Tuesday, June 25, 2013
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?)
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amakuru?
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Hello (How’s it going?)
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bite? / gute? (Kinyarwanda: bite only)
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Hello (response to: Amakuru, Bite, or Gute)
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ni sawa / ni meza (Swahili/Kirundi)
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How are you feeling? (are you strong?)
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urakomeye?
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I’m fine (I’m strong)
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ndakomeye
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My name is ____.
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nitwa _____
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What is your name?
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witwa nde?
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See you later (same day, definite)
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turasubira
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See you later (indefinite, after today)
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tuzosubira (Kinyarwanda: tuzasubira)
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Come (follow)
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nkurikira
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Come in.
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injira
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Wait a moment / hold please
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rindira gato
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Wait here
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rindirira aha
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Wait for me
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ndindira
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Please sit
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icara
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Please stand.
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haguruka
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Give it (to me).
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mpa, mhereza (hand it to me)
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Take (this).
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akira
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Please eat.
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rya
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Please bring ____.
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zana ______
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Did you bring __________?
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wazanye _____?
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Do you have __________ (at all)?
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urafise ______?
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Thank you
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urakoze
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You’re welcome
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korerwa
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Yes
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ego
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No
|
oya
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You are finished (for today)
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urahejeje
|
Is there something else?
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hari ibindi ukeneye?
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Do you have a question?
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urafise ikibazo?
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Do you understand?
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urumva?
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I don’t understand
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sinumva
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Be quiet.
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ceceka
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Monday
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kuwambere
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Tuesday
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kuwakabiri
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Wednesday
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kuwagatatu
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Thursday
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kuwakane
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Friday
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kuwagatanu
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Saturday
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kuwagatandatu
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Sunday
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kuwamunga
|
morning
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mugitondo
|
afternoon
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umuhingamo
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night
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umugoroba
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0
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imburungu
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1
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rimwe
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2
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kabiri
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3
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gatatu
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4
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kane
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5
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gatanu
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6
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gatandatu
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7
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indwi
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8
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umunani
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9
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icenda
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10
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icumi
|
11
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cumi nu rimwe
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12
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cumi nu kabiri
|
13
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cumi nu gatatu
|
14
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cumi nu kane
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15
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cumi nu gatanu
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16
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cumi nu gatandatu
|
17
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cumi n’indwi
|
18
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cumi n’umunani
|
19
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cumi n’icenda
|
20
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mirong’ibiri
|
30
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mirong'itatu
|
40
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mirong'ine
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50
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mirong'itanu
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60
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mirong'itandatu
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70
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mirong'indwi
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80
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mirong'umunani
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90
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mirong'icenda
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100
|
ijana
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200
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amajana abiri
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300
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amajana atatu
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400
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amajana ane
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500
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amajana atanu
|
600
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amajana atandatu
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700
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amajana indwi
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800
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amajana umunani
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900
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amajana icenda
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1000
|
igihumbi
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Dialogue 5: Making an Appointment
Direct Link to fully annotated document: Dialogue 5: Making an Appointment
Text without Annotations:
Text without Annotations:
Making an Appointment:
<Phone rings>
B: (in English) Thank you for calling, how may I help you?
(Urakoze guhamagara, ndagufashe iki?)
{ Thank you | to call , | I help you | (with) what ? }
A: Do you speak Kirundi?
Uravuga Ikirundi?
{ you speak | Kirundi ? }
B: Yes, I speak Kirundi a little. How can I help you?
Ego, ndavuga ikirundi gikeyi. Ndagufashe iki?
{ Yes | I speak | Kirundi | little . | I help you | (with) what ? }
A: I need to talk to C.
Nkeneye kuvugana na C.
{ I need | to talk with/together | with | C . }
B: C isn’t here. Who is this?
C sihari. Uri nde?
{ C | isn’t present . | You are | who ? }
A: I am A.
Ndi A.
{ I am | A . }
B: Ah, A, hello. What do you need?
Ah, A, amakuru. Ukeneye iki?
{ Ah , | A , | hello . | You need | what ? }
A: I need help filling out a job application.
Nashaka uwomfasha kwuzuza urupapuro rwo gusaba akazi.
{ I would like | you help me | to fill out | a paper | of/for | to ask | work/job }
B: We can help you with that. Let’s make an appointment. Can you come in tomorrow?
