Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Kirundi 101 (Essential Words & Phrases)

I recently gave a presentation to a group of my colleagues entitled "Kirundi 101" in which I presented the following list of essential words and phrases as well as the first five dialogues.


Hello (What’s new?)
amakuru?
Hello (How’s it going?)
bite? / gute? (Kinyarwanda: bite only)
Hello (response to: Amakuru, Bite, or Gute)
ni sawa / ni meza (Swahili/Kirundi)
How are you feeling? (are you strong?)
urakomeye?
I’m fine (I’m strong)
ndakomeye
My name is ____.
nitwa _____
What is your name?
witwa nde?
See you later (same day, definite)
turasubira
See you later (indefinite, after today)
tuzosubira (Kinyarwanda: tuzasubira)
Come (follow)
nkurikira
Come in.
injira
Wait a moment / hold please
rindira gato
Wait here
rindirira aha
Wait for me
ndindira
Please sit
icara
Please stand.
haguruka
Give it (to me).
mpa, mhereza (hand it to me)
Take (this).
akira
Please eat.
rya
Please bring ____.
zana ______
Did you bring __________?
wazanye _____?
Do you have __________ (at all)?
urafise ______?
Thank you
urakoze
You’re welcome
korerwa
Yes
ego
No
oya
You are finished (for today)
urahejeje
Is there something else?
hari ibindi ukeneye?
Do you have a question?
urafise ikibazo?
Do you understand?
urumva?
I don’t understand
sinumva
Be quiet.
ceceka


Monday
kuwambere
Tuesday
kuwakabiri
Wednesday
kuwagatatu
Thursday
kuwakane
Friday
kuwagatanu
Saturday
kuwagatandatu
Sunday
kuwamunga
morning
mugitondo
afternoon
umuhingamo
night
umugoroba



0
imburungu
1
rimwe
2
kabiri
3
gatatu
4
kane
5
gatanu
6
gatandatu
7
indwi
8
umunani
9
icenda
10
icumi
11
cumi nu rimwe
12
cumi nu kabiri
13
cumi nu gatatu
14
cumi nu kane
15
cumi nu gatanu
16
cumi nu gatandatu
17
cumi n’indwi
18
cumi n’umunani
19
cumi n’icenda
20
mirong’ibiri
30
mirong'itatu
40
mirong'ine
50
mirong'itanu
60
mirong'itandatu
70
mirong'indwi
80
mirong'umunani
90
mirong'icenda
100
ijana
200
amajana abiri
300
amajana atatu
400
amajana ane
500
amajana atanu
600
amajana atandatu
700
amajana indwi
800
amajana umunani
900
amajana icenda
1000
igihumbi

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22 comments:

  1. UnknownJuly 6, 2016 at 9:28 AM

    Hello, I just want to tell you how much I appreciate you for creating this blog. This is my husband's native language. He is from burundi and he is so excited that i'm learning his language and this website has been a great help to me. Thank you so very much. God bless you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJuly 3, 2018 at 6:09 PM

    It's really great... I've been there recently. I'm seriously want to master the language. Kirinyota mugenzi!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. srhyshJuly 13, 2018 at 6:50 AM

    What about just the word 'please', not 'please sit' or 'please eat'.

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownOctober 31, 2018 at 12:57 AM

      Please in kirundi is Ndasavye/Ndaseze
      Sit/Icara/vyagira

      Delete
    2. MbazeMarch 13, 2020 at 3:26 AM

      Please help me! : Ndagusavye/ndakwinginze umfashe!

      Delete
    3. Paris K.May 3, 2020 at 9:54 PM

      Muraho? Mbaze, ndafise ikibazo: nigute wovuga "can we learn to love?" murikirundi? Murakoze cane.

      Delete
    4. Andre. ManirakizaApril 24, 2021 at 4:04 AM

      ( Mbe turashobora kwiga gukunda?) Ariko ntakuri ndabifitiye ijina kwijana

      Delete
  4. UnknownOctober 29, 2018 at 4:17 PM

    Wow please guys keep it 😍😍😍💯I love it

    ReplyDelete
  5. ilovejesusDecember 18, 2018 at 3:26 PM

    This is very good! wow. I really like it its for my son

    ReplyDelete
  6. UnknownFebruary 5, 2019 at 11:40 AM

    Thank you so much we really appreciate.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Fanes kalumbwaSeptember 19, 2019 at 12:56 AM

    I will appreciate that while I'm learning how to say kirundi

    ReplyDelete
  8. UnknownNovember 29, 2019 at 5:53 PM

    I have a student from Burundi that speaks very little English. I want to learn and then teach our class some simple phrases to welcome this person with their help. They can enjoy the learning and the mistakes we make to lessen language barriers. I want them to be inspired, understood and comforted as we in turn learn more English together.

    I would also like to request the month names, and how to say we have holidays coming up. Thank you very much. Murakoze cane.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Paris K.May 3, 2020 at 9:07 PM

    Thank you so much for this! It's very useful!

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownOctober 20, 2020 at 4:48 PM

    I like it thanks so much

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownFebruary 18, 2021 at 3:30 PM

    My bf is Burundian and I am slowly but surely picking up on a couple words but this blog is giving me life!! This is going to be so much help!! Murakoze

    ReplyDelete
  12. UnknownMarch 10, 2021 at 8:48 AM

    Bite, i really love to learn this language it's interesting. Murakoze.

    ReplyDelete
  13. UnknownMarch 16, 2021 at 8:56 PM

    Thank you so very much for this blog. Can you please tell me if I've translated this Kirundi correctly? "Raba amama. Raba ibabi." Means "Look at the drop of liquid. Look at the leaf." Did I get it right?

    ReplyDelete
  14. UnknownJuly 3, 2021 at 2:53 AM

    My fiance is a Burundian, thanks I find this blog very informative. Please translate for me " good morning my husband"

    ReplyDelete
  15. etiennebarutwanayo65@gmail.comJuly 6, 2021 at 12:58 PM

    When you want to say "GOOD MORNING MY HUSBAND" In kirundi you say "MWARAMUTSE MUSHINGANTAHE WANJE!"

    ReplyDelete
  16. UnknownNovember 15, 2021 at 11:34 PM

    Thank you so very much, I've got to learn my native language at least 👍

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wandaboy2022February 16, 2022 at 12:36 PM

    This site is very helpful for us to learn Kirundi language.

    Thank you very much

    ReplyDelete
  18. GloriaMay 19, 2022 at 4:07 PM

    How do you say 'Enjoy your meal; in Kirundi

    ReplyDelete

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