Difference between revisions of "Language/Kinyarwanda/Grammar/Present-Tense"
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* [[Language/Kinyarwanda/Grammar/Past-Tense|Past Tense]] | * [[Language/Kinyarwanda/Grammar/Past-Tense|Past Tense]] | ||
* [[Language/Kinyarwanda/Grammar/0-to-A1-Course|0 to A1 Course]] | * [[Language/Kinyarwanda/Grammar/0-to-A1-Course|0 to A1 Course]] | ||
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==Sources== | |||
* [https://sites.google.com/a/wisc.edu/learning-kinyarwanda/lessons-in-grammar-and-pronunciation/the-verb-the-present-tense 11.) The Verb: The Present Tense - Learning Kinyarwanda] | |||
* [https://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/audio/languagelessons/rwanda/RW_Kinyarwanda_Language_Lessons.pdf Trainee Kinyarwanda Book Table of Contents] | |||
* [https://sites.google.com/a/wisc.edu/learning-kinyarwanda/lessons-in-grammar-and-pronunciation Lessons in Grammar and Pronunciation - Learning Kinyarwanda] | |||
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Revision as of 21:55, 2 April 2023
Introduction
Welcome to the present tense lesson in the Complete 0 to A1 Kinyarwanda Course! Understanding how to use the present tense is essential to mastering Kinyarwanda. In this lesson, we will cover regular verb conjugation in the present tense, as well as some common irregular verbs. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to form sentences in the present tense and communicate with Kinyarwanda speakers about things happening right now.
Regular Verbs in the Present Tense
Regular verbs in Kinyarwanda follow a simple pattern to be conjugated in the present tense. To conjugate a regular verb, simply remove the "-a" from the infinitive form and add the correct prefix depending on the noun class of the subject.
Here are the present tense prefixes for each of the 16 noun classes in Kinyarwanda:
Noun Class | Prefix |
---|---|
1/2 | ya- |
3/4 | a- |
5/6 | i- |
7/8 | y- |
9/10 | tu- |
11/10 | ru- |
14/15 | m- |
16 | si- |
Now that you know the subject prefixes, let's see how they are used in verb conjugation in the present tense.
To conjugate a regular verb in the present tense, take the infinitive form of the verb and remove the "-a" ending. Then, add the appropriate subject prefix based on the noun class of the subject. Let's see some examples:
Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
yandikiye | yan-diki-ye | I write |
twandikiye | twan-diki-ye | We write |
ari yandikiye | a-ri yan-diki-ye | He/She writes |
As you can see in the examples, the subject prefix is added to the verb stem to form the present tense. It's that simple!
Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense
While regular verbs follow a simple pattern, irregular verbs require you to memorize the specific conjugations for each verb. In Kinyarwanda, there are a few common irregular verbs you should be familiar with.
Kwiga (to learn)
Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
ndi kwiga | n-dee kwi-ga | I learn |
tuzi kwiga | tuzi kwi-ga | We learn |
yuzuye kwiga | yoo-zoo-ye kwi-ga | He/She learns |
Gufasha (to help)
Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
ndi gufasha | n-dee gu-fa-sha | I help |
twifashe | twi-fa-she | We help |
yafashe | ya-fa-she | He/She helps |
Gukora (to work/do)
Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English Translation |
---|---|---|
ndi gukora | n-dee gu-ko-ra | I work/do |
tukora | tukora | We work/do |
yakoreye | ya-ko-re-ye | He/She works/does |
Summary
In this lesson, we covered regular verb conjugation in the present tense and some common irregular verbs. We saw that regular verbs follow a simple pattern by removing the "-a" from the infinitive form and adding the appropriate subject prefix. Irregular verbs require memorization of specific conjugations. By mastering the present tense, you will be able to communicate about things happening right now with Kinyarwanda speakers. Keep practicing and next time we will cover the past tense. Until then, murakoze cyane!
Other Lessons
- How to Use Be
- Asking Questions
- Negating Sentences
- Personal Pronouns
- Noun Classes
- Pronouns
- Questions
- Conditional Mood
- Past Tense
- 0 to A1 Course