Ikinyarwanda
Kinyarwanda
Bantu
Kinyarwanda (Ikinyarwanda; ISO 639-1: rw, ISO 639-3: kin) is a Great Lakes Bantu language spoken throughout Rwanda and in neighboring parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Tanzania. Rwanda recognizes it as the national language and as one of four official languages alongside English, French, and Kiswahili. It is closely related to Kirundi, and the two are largely mutually intelligible, forming part of a broader Rwanda-Rundi dialect continuum. Kinyarwanda is tonal and has the characteristic Bantu system of noun classes, with agreement marked across adjectives, pronouns, and verbs; verbs can contain several prefixes and suffixes expressing subject, object, tense, aspect, and derivation. It is written in a standardized Latin orthography and is used widely in daily life, broadcasting, literature, education, and public communication.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Kinyarwanda
Water
amazi
/amaːzi/
Fire
umuriro
/umuɾiɾo/
Sun
izuba
/izuba/
Moon
ukwezi
/ukwezi/
Star
inyenyeri
/iɲeɲeri/
Mother
mama
/maːma/
Father
papa
/paːpa/
I
njye
/ɲɟe/
You
wowe
/wowe/
Name
izina
/izina/
Eye
ijisho
/idʒiʃo/
Hand
ikiganza
/ikiɡanza/
Heart
umutima
/umutima/
Love
urukundo
/uɾukundo/
Tree
igiti
/iɡiti/
House
inzu
/inzu/
Dog
imbwa
/imbwa/
Cat
injangwe
/indʒaŋɡwe/
Eat
kurya
/kuɾja/
Drink
kunywa
/kuɲwa/
One
rimwe
/ɾimwe/
Two
kabiri
/kabiri/
Hello
muraho
/muɾaːho/
Thank you
murakoze
/muɾakoze/
Good
byiza
/bjiza/
Computer
mudasobwa
/mudasobwa/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Bantu languages
| Meaning | Kinyarwanda | Kirundi | Runyankole | Nyaturu | Chiga | Sangu | Soga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | amazi /amaːzi/ | amazi /amaːzi/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | maazi /maːzi/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | amaaji /amaːdʒi/ |
| Fire | umuriro /umuɾiɾo/ | umuriro /umuɾiɾo/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | moto /moto/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | umoto /umoto/ | omuliro /omuliɾo/ |
| Sun | izuba /izuba/ | izuba /izuba/ | izooba /izoːba/ | nzua /nzua/ | eizooba /eizoːba/ | liluga /liluɡa/ | enjuba /eɲɟuba/ |
| Moon | ukwezi /ukwezi/ | ukwezi /ukwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | umwesi /umwesi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ |
| Star | inyenyeri /iɲeɲeri/ | inyenyeri /iɲeɲeri/ | enyonyoozi /eɲoɲoːzi/ | nyeenyeeri /ɲeːɲeːri/ | enyonyoozi /eɲoɲoːzi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | emunyeenye /emuɲeːɲe/ |
| Mother | mama /maːma/ | mama /maːma/ | maawe /maːwe/ | mama /mama/ | nyina /ɲina/ | mama /mama/ | maama /maːma/ |
| Father | papa /paːpa/ | data /data/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | ishe /iʃe/ | baba /baba/ | taata /taːta/ |
| I | njye /ɲɟe/ | jewe /dʒewe/ | nyowe /ɲowe/ | une /une/ | nyowe /ɲowe/ | une /une/ | nze /nze/ |
| You | wowe /wowe/ | wewe /wewe/ | iwe /iwe/ | uwe /uwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | uwe /uwe/ | gwe /ɡwe/ |
| Name | izina /izina/ | izina /izina/ | eiziina /eiziːna/ | izina /izina/ | eiziina /eiziːna/ | litawa /litawa/ | erinnya /erinɲa/ |
| Eye | ijisho /idʒiʃo/ | ijisho /idʒiʃo/ | eriiso /eriːso/ | iriiso /iɾiːso/ | eriisho /eriːʃo/ | iliho /iliho/ | eriiso /eɾiːso/ |
