Dialogue 2: Isango na Muganga (A Doctor's Appointment)
(following A & B pleasantries...)
A: I want a doctor's appointment:
Nshaka isango na muganga.
{ I want | appointment | with | doctor }
B: Okay. Are you sick?
Ntangorane. Urarwaye?
{ No problem. | You are sick ? }
A: Yes. My chest hurts and I am weak.
Ego. Igituntu kirababara kandi nta[1] ngonga mfise.
{ Yes. Chest | hurts | and/also |no/negation |strength| I have . }
B: That isn't good. I will call now to make an appointment.
Ivyo sivyiza[2]. Reka rero mpamagare[3] kugira ngo[4] nsabe[5] iyo[6] isango.
{ Those | not good . Let | then | me call | in order to | I request | the | appointment . }
B: Who is your PCP?
Umuganga wawe ni nde?
{ Doctor | yours | is | who? }
A: My PCP is Dr. Smith:
Umuganga wanje ni Dr Smith.
{ Doctor | my | is | Dr. Smith }
B: What is Dr. Smith’s phone number?
(Nimero za) telephone yiwe ni kangahe?
{ Number | of | telephone | his/her/its | is | how many / what number ? }
or
urafise nimero za telephone yiwe?
{ Do you have | number | of | telephone | his ? }
A: Dr. Smith’s phone number is 987-654-3210.
Ni 987 654 3210
{ (It) is | … }
B: Which hospital is he at?
Akorera[7] mu bitaro ibihe?
{ he/she/it works at | in | hospital | which ? }
A: He is at Allegheny General Hospital.
Ari Muri Allegheny General Hospital.
{ He/she/it is | in/at | Allegheny General Hospital }
B: When can you go to the hospital?
Ushobora kuja kwa muganga ryari?
{ You are able | to go | at/to | doctor | when ? }
A: I can go in the morning on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday..
Nshobora kugenda kuwambere, kuwakabiri, canke kuwagatutu…
{ I am able | to go | Monday , | Tuesday , | or | Wednesday … }
B: Okay. Please wait while I call.
Ntangorane[8]. Ubishoboye[9][10], Rindira mpamagare.
{ No problem . | If you can , | wait | I call }
A: I will wait.
Ndarindira.
{ I wait }
...
B: Your appointment is the day after tomorrow at 9:00.
Isango yawe ni hirya y’ejo[11] satatu[12] zo mu mugitondo.
{ Appointment | yours | is | the day after tomorrow | nine | of | in | morning }
A: Thank you!
Urakoze.
{ Thank you }
B: You’re welcome.
Nawe urakoze gushima.
{ You too | thank you | to thank (for thanking) }
[1] precedes and negates nouns. cf “nti” which precedes and negates verbs.
[2] “si” expresses a negative or negation in this case. “good” would be “nivyiza”
[3] from “guhamagara” (to call). The “m” indicates 1st person, and is used following “let me” or when asking for permission.
[4] “kugira” means “to have” and “ngo” means “to”, but when they appear together, their collective meaning is “so that” or “in order to”
[5] from “gusaba” (to ask, request)
[6] can mean “if”, or “that”, but in this case is the finite article “the”
[7] “a” indicates third person. “nkorera” (I work at), “ukorera” (you work at), “akorera” (he/she/it works at)
[8] “nta” (negation) + “ingorane” (problem). NOTE: all nouns by themselves start with a vowel.
[9] from “gushobora” (to be able)
[10] Kirundi has no word for “please”. Instead they preface requests with “if you can” or “are you able”
[11] “hirya ya ejo” (the other side of | of | tomorrow)
[12] Kirundi uses Swahili numbers for times of day