Language/Kinyarwanda/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

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Kinyarwanda → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Telling Time

Welcome to this exciting lesson on telling time in Kinyarwanda! Time is an essential aspect of our everyday lives, and being able to communicate about it is an important skill, especially when learning a new language. In this lesson, we will explore how to tell time in Kinyarwanda, including expressions for 'o'clock', 'half past', and 'quarter to'.

Understanding how to express time will enhance your ability to engage in daily conversations, plan activities, and understand schedules while you're in Rwanda or interacting with Kinyarwanda speakers around the world.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this lesson:

Basic vocabulary related to telling time

How to express different times of the day

Practical examples to illustrate usage

Exercises to help reinforce your learning

Let’s dive in!

Basic Vocabulary for Telling Time[edit | edit source]

Before we jump into telling time, let's familiarize ourselves with some essential Kinyarwanda vocabulary related to time:

Isaha - hour

Amasaha - hours

Umunota - minute

Amasaha atanu - five o'clock

Icyumweru - week

Ukwezi - month

Umwaka - year

Understanding these words will help you construct sentences related to time. Now, let's learn how to express specific times!

Expressing Time in Kinyarwanda[edit | edit source]

In Kinyarwanda, you can tell the time similarly to how you do in English. Here are some key expressions:

1. O'clock: Use the word isaha followed by the number.

Example: "Isaha imwe" (It is one o'clock).

2. Half past: Use the phrase n'igice (and a half) after the hour.

Example: "Isaha ebyiri n'igice" (It is half past two).

3. Quarter to: Use the phrase n'igice cy'ikindi (and a quarter to) followed by the next hour.

Example: "Isaha eshatu n'igice cy'ikindi" (It is a quarter to three).

Let’s look at a table with more examples:

Kinyarwanda	Pronunciation	English
Isaha imwe	i.saha i.m.we	It is one o'clock
Isaha ebyiri	i.saha e.by.ri	It is two o'clock
Isaha eshatu	i.saha e.shat.u	It is three o'clock
Isaha enye	i.saha e.nye	It is four o'clock
Isaha gatanu	i.saha ga.ta.nu	It is five o'clock
Isaha imwe n'igice	i.saha i.m.we n'i.gi.ce	It is one thirty
Isaha ebyiri n'igice	i.saha e.by.ri n'i.gi.ce	It is two thirty
Isaha eshatu n'igice	i.saha e.shat.u n'i.gi.ce	It is three thirty
Isaha ebyiri n'igice cy'ikindi	i.saha e.by.ri n'i.gi.ce c.y'i.kin.di	It is a quarter to three
Isaha eshatu n'igice cy'ikindi	i.saha e.shat.u n'i.gi.ce c.y'i.kin.di	It is a quarter to three

Practical Scenarios[edit | edit source]

Now that we have the vocabulary and expressions down, let’s look at some practical scenarios where you might use these phrases. Imagine you’re in Rwanda and you want to ask or tell someone the time. Here are some examples:

Asking for the time: "Ese isaha ni mingahe?" (What time is it?)

Responding: "Isaha ni itatu" (It is three o'clock).

Making plans: "Tuzahura saa tatu" (We will meet at three o'clock).

Confirming an appointment: "Ese tuzahuza saa cyenda n'igice?" (Will we meet at half past nine?)

Exercises to Practice Telling Time[edit | edit source]

To strengthen your understanding, let's do some exercises! Below are 10 practice scenarios. Try to answer them using Kinyarwanda expressions.

1. What time is it if it is 1:00?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

2. What time is it if it is 2:30?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

3. What time is it if it is 3:15?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

4. What time is it if it is 4:45?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

5. How would you say 5:00 in Kinyarwanda?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

6. If you wanted to meet at 6:30, how would you say that?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

7. If someone asks you, "Ese isaha ni mingahe?" and it is 7:00, how would you respond?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

8. How do you say 8:15 in Kinyarwanda?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

9. If it is 9:45, how would you express that in Kinyarwanda?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

10. How would you ask someone what time it is if you need to know at 10:00?

Answer: _____________________________________________________

Answers to Exercises[edit | edit source]

1. Isaha imwe

2. Isaha ebyiri n'igice

3. Isaha eshatu n'igice

4. Isaha enye n'igice cy'ikindi

5. Isaha gatanu

6. Tuzahura saa sita n'igice

7. Isaha ni irindwi

8. Isaha umunani n'igice

9. Isaha icumi n'igice cy'ikindi

10. Ese isaha ni mingahe?

Conclusion[edit | edit source]

Congratulations! You’ve made it through this lesson on telling time in Kinyarwanda. Remember, practice makes perfect. Use these expressions in your conversations, and soon you’ll feel more confident telling time in Kinyarwanda!

Keep an eye out for the next lesson in our "Complete 0 to A1 Kinyarwanda Course," where we will explore verbs and tenses. Happy learning!

Table of Contents - Kinyarwanda Course - 0 to A1[edit source]

Course Presentation

Greetings and Introductions

Nouns and Pronouns

Numbers and Time

Verbs and Tenses

Family and Relationships

Adjectives and Adverbs

Food and Drink

Questions and Negation

Travel and Transportation

Rwandan Customs and Traditions

Sources[edit | edit source]

Other Lessons[edit | edit source]

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