| Hand | ikiganza /ikiɡanza/ | ikiganza /ikiganza/ | omukono /omukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | omukono /omukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | omukono /omukono/ |
| Heart | umutima /umutima/ | umutima /umutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | umutima /umutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | umutima /umutima/ | omutima /omutima/ |
| Love | urukundo /uɾukundo/ | urukundo /uɾukundo/ | rukundo /rukundo/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | kukunda /kukunda/ | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | kwagala /kwaɡala/ |
| Tree | igiti /iɡiti/ | igiti /iɡiti/ | omuti /omuti/ | umuti /umuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | umuti /umuti/ | omuti /omuti/ |
| House | inzu /inzu/ | inzu /inzu/ | enju /endʒu/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | enju /endʒu/ | inyumba /iɲumba/ | enju /eɲɟu/ |
| Dog | imbwa /imbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | embwa /embwa/ |
| Cat | injangwe /indʒaŋɡwe/ | akayabu /akajabu/ | kapa /kapa/ | paka /paka/ | kapa /kapa/ | paka /paka/ | enkaaku /eŋkaːku/ |
| Eat | kurya /kuɾja/ | kurya /kuɾja/ | kurya /kurja/ | kuria /kuɾia/ | kurya /kurja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kulja/ |
| Drink | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲʷa/ |
| One | rimwe /ɾimwe/ | rimwe /ɾimwe/ | emwe /emwe/ | umwe /umwe/ | rumwe /rumwe/ | imo /imo/ | ndala /ndala/ |
| Two | kabiri /kabiri/ | kabiri /kabiri/ | ibiri /iβiri/ | aviri /aβiri/ | ibiri /iβiri/ | avili /aβili/ | bbiri /biri/ |
| Hello | muraho /muɾaːho/ | amahoro /amahoɾo/ | agandi /aɡandi/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ | oraire /oraire/ | mbasala /mbasala/ | mwaakire /mwaːkiɾe/ |
| Thank you | murakoze /muɾakoze/ | murakoze /muɾakoze/ | webare /webare/ | asante /aˈsante/ | webare /webare/ | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | weebale /weːbale/ |
| Good | byiza /bjiza/ | nziza /nziza/ | kirungi /kiruŋɡi/ | kihi /kihi/ | kurungi /kuruŋɡi/ | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | bulungi /buluŋɡi/ |
| Computer | mudasobwa /mudasobwa/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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Word order compared
Compare with major world languages
Kinyarwanda
Ndashaka
gupima
ikositimu
nabonye
mu
iduka
imbere ya
hoteli
أنا
أريد
أن أجرب
بدلة
رأيتها
في
محل
مقابل
الفندق
我
想
试穿
酒店
对面的
商店
里
看到的
那套西装
I
want to
try on
a suit
I
saw
in
a shop
across from
the hotel
Ich
möchte
einen Anzug
anprobieren
den
ich
in einem
Geschäft
gegenüber vom
Hotel
gesehen habe
मैं
होटल
के सामने
एक दुकान
में
देखा
सूट को
पहनकर देखना
चाहता हूँ
私は
ホテルの
向かいの
お店
で
見た
スーツを
試着
したいです
Я
хочу
примерить
костюм
который
я увидел
в
магазине
напротив
отеля
Kinyarwanda
Izina ryanjye
ni
Tanaka
اسمي
هو
تاناكا
我的
名字
是
田中
My
name
is
Tanaka
Mein
Name
ist
Tanaka
मेरा
नाम
तनाका
है
私の
名前は
田中
です
Моё
имя
—
Танака
Kinyarwanda
Ndafata
ifunguro rya mu gitondo
buri gitondo
saa moya
أتناول
أنا
الإفطار
كل صباح
الساعة السابعة
我
每天早上
七点
吃
早饭
I
eat
breakfast
every morning
at 7 o'clock
Ich
frühstücke
jeden Morgen
um 7 Uhr
मैं
हर सुबह
7 बजे
नाश्ता
करता हूँ
毎朝
7時に
朝ごはんを
食べます
Я
завтракаю
каждое утро
в 7 часов
Kinyarwanda
Iri hehe
sitasiyo
y'hafi cyane
أين
تقع
أقرب
محطة
最近的
车站
在
哪里
Where
is
the nearest
station
Wo
ist
der nächste
Bahnhof
सबसे नज़दीकी
स्टेशन
कहाँ
है
一番近い
駅は
どこ
です
か
Где
находится
ближайшая
станция
Kinyarwanda
