Language/Kinyarwanda/Vocabulary/Numbers-1-10
In this lesson, you will learn how to count from 1 to 10 in Kinyarwanda, as well as how to form numbers 11-20. Knowing the numbers is essential for daily communication and basic activities such as telling time and counting money.
Numbers 1-10
In Kinyarwanda, numbers have unique forms for singular and plural, and for counting animate and inanimate objects. We will start by learning the singular forms for counting 1-10 in Kinyarwanda.
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | rimwe | one |
| 2 | kabiri | two |
| 3 | gatatu | three |
| 4 | kane | four |
| 5 | gatanu | five |
| 6 | gatandatu | six |
| 7 | karindwi | seven |
| 8 | umunani | eight |
| 9 | igice | nine |
| 10 | cumi | ten |
Note: The pronunciation guide follows the vowel sounds in "met," "kit," "hot," "foot," "putt," "boot," "pit," "bet," and "cat."
Once you have learned the numbers 1-10, it is easy to form numbers 11-20 by combining the prefix "nshya" (eleven) with the numbers 1-10. For example:
- 11: nshya na rimwe (eleven with one)
- 12: nshya na kabiri (eleven with two)
- 13: nshya na gatatu (eleven with three)
- 14: nshya na kane (eleven with four)
- 15: nshya na gatanu (eleven with five)
- 16: nshya na gatandatu (eleven with six)
- 17: nshya na karindwi (eleven with seven)
- 18: nshya na umunani (eleven with eight)
- 19: nshya na igice (eleven with nine)
- 20: ishumi (ten with)
Practice counting and forming numbers 11-20 on your own, and then try to answer the following questions using the numbers you have learned:
- Uruzi rwanjye ni rimwe na kane. (My age is four and one.)
- Ndamufasha yari gatanu mu nzu. (I helped him/her in the house five times.)
- Nta mupira wanjye kuva umunani waje imbere. (I have no soccer ball from eight years ago.)
Knowing numbers up to 20 is essential for telling time, which will be covered in the next lesson.
Videos
The Sound of the Kinyarwanda language (Numbers, Greetings ...
Other Lessons
- Describing Relationships
- Family Members
- Eating and Drinking
- How to Say Hello and Greetings
- Fruits
- Clothes
- Drinks
- Geography
- Express Surprise
- Introducing Yourself