Emergency

1. Nimutabare! Ndakeneye ubufasha!

   Ni-mu-ta-ba-re! Nda-ke-ne-ye u-bu-fa-sha!

   Help! I need help!

   Usage

   Used loudly in an emergency. Rwanda's emergency number is 112; for an ambulance, 912.

   Grammar Note

   "nimutabare" is the plural imperative of gutabara (to rescue), a cry for help. "Ndakeneye ubufasha" means "I need help".

2. Hamagara polisi!

   Ha-ma-ga-ra po-li-si!

   Call the police!

   Usage

   Used to demand someone call the police in a dangerous situation

   Grammar Note

   "hamagara" is the imperative of "guhamagara" (to call/summon). Rwanda is generally safe but stay alert.

3. Ndakeneye muganga vuba vuba

   Nda-ke-ne-ye mu-gan-ga vu-ba vu-ba

   I need a doctor right away

   Usage

   Used in a medical emergency. Rwanda's healthcare has significantly improved in recent years.

   Grammar Note

   "vuba vuba" is reduplicated "vuba" (fast) meaning "very urgently". Reduplication for emphasis is a Kinyarwanda feature.

4. Ndabuze inzira. Sinzi aho ndi.

   Nda-bu-ze in-zi-ra. Sin-zi a-ho n-di.

   I am lost. I don't know where I am.

   Usage

   Used when lost to ask for help finding your way

   Grammar Note

   "ndabuze inzira" = "I have lost my way", i.e. "I am lost". "sinzi" is the negative of "kumenya" (to know).

5. Imbangukiragutabara irasabwa! Habaye impanuka!

   Im-ban-gu-ki-ra-gu-ta-ba-ra i-ra-sa-bwa! Ha-ba-ye im-pa-nu-ka!

   An ambulance is needed! There has been an accident!

   Usage

   Used to call for emergency help after a traffic accident or serious injury

   Grammar Note

   "Imbangukiragutabara" is a native Kinyarwanda coinage, literally "the one that hurries to the rescue"; English "ambulance" is also understood, as English is an official language. "impanuka" means "accident/disaster" and "irasabwa" is passive, "is needed/required".

6. Ndashaka kujya ku ivuriro

   Nda-sha-ka ku-jya ku i-vu-ri-ro

   I want to go to the hospital

   Usage

   Used when you need to go to the hospital due to illness or injury

   Grammar Note

   Main hospitals in Kigali: King Faisal Hospital, CHUK. Rwanda's emergency number is 112; for an ambulance, 912 is the direct line. 112 Emergency / 912 Ambulance / 113 Traffic Accidents / 114 Health services / 116 Child Help Line

7. Ndakeneye ubutabazi

   Nda-ke-ne-ye u-bu-ta-ba-zi

   I need emergency assistance

   Usage

   A strong expression used when requiring urgent emergency help

   Grammar Note

   "ubutabazi" means "emergency aid/rescue" in Kinyarwanda. A critical phrase in urgent situations

8. Banyibye

   Ba-nyi-bye

   I was robbed / It was stolen

   Usage

   Used to report a robbery or theft to the police

   Grammar Note

   "banyibye" is the perfective of kwiba (to steal): "they stole from me", i.e. "I was robbed". The same verb appears in «Banyibye ibintu byanjye».

9. Ndabuze inzira

   Nda-bu-ze in-zi-ra

   I am lost / I have lost my way

   Usage

   Used when lost to ask for directions or help

   Grammar Note

   "ndabuze" is the present perfect of "kubura" (to lose). "inzira" means "road/way/direction"

10. Ndashaka kuvugana n'ambasade

    Nda-sha-ka ku-vu-ga-na n'am-ba-sa-de

    I want to contact the embassy

    Usage

    Used to request contact with your country's embassy in Rwanda

    Grammar Note

    "ambasade" is borrowed from French. Most foreign embassies in Rwanda are located in Kiyovu, Kigali

11. Hagarika!

    Stop it

    Usage

    Cut off persistent touts or harassment

12. Ntukankoreho!

    Don't touch me

    Usage

    Firmly tell someone not to touch you

13. Banyibye ibintu byanjye

    My things were stolen

    Usage

    Report a theft to the police or bystanders

14. Inkongi y'umuriro

    Fire

    Usage

    Report a blaze; this is the word for a destructive fire, not plain "umuriro" (fire)

15. Umujura

    Thief

    Usage

    Point out the person who stole from you

16. Ubujura

    Robbery

    Usage

    Report the crime itself; the word covers both theft and robbery

17. Gushimuta

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Report that someone has been taken away; this names a crime, like arson or murder.

