Language/Kinyarwanda/Vocabulary/Basic-Greetings
Welcome to the Kinyarwanda course! This lesson is designed to help you learn basic greetings in Kinyarwanda. Greeting someone is one of the most important ways to show respect and build connections with people, whether you're traveling in Rwanda, meeting new people, or just saying hello.
Formal and Informal Greetings
In Kinyarwanda, greetings can be formal, informal or ubiquitous. Here are some of the most commonly used greetings:
Formal Greetings
Formal greetings are used with people whom you don't know, older people, and people in authority or high social standing.
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Muraho | moo-ra-ho | Good morning/hello |
| Mwaramutse | mwa-ra-moo-tse | Good morning (specifically used before noon) |
| Mwiriwe | mwi-ri-we | Good afternoon |
| Mwiriyehe | mwi-ri-ye-he | Good evening |
| Murabeho | moo-ra-be-ho | Goodbye (used when the person leaving is younger or of lower status) |
| Murakoze | moo-ra-ko-ze | Thank you (used for formal gratitude) |
Informal Greetings
Informal greetings are used within family and friend circles, and with people of the same age and social standing.
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Yewe! | ye-we | Hey! / Hi! |
| Bite? | bee-te | What’s up? |
| Nziza. | nzi-za | Nice (to greet someone or when someone asks you how you are doing) |
| Ni meza | nee-meh-za | I am fine |
Goodbye and Thank You
Just as saying hello is important, so too is saying goodbye and thank you. Here are some common words for saying goodbye and thank you.
Goodbye
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Murabeho | moo-ra-be-ho | Goodbye (used when the person leaving is younger or of lower status) |
| Murakoze | moo-ra-ko-ze | Thank you/ Goodbye (used for formal gratitude or with people you know well) |
| Seeya/Bye | see-ya / bye | Bye (used informally) |
Thank You
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Murakoze | moo-ra-ko-ze | Thank You (used for formal gratitude) |
| Ni meza cyane | nee meh-za chya-ne | Thank you very much |
| Urakoze cy’umwihariko | oo-ra-ko-ze ch’yoo-mwe-ha-rick-o | Thank you for helping me out |
Cultural Information and Interesting Facts
Kinyarwanda has several interesting cultural aspects, one being the use of the prefix 'mu-' which can be used to refer to place, time, or status of people. For example, Kigali is known as 'umujyi wa Kigali,' meaning city of Kigali. Also, the national language of Rwanda is Kinyarwanda, but Rwanda has several official languages including English, French, and Swahili which are widely spoken.
In addition, Rwandans are known for their hospitality and traditions. The most important festival is Umuganda, which means "coming together for a common Purpose." The festival takes place on the last Saturday of each month and everyone is expected to participate in cleaning and development work within their communities. This type of communal work is considered an essential part of Rwanda's culture and reflects the values of hard work and self-help.
Another interesting tradition is that when meeting someone for the first time, it's important to greet them in Kinyarwanda and ask "Amakuru?" (How are you?). Then you should take a few minutes to ask about the person's family, work, and health.
Conclusion
By the end of this lesson, you should have a basic understanding of how to greet people in Kinyarwanda, how to say goodbye and thank you, as well as information about Rwandan culture and traditions. Remember, welcoming greetings and goodbyes are a good way to build and maintain relationships, demonstrate respect and positive intentions towards others. Move on confidently to the next lesson to learn how to introduce yourself and ask for someone's name in Kinyarwanda.