Nouns, verbs, and adjectives
Miscellaneous Nouns, Verbs, and AdjectivesRain: EemVOODah (imvura)
Rainy season: EegEEHay CheemVOODah (Igihe cy’imvura)
Mosquito: OoMooBoo (umubu)
Mosquitoes: EeMeeBoo (imibu)
Tree: OoBahHoh (Ubaho)
Trees: EemBahHoh (Imbaho)
Card: Eecartee
Hospital: EeVooReeRo (Ivuriro)
Prison: GayRayZah (Gereza)
Office: EeBeeRo (Ibiro)
Boss: OoMooYohBohSee (Umuyobozi)
Employee: OoMooKohZee (Umukozi)
Volunteer: OoMooKohRayrRahBooShahKay (umukorerabushake)
Intern/Apprentice: OoWeeMenYayRayZah OomWooGah (uwimenyereza umwuga)
Chauffeur/Driver: OoMooShowFayRee (Umushoferi)
Work: AhKAHzi (Akazi)
Sign: EeCheeYahPah (Icyapa)
Pharmacy: FarMahSee (Farmasi)
Health Center: EeVooREERoh (Ivuriro)
Hospital: EeBeeTAHRoh (Ibitaro)
Clothing (pl): EemYenDah (Imyenda)
Clothing (s): OomYenDah (Umyenda)
Gas station: AhHo KoonyeeWeshErAyZah AySahnSs (Aho kunyweshereza essence)
Village: AhKahDooGooDoo (Akadugudu)
Toilet Paper: EemPahPooRoh Zoh Moo MooSahRahNay (Impapuro zo mu musarane)
Matches: EeKeeBreeTee (Ikibriti)
Bandage: EeGeepFooKoh (Igipfuko)
Candle: BooJee (Buji)
Dog: UmBwah (Mbwa)
Cat: EePooSee (Ipusi)
Cow: EenHah (Inka)
Subsidized housing: OOmooDOOgoodoo (Umudugudu)
Community work: OOmooGahnDah (Umuganda)
Lodging: AhmahCHOOmbee (Amacumbi)
Telephone: TooVooGahNee (Tuvugane) (Literally, "Let’s Talk")
Thief: OoMooJooRah (Umujura)
Thief (Swahili): MweeZee (Mwizi)
Lake: EeKeeYahGah (Ikiyaga)
Mountain: OoMooSohZee (Umusozi)
Volcanoes: EeBeeRoonGah (Ibirunga)
Baskets: AhGahSayKay (Agaseke)
Hug: HoBee (Hobe)
Unity: OOBOOMway(Ubumwe)
Peace: AhMahHorOh (Amahoro)
Confidence, Trust: KweeZerAh (Kwizera)
Compassion/mercy: EemBahBahzi (Imbabazi)
Cooperation: OoMooBahNo (Umubano)
Organization (like a humanitarian organization): OoMoorYahnGoh (Umuryango)
God: EeMahNah (Imana)
White: EeGeeTahRay (Igitare)
White: OomWayRoo (Umweru)
Red: OoMooTooKoo (Umutuku)
Black: OoMooKahRah (Umukara)
Brown: EeBeeHohGoh (Ibihogo)
Green: EeCheeYahtSee (Icyatse)
Light tan: EenZohBay (Inzobe)
Conjugated Verbs
To Be- Kuba (pronounced “KooBah”)
I am- NDee (Ndi)
You are-OoRee (Uri)
S/he is- AhRee (Ari)
We are- TooRee (Turi)
You guys are- MooRee (Muri)
They are- BahRee (Bari)
...and because I think it’s important to know how to say “I am not,” here are two ways to say the negative form of this:
I am not- SeenDee (Sindi)
You are not- NHeenDee (Ntindi)
S/he is not- NHahRee (Ntari)
We are not- NHeeTooRee (Ntituri)
You guys are not- NHeeMooRee (Ntimuri)
They are not- NHeeBahRee (Ntibari)
I am not- NHAHbGoh NDee (Ntabwo ndi)
You are not- NHAHbGoh OoRee (Ntabwo uri)
S/he is not- NHAHbGoh AhRee (Ntabwo ari)
We are not- NHAHbGoh TooRee (Ntabwo turi)
You guys are not- NHAHbGoh MooRee (Ntabwo muri)
They are not- NHAHbGoh BahRee (Ntabwo bari)
To Have- Kugira (pronounced “KooGeeRah”)
I have- MFeeTay (Mfite)
You have- OoFeeTay (Ufite)
S/he has- AhFeeTay (Afite)
We have- TooFeeTay (Tufite)
You guys have- MooFeeTay (Mufite)
They have- BahFeeTay (Bafite)
To Think- Gutekereza (pronounced “GooTayKayRayZah”)
I think- NDahTayKayRayZah (Ndatekereza)
You think- OoRahTayKayRayZah (Uratekereza)
S/he thinks- AhRahTayKayRayZah (Aratekereza)
We think- TooRahTayKayRayZah (Turatekereza)
You guys think- MooRahTayKayRayZah (Muratekereza)
They think- BahTayKayRayZah (Batekereza)
To say “I think that,” you can say: NDahTayKayRayZah Koh ______. (Ndatekereza ko ___)
To Want- Gushaka (pronounced “GooShahKah”)
I want- NDahShahKah (Ndashaka)
You want- OoRahShahKah (Urashaka)
S/he wants- AhRahShahKah (Arashaka)
We want- TooRahShahKah (Turashaka)
You guys want- MooRahShahKah (Murashaka)
They want- BahRahShahKah (Barashaka)
To Eat- Kurya (pronounced “KoorGeeYah”)
I am eating- NDarGeeYah (Ndarya)
You are eating- OoRahrGeeYah (Urarya)
S/he is eating- AhRahrGeeYah (Ararya)
We are eating- TooRarhGeeYah (Turarya)
You guys are eating- MooRahrGeeYah (Murarya)
They are eating- BahRahrGeeYah (Bararya)
To Go Somewhere (not to be confused with the general “to go”)- Kugira (pronounced “KooGeeRah”)
I am going- NGeeAy (Ngiye)
You are going- OoGeeAy (Ugiye)
S/he is going- AhGeeAy (Agiye)
We are going- TooGeeAy (Tugiye)
You guys are going- MooGeeAy (Mugiye)
They are going- BahGeeAy (Bagiye)
For this verb, you need to say where you are going. Examples:
I am going to Kigali: NGeeAy KooKeeGahLee. (Ngiye ku Kigali.)
