Language/Rundi/Grammar/How-to-Use-Have
Hi Rundi learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to use "have" in Rundi. "Have" is a very important verb, and by learning how to use it properly, you can greatly expand your vocabulary and ability to express yourself in Rundi. We will look at its proper use in present, past and future tenses. And don't forget to practice with a native speaker, so visit Polyglot Club, find native speakers and ask them any questions about Rundi Grammar! 😊
Present Tense: Using "Have" to Express Possession[edit | edit source]
The verb "have" in Rundi is "nii". It is used to express possession or ownership of something (or someone). It is usually followed by the possessive particle "ya". Let's take an example:
Rundi | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Ndi nii ya moto | ndì níí yà móto | I have a car |
Wewe nii ya umugore | wéwè níí yà umugóro | You have a wife |
Yeye nii ya amazi | yéyé níí yà amázi | He/She has water |
Turi nii ya ibintu | túrì níí yà ibíntú | We have things |
Muri nii ya amaraso | mùrì níí yà amaràso | You all have soup |
Bari nii ya imyaka | bàrì níí yà imyáka | They have years |
Note that "ya" means "of" in Rundi, so the literal translation of "Ndi nii ya moto" is "I have of car" (which is grammatically correct in Rundi).
Present Continuous Tense: Using "Have" to Express an Ongoing Action[edit | edit source]
To express an ongoing action in the present continuous tense, we use the following structure:
Subject + nii + words ending with "-a" (which act as a present continuous marker) + object (optional)
Here are some examples:
Rundi | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Ndi nii ndagira | ndì níí ndágìrá | I am having lunch |
Wewe nii umugabo anga ari muri kitchen | wéwè níí umugábo ángá árì múrí kítchéñ | You (male) are having a conversation in the kitchen |
Yeye nii avuga naba | yéyé níí àvùgá nábà | He/She is talking to me |
Turi nii twarahiwe | túrì níí twàràhìwè | We are being had (this might sound strange in English, but in Rundi it means that we are being tricked or cheated) |
Muri nii amahirwe | mùrì níí àmàhìrwè | You all are being had |
Bari nii bahora bari bavuze | bàrì níí bàhórà bàrì bàvùzé | They are having a meeting and they are talking |
Past Tense: Using "Have" to Express a Completed Action in the Past[edit | edit source]
To express a completed action in the past tense, we use the following structure:
Subject + nii + -ri + object
Here are some examples:
Rundi | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Ndi nii yari mu rugo | ndì níí yàrì mú rúgo | I had been at home |
Wewe nii yari kwambara | wéwè níí yàrì kwàmbàrà | You (male) had worn a hat |
Yeye nii yari kamwe | yéyé níí yàrì kàmwè | He/She had eaten a mango |
Turi nii yari kuva muri gare | túrì níí yàrì kùvá mùrì gárè | We had come from a journey |
Muri nii yari kwitaba | mùrì níí yàrì kwìtába | You all had slept |
Bari nii yari bigeze | bàrì níí yàrì bígezè | They had arrived |
Note that the suffix "-ri" changes according to the tense and the subject.
Future Tense: Using "Have" to Express a Future Action[edit | edit source]
To express a future action, we use the following structure:
Subject + niko + nii + object
Here are some examples:
Rundi | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Ndi niko ndi nii ya jyana | ndì níkò ndì níí yà jyàna | I will have a book |
Wewe niko wewe nii ni muri iri jambo | wéwè níkò wéwè níí nì múrì ìrì jàmbó | You (male) will have an appointment tomorrow |
Yeye niko yeye nii ni muri jenoside | yéyé níkò yéyé níí nì múrì jenósìdè | He/She will have participated in the genocide |
Turi niko turi nii gushaka amafaranga | túrì níkò túrì níí gùshàká àmàfàràngá | We will be looking for money |
Muri niko muri nii muri muntu | mùrì níkò mùrì níí múrì múntú | You all will have someone |
Bari niko bari nii bari babaho | bàrì níkò bàrì níí bàrì bàbàhò | They will have succeeded |
Dialogue: Using "Have" to Express Possession[edit | edit source]
Here's an example dialogue between two people, using "have" to express possession:
- Person 1: Wewe nii ya ibijumba? (wéwè níí yà ìbíjùmbà?) - Do you have money?
- Person 2: Oya, ndi nii ya ibijumba. (óyá, ndì níí yà ìbíjùmbà) - Yes, I have money.
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Using "have" in Rundi is not so complicated, and once you understand the basic structure, you can use it in many different contexts. However, as with any language, practice makes perfect! Don't forget to visit Polyglot Club, find native speakers and ask them any questions you may have about Rundi Grammar. Keep up the good work! 😊
➡ 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. 😎
Excellent job on conquering this lesson! Consider delving into these related pages: Conditional Mood & Pronouns.
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Plurals
- Conditional Mood
- Adjectives
- Negation
- Pronouns
- Gender
- How to Use Be
- Questions
- Give your Opinion
Sources[edit | edit source]