Language/Kinyarwanda/Vocabulary/Colors

Kinyarwanda Vocabulary - Colors

Hi Kinyarwanda learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn Kinyarwanda vocabulary for colors.

Basic colors

In Kinyarwanda, there are seven basic colors. The following table shows the Kinyarwanda word, pronunciation and English translation for each of them:

Kinyarwanda	Pronunciation	English
Kanini	ka-ni-ni	White
Gase	ga-se	Grey
Kivu	kivu	Black
Umweru	um-we-ru	Red
Kibembe	ki-bem-be	Green
Umunezero	u-mu-ne-ze-ro	Yellow
Ibyatsi	i-byat-si	Blue

In Kinyarwanda, colors that are not included in the basic seven can be described using a phrase that includes one of the seven. For example, "pink" can be described as "umweru w'imbogamizi" which means "light red".

Here are some examples:

• Urumuri mu buryo bwacu urarasabwa. (The light in our culture is respected.)

• Akarusho ka serikari ni gase. (The official uniform is grey.)

• Inkuta ya Kongo ni kivu. (The soil of Congo is black.)

• Ukunywa umwuka ni umweru. (Drinking alcohol can cause red eyes.)

• Amashyamba ni ibyatunguru, ibyatsi byinshi no mu birunga. (Forests are lush with various trees, including blue ones in the mountains.)

Additional colors

In addition to the basic colors, there are many other colors in Kinyarwanda. You can describe any color using a combination of the basic seven colors plus the word "kwitaba" (to mix). For example, if you mix umweru (red) with kibembe (green), you can create umuriro (orange). Here are some additional examples:

Kinyarwanda	Pronunciation	English
Inzovu	in-zo-vu	Brown (mix of white, red and black)
Ururimi	u-ru-ri-mi	Purple (mix of blue and red)
Amacyanibi	a-ma-cya-ni-bi	Magenta (mix of blue and red)
Amashovi	a-ma-sho-vi	Pink (mix of white and red)
Umuhondo	u-mu-hon-do	Gold (mix of yellow and white)

Here are some examples:

• Ntibizabera inzovu yanyu. (You should not sell your property at a very low price.)

• Ubunyobwa bwiza ni ururimi rwa bougainvillea. (Beautiful modesty is a purple color of bougainvillea.)

• Dudurishije amacyanibi. (Let's add the magenta color.)

• Ubwoba butatujyaga hari imyenda y'umukara ireba amashovi. (Fear has no place where a courageous person sees pink.)

• Umuhondo w'u Rwanda ni ubuzima bwacu. (The gold of Rwanda is our wealth.)

Practical use of colors

In Kinyarwanda culture, colors are often used for symbolic reasons. For example:

• White is associated with purity and peace. It is worn at weddings and burials.

• Red represents danger or a warning. It is used on signs to indicate danger or to decorate the homes of hunters.

• Green is associated with hope and fertility. It is worn by farmers during the planting season.

Here is a dialogue so you can see the words in context:

• Person 1: Inkuta ya rusange ni kanini. (The national flag is white.)
• Person 2: Oya, ndabyumva. (Oh, I see.)

• Person 1: Twandikire mu kirundi n'ibyarimuntu bihagije kuko inyuma y'umurongo irerekana ibyatsi by'imikino. (Let's write in Kirundi and use bold letters because behind the headline shows the colors of sports.)
• Person 2: Ese tuyifashije nka weave ine? (Can we use the color of my weave?)

To learn more vocabulary in Kinyarwanda, you can also use the Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Sources: - Learning Kinyarwanda on Language Helpers - Kinyarwanda Colors Vocabulary on 101 Languages

Related Lessons

• Drinks
• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Health
• Feelings and Emotions
• Clothes
• Fruits
• Days of the Week
• Education
• Express Surprise
• Count to 10

Sources

• Kinyarwanda Colors Flashcards | Quizlet
• English Kinyarwanda Dictionary on the App Store