We are going to work: TooGeeAy KooKahZee. (Tugiye ku kazi.)
To Go/Leave (generally—don’t say where you are going)- Kugenda (pronounced “KooGenDah”)
I am going- NDahGenDah (Ndagenda)
You are going- OoRahGenDah (Uragenda)
S/he is going- AhRahGenDah (Aragenda)
We are going- TooRahGenDah (Turagenda)
You guys are going- MooRahGenDah (Muragenda)
They are going- BahRahGenDah (Baragenda)
If you want to say, “Let’s go!” you can say, “TooGenDay!” (Tugende!) For grammar nerds, it’s just a command form of this verb.
To Know- Kumenya (pronounced “KooMenYah”)
I know- NZee (Nzi)
You know- OoZee (Uzi)
S/he knows- AhZee (Azi)
We know- TooZee (Tuzi)
You guys know- MooZee (Muzi)
They know- BahZee (Bazi)
To See- Kubona (pronounced “KooBohNah”)
I see- NDahBohNah (Ndabona)
You see- OoRahBohNah (Urabona)
S/he sees- AhRahBohNah (Arabona)
We see- TooRahBohNah (Turabona)
You guys see- MooRahBohNah (Murabona)
They see- BahRahBohNah (Barabona)
To Come- Kuza (pronounced “KooZah”)
I am coming- NDahJeeYay (Ndajye)
You are coming- OoRahJeeYay (Urajye)
S/he is coming- AhRahJeeYay (Arajye)
We are coming- TooRahJeeYay (Turajye)
You guys are coming- MooRahJeeYay (Murajye)
They are coming- BahRahJeeYay (Barajye)
To Live, To Stay- Gutura (pronounced “GooTooRah”)
I live- NHooYay (Ntuye)
You live- OoTooYay (Utuye)
S/he lives- AhTooYay (Atuye)
We live- DooTooYay (Dutuye)
You guys live- MooTooYay (Mutuye)
They live- BahTooYay (Batuye)
Example:
Where do you live? OoTooYay Hay? (Utuye he?)
I live in Kiyovu. NHooYay Moo KeeYohVoo. (Ntuye mu Kiyovu.)
To Visit- Gusura (pronounced “GooSooRah”)
I am visiting- NDahSooRah (Ndasura)
You are visiting- OoRahSooRah (Urasura)
S/he is visiting- AhRahSooRah (Arasura)
We are visiting- TooRahSooRah (Turasura)
You guys are visiting- MooRahSooRah (Murasura)
They are visiting- BahRahSooRah (Barasura)
To Be Late- Gukerererwa (pronounced “GooKayRayRayrGwah”)
I am late- NDahKayRayRayrGwah (Ndakerererwa)
You are late- OoRahKayRayRayrGwah (Urakerererwa)
S/he is late- AhRahKayRayRayrGwah (Arakerererwa)
We are late- TooRahKayRayRayrGwah (Turakerererwa)
You guys are late- MooRahKayRayRayrGwah (Murakerererwa)
They are late- BahRahKayRayRayrGwah (Barakerererwa)
To feel (taste, smell, hear, touch)- Kumva (pronounced “KoomVah”)
I feel- NDoomVah (Ndumva)
You feel- OoRoomVah (Urumva)
S/he feels- AhRoomVah (Arumva)
We feel- TooRoomVah (Turumva)
You guys feel- MooRoomVah (Murumva)
They feel- BahRoomVah (Barumva)
Example: I feel sick. NDoomVah NDWAHyay. (Ndumva ndwaye.)
To be sick- Kurwara (pronounced “KoorWahRah”)
I am sick- NarWahYay (Narwaye)
You are sick- WarWahYay (Warwaye)
S/he is sick- YarWahYay (Yarwaye)
We are sick- TWarWahYay (Twarwaye)
You guys are sick- MWarWahYay (Mwarwaye)
They are sick- BarWahYay (Barwaye)
To recover (from an illness)- Gukira (pronounced “GooKeeRah”)
I am recovered- NahKeeZay (Nakize)
You are recovered- WahKeeZay (Wakize)
S/he is recovered- YahKeeZay (Yakize)
We are recovered- TWahKeeZay (Twakize)
You guys are recovered- MWahKeeZay (Mwakize)
They are recovered- BahKeeZay (Bakize)
