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Eating Lunch[1]: gufungura[2] ivyo ku[3] murango
{ to eat | for | daytime }
A: Are you hungry?
Urashonje[4]?
{ you are hungry ? }
B: Yes, I'm very hungry.
Ego, ndashonje cane.
{ yes , | I am hungry | very . }
A: Me too. Come , let's go eat lunch.
Nanje ndashonje, ingo tugende[5] kurya.
{ And I | I am hungry , | come | let’s go | to eat . }
B: Where do you want to go?
Ushaka kuja he?
{ you want | to go | where ? }
A: I know a good restaurant. Can you drive?
Ndazi[6] uburīro bwiza[7]. Urashobora gutwara[8]?
{ I know | an eating place | good/nice . | Are you able | to drive ? }
B: Yes. Can you give directions?
Ego. Urashobora kunyobora[9]?
{ Yes . | Are you able |to guide me ? }
A: Yes.
Ego.
B: Come, let's go.
Ingo tugende.[10]
{ come | let’s go }
A: Hey, unlock the car.
Hewe[11], ugura[12] imodoka[13].
{ (hey) you , | you open | car . }
B: Oh, sorry. Get in.
{ I’m sorry . | Enter. }
A: Here we go!
Tugende!
{ let’s go ! }
...
A: Turn on the lights. It’s Dark.
Atsa[16] amatara. Hari umwijima.
{ Turn on | the lights . | There is / are | darkness . }
A: Turn right.
Katira iburyo.[17]
{ turn | right }
A: Continue going straight:
{ continue | you go | front . }
A: Turn Left.
Katira Ibubamfu.
{ turn | left }
A: Okay, you can stop.
Hagarara[20].
{ stop }
B: Have we arrived?
Twashitse[21]?
{ we have arrived ? }
A: Yes, we are here. You can get out.
Ego, twashitse. Urashobora gusohoka.
{ yes , | we have arrived . | you are able | to go outside . }
B: Great, I’m excited.
Sawa, ndanezerewe[22].
{ good , | I am happy/excited . }
A: Don’t forget to (or remember to) turn off the lights
Ntiwibagire[23] zimya[24] amatara.
{ don’t forget | turn off | the lights . }
B: Thanks, I forgot.
Urakoze, nibagiye[25].
{ thank you | I forgot . }
A: I hope you like the food.
Nizeye[26] ko ukunda ivyokurya vy’aha[27].
{ I hope | that | you like | food | of here }
Or:
Nizere ko ubikunda[28].
{ I hope | that | you like them (the food). }
Or:
Nizeye ko uhakunda[29].
{ I hope | that | you like (it) here }
[1]cf “gufungura ivyo ku umugoroba” (to eat for nighttime: dinner) and “gufungura ivyo ku mugitundo” (to eat for morning: breakfast)
[2] a common synonym for “gufungura” is “kurya”
[3] “ivyo” means “of” and “ku” is a general preposition meaning variously “at/to/on/over”, but when they appear together, their collective meaning is “for”
[4] an irregular verb construction, from “gusonza” (to be hungry)
[5] 1st person plural imperative of "kugenda", "to go"
[6] an irregular verb construction, from “kumenya” (to know)
[7] in Kirundi, adjectives always follow the noun that they modify and change according to the sound of the noun, rather than the noun category per say. For example, many places (eg hospital (ibitāro), shop (ibutike), prison (ibohero)) have a “b” sound in their first syllable, so nice places are often described by “bwiza.” Many common types of people (eg child (umwāna), wife (umugore), doctor (umugānga)) have an “m” sound, so nice people are often described as “mwiza.” Likewise, nouns that begin with a “k” or “g” sound may be described as nice with “keza,” and several other forms of this adjective also exist. Note that if the sound of a noun changes through modification (such as by diminution), the adjective will also change (EXAMPLE).
[8] literally “to carry, to take away, or to lead”
[9] from “kuyobora” (to guide). The “n” adds the meaning “me”.
[10] this phrase is grammatically incorrect but extremely common vernacular
[11] a general form of “you,” used to attract attention
[12] 2nd person imperative form of “kwūgurura” (to open).
[13] imodoka/umudoga -- two words for car; both sound, if pronounced, like the English words "motor car" from which they are derived.
[14] from “kubabarira” (to forgive, excuse)
[15] from “kwīnjira” (to enter). cf “kwīnjirana” (to enter with).
[16] from "kwatsa" (to illuminate). Also used for turning on anything electric, or starting a car.
[17] "kata" and "katira" are both simple imperative forms of "gukata" -- "to turn," but "katira" is the form that better joins with a direction (and in general the "ir" marker indicates that some sort of specifier will follow the verb)
[18] another word for “continue” commonly used in this context is “kubāndānya” (“bandanya” in imperative form). Some dictionaries say that this means “to hurry” but that is not accurate. Instead, “to hurry” is “kwihuta.”
[19] recall that “ugenda” is a shortened form of “uragenda” The reduced form requires an object, whereas the full form can stand alone. Many (but NOT all) verbs and subject/tense pronouns can be reduced in this manner. For example, to announce "I love to play" you could say either "ndakunda gukina" or "nkunda gukina" but only by the extended form ("ndakunda" alone) could you make the rather ambiguous statement "I love."
[20] Kirundi generally has fewer words used specifically for politeness than English, with the same information communicated nonverbally. This phrase is a good example of the way in which simple commands can be given in order to make requests or suggest actions.
[21] from “gushika” (to arrive). “twa” in combination with “tse” indicates 1st person plural. Cf “turashitse” (we arrive), 1st person plural, present tense.
[22] from “kunezerwa” (to be happy)
[23] from “kwibagira” (to forget) + “nti” which precedes and negates verbs, sometimes independently, sometimes as part of the verb. Cf “nta” which precedes and negates nouns.
[24] from “kuzimya” (to put out a light or fire). Also used for turning off anything electric, or a car.
[25] also from “kwibagira” (to forget) + “n” (I)
[26] “ndizeye”, “nizere”, and “nizeye” are all perfect synonyms for “I hope”, and could each be used in this case according to personal preference.
[27] a contraction of “vyo ngaha” ( of | here ).
[28] “ukunda” (you like) + “bi” (them/those)
[29] “ukunda” (you like) + “ha” (this place, here)