Contacts & SNS

1. Witwa nde?

   Wi-twa n-de?

   What is your name?

   Usage

   Basic phrase for asking someone's name when first meeting them

   Grammar Note

   Reply: "Nitwa [name]" (I am called...). In Kinyarwanda, sharing names is fundamental social etiquette.

2. Uturutse he?

   U-tu-ru-tse he?

   Where are you from?

   Usage

   Used to ask someone where they come from

   Grammar Note

   Reply: "Nturutse [place]" (I come from...). "uturutse" is the 2nd person form of "kuturuka" (to come from).

3. Ndishimye kukumenya

   Ndi-shi-mye ku-ku-me-nya

   I am pleased to meet you

   Usage

   Standard greeting when meeting someone for the first time

   Grammar Note

   "ndishimye" is the perfect of "kwishima" (to be glad), with the 1st person marker "ndi-" (I). "ku-ku-" = infinitive prefix + 2nd person object.

4. Imeyili yanjye ni...

   I-mey-i-li yan-jye ni...

   My email is...

   Usage

   Used to share your email address when exchanging contact details

   Grammar Note

   "ni" is the Kinyarwanda copula meaning "is". "yanjye" means "my" (agreeing with the noun class of "imeyili").

5. Dushobora gusubirana

   Du-sho-bo-ra gu-su-bi-ra-na

   We can meet again

   Usage

   Used at parting to suggest meeting again. A warm farewell expressing hope to reconnect.

   Grammar Note

   "gusubirana" is a reciprocal verb meaning "to return to each other/meet again". "-na" marks reciprocity.

6. Nimero yanjye ya telefone ni...

   Ni-me-ro yan-jye ya te-le-fo-ne ni...

   My phone number is...

   Usage

   Used to share your phone number when exchanging contacts

   Grammar Note

   "nimero" is borrowed from French "numéro". MTN and Airtel are Rwanda's main mobile carriers

7. Turi kumwe kuri WhatsApp?

   Tu-ri ku-mwe ku-ri WhatsApp?

   Are you on WhatsApp? / Let's connect on WhatsApp

   Usage

   Used to suggest connecting via WhatsApp, popular in Rwanda

   Grammar Note

   WhatsApp is Rwanda's most used messaging app. "kuri" means "on/at" — a common preposition in Kinyarwanda

8. Twaganiriye neza cyane

   Twa-ga-ni-ri-ye ne-za cya-ne

   We had a very good conversation

   Usage

   A warm closing phrase after an enjoyable conversation

   Grammar Note

   "twaganiriye" is the 1st person plural past of "kuganira" (to converse) — a Kinyarwanda reciprocal verb

9. Nzakuvugisha ejo

   Nza-ku-vu-gi-sha e-jo

   I will contact you tomorrow

   Usage

   Used to promise future contact after exchanging information

   Grammar Note

   "nzakuvugisha" packs "I+future+you+talk to" into one word — classic Kinyarwanda verb morphology. "ejo" means "tomorrow" in a future context

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