwá iraryá inzóka
dog is-eating snake
the dog is eating a snake
Indangamirwa
indaángamirwa
the one that is looked up
Ingangare
ingaángaare
the strong one
Inka nziza!
inká nzíizá
Beautiful cow
Inkumburwa
inkuúumburwa
the one who is always missed
Inshongore
inshoóngore
the very beautiful one