Language/Kinyarwanda/Grammar/Adjectives
Hi Kinyarwanda learners! 😊
In this lesson, we'll dive into the world of Kinyarwanda adjectives. Adjectives are an essential part of the language as they make speech more descriptive and interesting. In Kinyarwanda, adjectives can provide both qualitative and quantitative descriptions of nouns.
Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: How to Use Be, Gender & Negation.
What are adjectives?[edit | edit source]
Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns by giving additional information about their qualities or characteristics. In Kinyarwanda, adjectives come before the noun they modify. For example:
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| umusozi (beautiful) umwezi (month) | /umo̞sɔ́zi umwèzi/ | a beautiful month |
| igituba (big) icyuma (tree) | /iɟitubá iʧyùma/ | a big tree |
| umweru (young) irondwe (boy) | /umwèrú irɔ́ndwɛ́/ | a young boy |
As you see from the examples, adjectives must agree with the noun they modify in both class and number.
Adjective classification[edit | edit source]
There are different types of adjectives, including qualitative, quantitative, demonstrative, interrogative, and possessive adjectives, but in this lesson, we'll focus on qualitative and quantitative adjectives.
Qualitative adjectives[edit | edit source]
Qualitative adjectives describe the quality of a noun or provide additional details about the noun's attributes. In Kinyarwanda, these adjectives answer questions such as "What kind of?" or "What type of?" Examples include:
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ubuzima bwiza (good health) | /ùbùzíma bwìza/ | good health |
| ikizima gikize (red car) | /ìkìzíma gìkìzé/ | a red car |
| amasambu ya gitari (soft guitar strings) | /àmàsámbù yà gitári/ | soft guitar strings |
Quantitative adjectives[edit | edit source]
Quantitative adjectives describe the quantity or number of a noun. They answer questions such as "How much?" or "How many?" In Kinyarwanda, these adjectives must appear before the noun they modify. Examples include:
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| umugabo wenyine (single man) | /umugábo wèɲìne/ | a single man |
| imbuto zine (few cows) | /im̀bùtò zìɲé/ | few cows |
| ibikoresho bye (many uses) | /ìbíkòréʃò bʲé/ | many uses |
Agreement[edit | edit source]
As mentioned earlier, adjectives in Kinyarwanda must agree with the noun they modify in both class and number, which is a bit complex. However, it's not impossible to learn. Most Kinyarwanda nouns belong to one of sixteen different noun classes (muganga mu-ga-nga, doctor; umugabo u-mu-ga-bo, man; umuhungu u-mu-hu-ngu, boy, etc.) and different classes use different prefixes and suffixes. For example:
| Class | Singular | Plural | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (mu-) | umuntu | abantu | good person (umuntu wiza) |
| 3 (i-) | igikundiro | amakundiro | good dish (ikundiro giza) |
| 7 (in-) | inzira | izina | beautiful road (inzira nziza) |
As you can see from the examples, the adjective agrees with the noun in gender and number.
Let's practice with the following dialogue:
- Person 1: Mfite imyenda mike? (Do I have beautiful dogs?)
- Person 2: Yego, wowe ufite imyenda mike miziza cyane. (Yes, you have very beautiful dogs.)
In the dialogue, Person 2 used the adjective "miziza" to show that the dogs are very beautiful.
Placement of adjectives[edit | edit source]
In Kinyarwanda, adjectives come before the noun they modify. However, when using multiple adjectives to describe a single noun, there's a proper arrangement. Generally, adjective arrangement starts with the most general and ends with the most specific. For example:
| Kinyarwanda | English |
|---|---|
| ibyubahiro byiza | good habits |
| igisubizo gikuru cy’inyandiko nini | the big answer of the certain question |
| ubwenge bwo mu Rwanda bucye cyane | deep knowledge of Rwanda |
Exceptions[edit | edit source]
Like in any other language, Kinyarwanda has its exceptions when it comes to adjectives. One of the notable exceptions is the adjective "byinshi" meaning "many". In Kinyarwanda, this adjective goes after the noun it modifies. For example:
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| abakobwa benshi | /àbàkòbwà bénsi/ | many girls |
| intara z’ibiyobyabwenge byinshi | /ìntàrà zìbìjàbyàbwéngé byìnshì/ | many states of deep knowledge |
Practice[edit | edit source]
Practice using qualitative and quantitative adjectives in your everyday conversations. Describe your favorite things and people around you using Kinyarwanda adjectives. You can also create tables with more examples or try making sentences using adjectives. Remember to choose the right adjective that agrees with the noun. To improve your Kinyarwanda Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
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Other Lessons[edit | edit source]