Useful foreign phrases |
Numbers |
Colours |
Kinship |
Idioms |
Tongue twisters |
Proverbs |
Other multilingual pages
Useful foreign phrases |
Numbers |
Colours |
Kinship |
Idioms |
Tongue twisters |
Proverbs |
Other multilingual pages
A collection of useful phrases in Kinyarwanda, a Bantu language spoken in mainly in Rwanda.
You can see them in many other languages by clicking on the English versions.
Key to abbreviations: frm = formal, inf = informal, sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).
| English | Ikinyarwanda (Kinyarwanda) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Murakaza neza |
| Hello | Muraho / Bite (inf) |
| How are you? I'm fine. |
Amakuru? Umeze gute? Bitese? |
| Ni meza | |
| Long time no see | |
| What's your name? My name is ... |
Witwa nde? |
| Nitwa ... | |
| Where are you from? I'm from ... |
Muturuka he? |
| Pleased to meet you | Ndabishimiye (sg) Nishimiye kuba menya (pl/frm) |
| Good morning | Mwaramutse |
| Good afternoon | Mwiriwe |
| Good evening | Mwiriwe neza |
| Good night | Muramuke |
| Goodbye | Murabeho / Mwirirwe (afternoon) / Muramuke (evening) / Turongera |
| Good luck | Amahirwe masa / Mwishyuke |
| Cheers/Good health! | Kubuzima bwacu! |
| Have a nice day | Umunsi Mwiza |
| Bon appetit | Muryoherwe |
| Bon voyage | Urugendo Rwiza |
| I understand | Ndabyumva |
| I don't understand | Sinumva / Simbyumva |
| I don't know | Simbizi |
| Please speak more slowly | Vuga buhoro buhoro |
| Please say that again | Subiramo |
| Please write it down | |
| Do you speak English? | Uvuga icyongereza? |
| Do you speak Kinyarwanda? Yes, a little |
Uvuga Ikinyarwanda? |
| How do you say ... in Kinyarwanda? | Uvuga ngwiki ... mu Kinyarwanda? |
| Excuse me | Imbabazi / Ndasaba inzira |
| How much is this? | Nangahe? |
| Sorry | Babarira / Wihangane (expression of sympathy) |
| Please | |
| Thank you Response |
Murakoze Murakoze cyane |
| Ntacyo | |
| Where's the toilet? | Aho kwituma ni he? |
| This gentleman/lady will pay for everything |
|
| Would you like to dance with me? |
|
| I miss you | Ndagukumbuye |
| I love you | Ndagukunda |
| Get well soon | Urware ubukira |
| Go away! | |
| Leave me alone! | Mvaho! Ndakwiyamye! |
| Help! Fire! Stop! |
|
| Call the police! | Hamagara polisi! |
| Merry Christmas and Happy New Year |
Noheri nziza n'umwaka mushya muhire |
| Happy Easter | Pasika Nziza |
| Happy Birthday | Isabukuru rwiza / Ugire umunsi mwiza wivuko ryawe |
| One language is never enough |
|
| My hovercraft is full of eels |
Some Kinyarwanda phrases supplied by Kazage J Christophe Utuje
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, please contact me.
Information about Kinyarwanda | Phrases | Tower of Babel | Language learning materials
Other collections of Kinyarwanda phrases
http://gordanondera.wikispaces.com/Kinyarwanda+phrases
http://morganinafrica.blogspot.co.uk/2006/02/rwandan-dictionary-kinyarwanda-english.html
http://www.flashcardexchange.com/cards/kinyarwanda-common-phrases-2050070
http://www.musanze.com/helpful-phrases/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Abs0I2a4Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_KGDFyC1vE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wW2lCxp9sc
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