Book Lesson 1 Flashcards
1
Q
A person
A
U-muntu
2
Q
People
A
Aba-ntu
3
Q
A place
A
Aha-ntu
4
Q
A thing / things
A
Iki-ntu / ibi-ntu
5
Q
A little thing / little things
A
Aka-ntu / utu-ntu
6
Q
A method, a way
A
Uku-ntu
7
Q
Generosity
A
Ubu-ntu
8
Q
5 key principles of Kinyarwanda
A
- All nouns are made up of two parts - prefix + root. The root is the main part of the word. However, it has no meaning without the prefix.
- The noun dominates the sentence. Its prefix will govern every other word in simple sentences (concordial agreement).
- Nouns are classified roughly into natural groups not based on gender (originally 14, now 10). Each group as its own prefixes.
- Kinyarwanda is agglutinative - many ideas can be “glued together” into a single word. All word are made up of a root/radical and affixes (pre-/in-/suffix).
- Agglutinative tendencies come into play even when one word follows another. No two vowls at word beginnings or endings may occur in juxtaposition without one of the being either eluded (dropped) or assimilated (changed) when spoken.
9
Q
A rebel / rebels
A
Umu-gome / aba-gome
10
Q
Acacia tree / acacia trees
A
Umu-nyinya / imi-nyinya
11
Q
Bamboo / pl. bamboo
A
Umu-gano / imi-gano
12
Q
String / strings
A
Umu-gozi / imi-gozi
13
Q
Belt / belts
A
Umu-kandara / imi-kandara
14
Q
Stream / streams
A
Umu-gezi / imi-gezi
15
Q
Fire& electricity
A
Umu-riro
16
Q
Rainbow
A
Umu-kororombya
