Language/Kinyarwanda/Grammar/Negation

Kinyarwanda Grammar - Negation

Hi Kinyarwanda learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about negation in Kinyarwanda. Negation is an important part of any language, and it is essential to understand how to use it correctly in order to communicate effectively. We will look at the different ways to express negation in Kinyarwanda, as well as some examples of how to use them.

Negation in Kinyarwanda

Negation in Kinyarwanda is expressed using a variety of words and phrases. The most common way to express negation is by using the word "si" (pronounced "see"). This word can be used to negate both verbs and adjectives. For example:

• Ndagukunda si - I don't love
• Ndabona si - I don't see
• Ndabona umuntu mwiza si - I don't see a nice person

Another way to express negation is by using the phrase "si ntiyigeze" (pronounced "see n-tee-ee-gay-zay"). This phrase is used to negate verbs, and it literally means "I don't want to". For example:

• Ndagukunda si ntiyigeze - I don't want to love
• Ndabona si ntiyigeze - I don't want to see
• Ndabona umuntu mwiza si ntiyigeze - I don't want to see a nice person

Finally, negation can also be expressed using the phrase "si ntiyo" (pronounced "see n-tee-yo"). This phrase is used to negate adjectives, and it literally means "it isn't". For example:

• Umuntu mwiza si ntiyo - The person isn't nice
• Umutima wanjye si ntiyo - My heart isn't good
• Umutima wanjye si ntiyo mwiza - My heart isn't nice

Practice

To improve your Kinyarwanda Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Here are some examples of sentences using negation in Kinyarwanda. Try to translate them into English:

Kinyarwanda	Pronunciation	English Translation
Ndabona si	n-dah-boh-nah see	I don't see
Ndagukunda si ntiyigeze	n-dah-goo-koon-dah see n-tee-ee-gay-zay	I don't want to love
Umuntu mwiza si ntiyo	oo-moon-too mwee-zah see n-tee-yo	The person isn't nice
Ndabona umuntu mwiza si	n-dah-boh-nah oo-moon-too mwee-zah see	I don't see a nice person
Umusaza si ntiyo mwiza	oo-moo-sah-zah see n-tee-yo mwee-zah	The woman isn't nice

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Related Lessons

• Conditional Mood
• Adjectives
• Pronouns
• Questions
• Plurals
• Gender