Turashobora kugufasha. Reka ndaguhe isango. Ushobora kuza ejo?
{ We can | to help you. | Let me | give you | appointment. |
You can | to come | tomorrow ? }
A: No, I work tomorrow.
Oya, ejo ndakora.
{ No , | tomorrow | I work . }
B: Can you come in on Friday?
Urashobora kuza kuwagatanu.
{ you can | to come | Friday ? }
A: Yes, I can come in then. What time?
Ego. Gihe ki?
{ Yes. Time | what ? }
B: 10 o’clock?
Isaha zine zuzuye?
{ hour | four (ten) | o’clock }
A: Yes, I will be there at 10 o’clock on Friday.
Ego, nzoba ndahari isaha zine kuwagatanu.
{ Yes . | I will be present | hour | four (ten) | Friday . }
B: Great, see you then.
Neza cane, tuzosubira rero.
{ well | very , | see you later | then . }
A: Thank you, have a nice day.
Urakoze, ugire umusi mwiza.
{ Thank you , | have | day | nice . }
B: You’re welcome.
Korerwa.
{ be served }
Dialogue 4: Meeting a Friend
Direct Link to fully annotated document: Dialogue 4: Meeting a Friend
Text without Annotations:
Text without Annotations:
Meeting a Friend:
A: Good Morning!
Mwaramutse!
{ it became morning (?) }
B: Good morning. What’s up?
Mwaramutse nesa. Amakuru?
{ It became morning | well. | News ? }
A: It's going well! How are you?
Amakuru ni meza, bite? ( or Amakuru yawe?)
{ news | is | well , | how (is it going) ? } or { news | yours ? }
B: I'm good. Do you know C?
Nisawa. Urazi C?
{ (I’m) good. You know | C ? }
A: No. Hello, C. My name is A.
Oya. Amakuru, C. Izina ryanje ni A.
{ No. | news, | C . | Name | my | is | A }
C: Pleased to meet you.
Amakuru.
{ News. }
B: C is my cousin.
C ni muvyaranje.
{ C | is | my cousin . }
A: Where are you from?
Uturuka hehe?
{ you come from | where ? }
C: I am from Burundi.
(Jewe) nturuka mu Burundi.
{ (I/me) | I come from | in | Burundi }
A: Do you live in Pittsburgh?
Uba Pittsburgh?.
{ you reside | (in) Pittsburgh ? }
C: Yes, I live in East Liberty.
Ego, mba muri East Liberty.
{ yes , | I reside | in | East Liberty }
A: Do you like East Liberty?
Urakunda kuba muri East Liberty?
{ you like | to reside | in | East Liberty ? }
C: Yes, I like it.
Ego, Ndahakunda.
{ Yes , | I like it (that place) }
A: Where do you work? What do you do?
Ukora He? Ukora Iki?
{ you work | where ? | you work | what ? }
C: I work at Giant Eagle. I cook food there. I am also a student.
Nkorera Giant Eagle / Nkora muri Giant Eagle. Ndateka. Kandi ndi umunyeshule.
{ I work for | GE / I work | in | GE . | I cook. | Also | I am | a student . }
A: Wow! You do a lot.
Oh! Ukora vyinshi!
{ Wow! | You do | many things . }
C: Yes, I am very busy. Yes, I have no time. / No, not very many.
Ego, nta mwanya mfise. / Oya, sivyinshi cane.
{ Yes , | no | time | I have . / No, | not many things | very . }
A: Giant Eagle is far from East Liberty. Do you drive?
Giant Eagle iri kure ya East Liberty. Uratwara umuduga?
{ GE | is | for | from/of | East Liberty . | You drive | a car ? }
C: No. I don’t have a license. I ride the bus.
Oya, nta ruhusha mfise. Nhoresha bus / Ngenda na bus.
{ No, | no/negation | permission | I have . | I use | bus / I go | with | bus . }
A: Well, I’m in a hurry, I must go. It was good to see you.
Ndihuta, ntegerezwa kugenda. Nyviza kubonana.
{ I’m in a hurry, | I must | to go . | It’s good | to see each other . }
C: It was good to meet you. Goodbye.
Nvyiza ko duhuye. Nagasaga.
{ It’s good | that | we meet . | Goodbye . }
B: See you later.
Tuzosubira.
{ See you later . }
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