Ikawa
iyi
ni nziza
cyane
هذه
القهوة
لذيذة
جداً
这
咖啡
很
好喝
This
coffee
is
very
delicious
Dieser
Kaffee
ist
sehr
lecker
यह
कॉफ़ी
बहुत
स्वादिष्ट है
この
コーヒーは
とても
おいしいです
Этот
кофе
очень
вкусный
Kinyarwanda
Niga
Ikiyapani
muri kaminuza
أنا
أدرس
اللغة اليابانية
في الجامعة
我
在大学
学
日语
I
study
Japanese
at university
Ich
studiere
Japanisch
an der Universität
मैं
विश्वविद्यालय में
जापानी
पढ़ता हूँ
私は
大学で
日本語を
勉強しています
Я
изучаю
японский язык
в университете
Kinyarwanda
Ikirere
cy'ejo
kizaba
cyiza
سيكون
الطقس
غداً
مشمساً
明天
天气
会
晴天
Tomorrow's
weather
will be
sunny
Morgen
wird
das Wetter
sonnig
sein
कल
मौसम
धूप वाला
होगा
明日の
天気は
晴れ
でしょう
Завтра
погода
будет
солнечной
Kinyarwanda
Mama wanjye
ateka
ifunguro rya nimugoroba
buri munsi
تطبخ
أمي
العشاء
كل يوم
我妈妈
每天
做
晚饭
My mother
cooks
dinner
every day
Meine Mutter
kocht
jeden Tag
Abendessen
मेरी माँ
हर रोज़
रात का खाना
बनाती है
お母さんは
毎日
夕食を
作ります
Моя мама
готовит
ужин
каждый день
Kinyarwanda
Ndashaka
kujya
muri
Ubuyapani
umwaka
utaha
أنا
أريد
أن أذهب
إلى
اليابان
العام
القادم
我
明
年
想
去
日本
I
want to
go
to
Japan
next
year
Ich
möchte
nächstes
Jahr
nach
Japan
fahren
मैं
अगले
साल
जापान
जाना
चाहता हूँ
私は
来
年
日本
に
行き
たいです
Я
хочу
поехать
в
Японию
в следующем
году
Kinyarwanda
Urashobora
kuvuga
Icyongereza
هل
تستطيع
التحدث
باللغة الإنجليزية
你
会
说
英语
吗
Can
you
speak
English
Können
Sie
Englisch
sprechen
आप
अंग्रेज़ी
बोल
सकते हैं
あなたは
英語が
話せ
ます
か
Вы
умеете
говорить
по-английски
Compare with closely-related languages
Ndikufuna
kuyesa
suti
yomwe
ndinaiona
m'
shopu
moyangʼanira
hotelo
Kinyarwanda
Ndashaka
gupima
ikositimu
nabonye
mu
iduka
imbere ya
hoteli
Ndinoda
kupfeka
suti
yandakaona
muchitoro
iri pakatarisana ne
hoteru
Ninataka
kujaribu
suti
niliyoiona
katika
duka
mkabala na
hoteli
Ndifuna
ukulinga
isuti
endayibona
evenkileni
ekhangelene ne
hotele
Dzina langa
ndi
Tanaka
Kinyarwanda
Izina ryanjye
ni
Tanaka
Zita
rangu
ndinonzi
Tanaka
Jina langu
ni
Tanaka
Igama
lam
ngu
Tanaka
Ine
ndimadya
chakudya cham'mawa
m'mawa uliwonse
pa 7
Kinyarwanda
Ndafata
ifunguro rya mu gitondo
buri gitondo
saa moya
Ndino
dya
chikafu chemangwanani
mangwanani ose
pa 7
Mimi
hula
kiamsha kinywa
kila asubuhi
saa moja
Ndi
tya
isidlo sakusasa
qho kusasa
ngo-7
Ili kuti
siteshoni
yapafupi kwambiri
Kinyarwanda
Iri hehe
sitasiyo
y'hafi cyane
Chiteshi
chiri pedyo
chiri kupi
Iko wapi
stesheni
iliyo karibu zaidi
Iphi
eyona ikufutshane
isitishi
Khofi
iyi
ndi yabwino
kwambiri
Kinyarwanda
Ikawa
iyi
ni nziza
cyane
Kofi
iyi
inonaka
zvikuru
Kahawa
hii
ni nzuri
sana
Le
kofu
imnandi
kakhulu
Ine
ndimaphunzira
Chijapani
ku yunivesiti
Kinyarwanda
Niga
Ikiyapani
muri kaminuza
Ndinodzidza
chiJapanese
kuyunivhesiti
Mimi
nasoma
Kijapani
chuo kikuuni
Ndi
funda
isiJapan
eyunivesithi
Nyengo
yawa
idzakhala
yosefuka
Kinyarwanda
Ikirere
cy'ejo
kizaba
cyiza
Mangwana
mamiriro ekunze
achava
zuva richipisa
Hali ya hewa
kesho
itakuwa
na jua
Ngomso
imozulu
iya kuba
yilanga
Amayi anga
amaphika
chakudya chamadzulo
tsiku lililonse
Kinyarwanda
Mama wanjye
ateka
ifunguro rya nimugoroba
buri munsi
Amai vangu
vanobika
chikafu cheusiku
zuva nezuva
Mama yangu
anapika
chakula cha jioni
kila siku
Umama wam
upheka
isidlo sangokuhlwa
yonke imihla
Ndikufuna
kupita
ku
Japan
chaka
chamawa
Kinyarwanda
Ndashaka
kujya
muri
Ubuyapani
umwaka
utaha
Ndinoda
kuenda
ku
Japan
gore
rinouya
Mimi
nataka
kwenda
Japan
mwaka
ujao
Ndifuna
ukuya
e
Japan
kunyaka
ozayo
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