Airport & Customs

1. Nyamuneka erekana pasiporo yawe

   Nya-mu-ne-ka e-re-ka-na pa-si-po-ro ya-we

   Please show your passport

   Usage

   Standard phrase used by immigration officers

   Grammar Note

   Kinyarwanda follows SVO word order; "nyamuneka" (please) comes first to soften the request

2. Impamvu y'urugendo rwawe ni iyihe?

   I-mpa-mvu y'u-ru-ge-ndo rwa-we ni i-yi-he?

   What is the purpose of your visit?

   Usage

   Standard immigration question

   Grammar Note

   "Ni iyihe" = "which / what is it"; "impamvu" is a class 9 noun, so the interrogative agrees as "iyihe"

3. Ugamije kurara amajoro angahe?

   U-ga-mi-je ku-ra-ra a-ma-jo-ro an-ga-he?

   How many nights are you planning to stay?

   Usage

   Commonly asked at immigration

   Grammar Note

   "Angahe" = how many; "amajoro" (nights, plural of "ijoro") is class 6, so the agreement prefix is "a-"

4. Ufite ikintu cyo gutangaza?

   U-fi-te i-ki-ntu cyo gu-ta-nga-za?

   Do you have anything to declare?

   Usage

   Asked at customs

   Grammar Note

   "Ufite" is "u-" (you) + "-fite" (have); "ikintu" is class 7, so the following infinitive is linked with "cyo"

5. Imizigo yanjye ntiyageze

   I-mi-zi-go yan-jye nti-ya-ge-ze

   My luggage hasn't arrived

   Usage

   Tell baggage claim staff

   Grammar Note

   "Ntiyageze" is the negative perfect of "kugera" (to arrive) — "has not arrived"; "imizigo" is class 4, so the negative subject prefix is "nti-" + "i-"

6. Iyi ni imizigo y'intoki

   I-yi ni i-mi-zi-go y'in-to-ki

   This is carry-on luggage

   Usage

   Tell airline staff at check-in or boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "Intoki" = hands/fingers; "imizigo" is class 4, so the associative linker is "y-"

7. Ndi umugenzi unyura hano

   Ndi u-mu-ge-nzi u-nyu-ra ha-no

   I'm in transit

   Usage

   Used at transit counters or immigration

   Grammar Note

   "unyura" is the relative form of "kunyura" (to pass through), so "umugenzi unyura hano" is "a traveler passing through here", i.e. a transit passenger. "hano" means "here"

8. Irembo riri he?

   I-re-mbo ri-ri he?

   Where is the gate?

   Usage

   Ask when looking for your boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   "He" = where, placed at the end; "irembo" is class 5, so the verb agrees as "ri-" → "riri"

9. Abapasajeri batangira kujya mu ndege ryari?

   A-ba-pa-sa-je-ri ba-ta-ngi-ra ku-jya mu nde-ge rya-ri?

   When does boarding begin?

   Usage

   Ask while waiting at the boarding gate

   Grammar Note

   Used to ask when boarding starts; "abapasajeri" (passengers) is class 2, marked by the plural prefix "aba-"

10. Duka ritagura umusoro riri he?

    Du-ka ri-ta-gu-ra u-mu-so-ro ri-ri he?

    Where is the duty-free shop?

    Usage

    Ask after clearing security

    Grammar Note

    "Umusoro" = tax; "duka" (shop) is class 5, so the following relative clause agrees with "ri-"

Browse all TravelPhrases languages