Introductions, Finding Someone, Arranging a Visit, Asking After Things, This and It, Misc

Introductions:

• When meeting someone new, you can ask:
  witwa nde? – what is your name?
  • witwa – you are named (from "kwita" meaning "to name")
  • nde – who
    

    • can also say "witwa gute?" meaning "you are named how?"
• There are two common replies:
  • nitwa Cameron – I am named Cameron
    • nitwa – I am named
  • izina ryanje ni Cameron – my name is Cameron
    • izina – name
    • ryanje – “dyanje”, my
    • ni – is

• You can also ask where someone is from:
  uri he(he)? or uturuka he(he)?
  • uri – you are
  • hehe – where (“hehe” is often shortened to just “he”)
  • uturuka – to come from (a form of the verb “guturuka”)
• (jewe) nturuka Olympia – I am from Olympia
  • jewe – I/me (not strictly necessary in this case, because...)
  • nturuka – to come from (an “n” on the beginning of a verb, as in this case, (usually) implies “I,” so the “jewe” is optional in this sentence)

• uba he(he)? – where do you live?
  • uba – a form of the verb “kuba” meaning “to reside”
• mba Pittsburgh – I live in Pittsburgh
  • mba – another form of the verb “kuba” meaning “to reside”

• ukora he(he)? – where do you work?
  • ukora – you work
    

Finding someone:

• uri he(he)? – where are you? (fixed location)
  • uri – you are
• ugeze he(he)? – where are you? (in progress)
  • ugeze – is related to “arrive”

Arranging a visit:

• uzoza ryari? – when will you come?
  • uzoza – will come
    • from “kuza” for “to come”
    • the “zo” indicates the future
    • can be a question or a command: 
      “uzoza?” for “will you come?”
      “uzoza” for “you will come.”
  • ryari – when (sounds like “dyari,” used for questions only)
• nzoza ejo – I will come tomorrow
  • nzoza – I will come (also derived from “kuza” – “to come.” Another example of an “n” beginning a verb, and so implying “I”. And here also the "zo" indicates the future.)
    
    

Asking after things:

• urafise ID? – Do you have your ID?
• wazanye ID? – Did you bring your ID?
• urafise file ya Janvier? – Do you have Janvier’s file? (“ya” means “of”)
• urafise inka? – Do you have a cow or cows? (“u-ra-fi-se in-ha”)

• ico niki/nigiki? – what is that?
• ico – that
• niki/nigiki – what is, a contraction of "ni igiki"
• ni  -- is
• igiki -- what 
• iki/aka/uru nigiki? – what is this?
• iki – this, general form
• aka – this, for diminutive things
• uru – this, for large things

• ngaha – here
• telephone iri aha – the telephone is here (“telephone iraha”)

This and it:

• There are different forms of “it” for different types of objects
• riri ngaha – it (a pen) is here
• iri ngaha – it (a phone) is here
• kiri ngaha – it (a cup) is here
• The same is true for “this”
• iki ni igikombe – this is a cup (“iki nigikombe”)
• iri ni ikaramu – this is a pen (“iri nikaramu”)
• iyi no foto – this is a photo

• This –> These
• iki → ibi
• iri → aya
• iyi → izi

• To say “which”, combine a form of “this” with “he”:
• ikihe
• irihe
• iyihe
• the same pattern follows in plural

Misc:

• Beware subtle pronunciation differences, like:
• imbaga – energy/strength
• imbwa – dog
• uri imbaga – you are strong
• uri imbwa – you are a dog