Another Saying

umuvo ntuca ku mwbo

a stream of water | doesn't pass | on/over | a hole

(remember that "ntuca" is pronounced "nhucha")

Is Going to Call vs Will Call

John araza kugutelephona -- John | he is going | to call
ndaza kugutelephona -- I am going | to call
uraza kugutelephona -- you are going | to call

nzogutelephona -- I will call (simple future tense)

Yes?

When someone calls your name, a respectful way to say "yes?" is:

sabwe -- be asked

This is from

gusabwa -- to be asked

which is in turn from

gusaba -- to ask

Dialogue 1: At The Office

Here's the first in a series of annotated dialogues that I've been working on.  I hope to create and upload audio recordings of it soon.

Direct Link to fully annotated document:

Dialogue 1: Ku Biro (At The Office)

Text without Annotations:

Office Visit: Ku Biro (at the office)

A: <knocks>

<kudodora>  { to knock }

B: Come in!  … Ah, B.  Welcome.

Injira! ... Ah, B. Kaze.   { Enter ! ... Ah, B. Welcome }

A: Good Morning.

Mwaramutse.  { it became morning (?) }

B: Good morning. How is it going?

Mwaramutse neza. Gute?   { it became morning | well . How (is it going) ? }

Other acceptable alternatives:

Bwakeye neza?  { it became morning | well ? }

Amakuru?  { news ? }

Amakuru maki?  { news | what ? }   

Amakuru yawe?   { news | your ? }

Amakuru y’imisi? (amakuru ya imisi?)  { news | of | days ? }  (meaning: how have you been?)

Urakomeye?  { you are strong ? }

Uraho? (uri aho?) { you are | there ? } (meaning: how are you?)

Murivyura?  { (do) you get yourselves up (without help) ? } (meaning: are you well?)

A: It’s good.

Ni neza.  { (it) is | good }

Other possible responses:

Ndakomeye { I am strong }

Ndaha (ndi aha?)   { I am | here } (meaning: I am fine)

Ndivyura.  { We get ourselves up (without help) ? } (meaning: I am well?)

B: Good.  Do you have time now? (or Can you talk? or Can you help me?)

Sawa.

Urafise umwanya ubu nyene?  { you have | time | now | immediately ? }

Urafise umwanya ngo umfashe ubu nyene?  

{ you have | time | in order to / to | to help me | now | immediately ? }

Urashobora kuvuga?  { you can | speak ? }

Urashobara kumfasha?  { you can |to help me ? }

B: Yes, I have time [or I can help you now].  What brings you here? What do you need?

Ego, ndawufise.  { Yes, I have time }

Ndashobora kugufasha.   { I can | to help you }

Ugenzwa namaki?  { brings you | what ? }

Ukeneye iki?  { you need | what ? }

A: I need medical insurance.

Nkeneye uburyo bwo kwivuza.   { I need | ways | of | to seek medical treatment }

B: Okay, have a seat.  We can fill out an application.

Sawa, icara. Dushobora kwuzuza impapuro.   { Okay, sit.  We can | fill out | papers }

A: Thank you.

Urakoze.

B: Did you bring ID?

Wazanye ID?

Wazanye karanga muntu?  { did you bring | what identifies / points to | a person ? }

A: Yes, here it is (or Here is my ID)

Ego, ngiyi.    { yes, here it is }

ID yanje iri ngaha.  { ID | my | is | here }

Karanga muntu yanje iri ngaha  { what identifies | a person | my | is | here }

B: Thank you... do you have your Green Card?

Urakoze... urafise Green Card?  { Thank you ... do you have | a Green Card ? }

A: No, I do not have a Green Card.

Oya, simfise Green Card.  { No, I do not have | a Green Card }

Oya, nta Green Card fise. { No, no | Green Card | I have }

Oya, ntayo nfise. { No, no-it | I do not have }

B: No problem. Did you bring your I-94?

Ntangorane    { no problem }

Ntakibazo   { no problem }

Wazanye I-94?  { did you bring |  (your) I-94 }

A: Yes, here you go.

Ego, akira.   { yes, accept/receive }

B: What is your phone number?

    (inimero za) telefone yawe ni kangahe.

{ ( the number | of ) telephone | your | is | how many ? }

A: My telephone number is 123-456-7890.

Telefone yanje ni 123-456-7890.   {  telphone | my | is | 123-456-7890 }

B: Thank you. What is your address?

Urakoze. Uba he(he)?  { Thank you.  You reside | where ? }

A: My address is 123 City St, PGH, PA 15222

Mba kuri 123 city... { I reside | on/at | [address] }

B: Okay, I'm finished. Take this to the Welfare Office.

Sawa ndahejeje.  { okay | I am finished }

Jana ibi ku biro vya welfare.  { take/go with | these | to | office |of | welfare }

A: Thank you! I will take it tomorrow.

Urakoze. Nzokijana ejo.  { Thank you.  I will take it | tomorrow }

B: Anything else?

Hari ibindi ukeneye?  { is/are there | other things |  you need ? }

A: No, thank you. I am leaving.

Oya, urakoze. Ndagiye.  {  no, thank you.  I am going }

B: See you later.

Tuzosubira.

A: Have a good afternoon.

Ugire umuhingamo mwiza.  { have | afternoon | good }

Misc

sinfise ____ -- I do not want ____

In Kirundi, "ikibazo" means "a question" (plural: "ibibazo"), but in Kinyarwanda this same word means "an issue."  The word for "issue" in Kirundi is "ingorone."