18. Inkongi y'umuriro! Nimuhunge!

    In-kon-gi y'u-mu-ri-ro! Ni-mu-hun-ge!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Shout this when you see a fire and need bystanders to get out; the imperative is plural, so it addresses everyone present.

    Grammar Note

    "Inkongi y'umuriro" means “fire”. "Nimuhunge" is the plural imperative of "guhunga" (to flee): "ni-" (imperative) + "mu-" (2nd person plural) + "hunge".

19. Umujura! Nimumufate!

    U-mu-ju-ra! Ni-mu-mu-fa-te!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Point at the person who stole from you and ask bystanders to hold them

    Grammar Note

    "Umujura" (thief) is a class 1 (umu-/aba-) noun. "Nimumufate" is "ni-" (imperative) + "mu-" (2pl subject) + "mu-" (class 1 object, "him") + "fate"; the object prefix agrees with class 1 "umujura".

20. Sitasiyo ya polisi iri hehe?

    Si-ta-si-yo ya po-li-si i-ri he-he?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Ask where the police station is so you can file a report

    Grammar Note

    Follows the "X iri hehe?" ("where is X?") pattern seen in "Kasino iri hehe?", with "sitasiyo ya polisi" (police station) filled in. "Sitasiyo" is a class 9 loan noun, so it takes the class 9 connector "ya" and the class 9 subject prefix "i-" in "iri".

21. Hari umuntu uvuga Ikiyapani?

    Ha-ri u-mun-tu u-vu-ga I-ki-ya-pa-ni?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Ask at a police station or hospital whether anyone speaks Japanese

    Grammar Note

    Combines the "Hari …?" ("is there …?") frame from «Hari ATM hafi aha?» with the "Uvuga …?" ("do you speak …?") frame from «Uvuga icyongereza?». "Umuntu" is class 1, so the relative verb takes the class 1 subject prefix "u-", giving "uvuga".

22. Umuntu ararohama mu mazi!

    U-mun-tu a-ra-ro-ha-ma mu ma-zi!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Call for help when you see someone drowning

    Grammar Note

    "Umuntu" is class 1, so the subject prefix is "a-", giving "a-ra-rohama" = "ararohama". "Mu mazi" is "mu" (in) + "amazi" (water) with the initial vowel elided.

23. Bankubise.

    Ban-ku-bi-se.

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Report to police or medical staff that you were assaulted

    Grammar Note

    Uses the same "ba-" (they) + "-n-" (me) + perfective verb frame as "Banyibye ibintu byanjye" ("my things were stolen"). "-kubise" is the perfective of "-kubita" (to beat). Kinyarwanda uses a 3rd person plural subject this way even when the agent is unknown, giving a passive sense.

24. Umujura yinjiye mu nzu yanjye.

    U-mu-ju-ra yin-ji-ye mu nzu yan-jye.

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Report that someone entered your room or lodging while you were out

    Grammar Note

    "Umujura" is class 1, so the subject prefix "a-" fuses with the initial vowel of "-injira" to give "yinjiye". "Mu nzu" is "mu" + "inzu" (house) with vowel elision, and "yanjye" (my) is the class 9 possessive agreeing with "inzu" — compare "byanjye" in «Banyibye ibintu byanjye», which agrees with class 8 "ibintu".

25. Uwo muntu ni we wabikoze.

    U-wo mun-tu ni we wa-bi-ko-ze.

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Point out the offender to the police; literally "that person is the one who did it"

    Grammar Note

    "Muntu" is class 1 (the same noun as "Umuntu umwe"); both the demonstrative "uwo" and the relative subject prefix "wa-" agree with class 1. "Wabikoze" is "wa-" (class 1, past) + "bi-" (class 8 object, "them/it") + "koze", the perfective of "gukora" (to do).

26. Nibagiwe ibintu byanjye.

    Ni-ba-gi-we i-bin-tu byan-jye.

    I left it behind

    Usage

    Tell staff that you left your belongings behind

    Grammar Note

    "Ibintu byanjye" (my things) is the same phrase as in «Banyibye ibintu byanjye»; the possessive "byanjye" agrees with class 8 "ibintu". "Nibagiwe" is the first person perfective of "kwibagirwa" (to forget).

27. Habaye impanuka y'imodoka.

    Ha-ba-ye im-pa-nu-ka y'i-mo-do-ka.

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Report a road accident; Rwanda's emergency number is 112 and 113 is the traffic-accident line

    Grammar Note

    Extends "Habaye impanuka!" ("there has been an accident") from «Imbangukiragutabara irasabwa! Habaye impanuka!» with "y'imodoka" ("of a car") to narrow it to a road accident. "Impanuka" is class 9, so the connector is "ya", contracted to "y'" before a vowel.

28. Witonde!

    Wi-ton-de!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Warn the person in front of you about an immediate danger

    Grammar Note

    The same second person singular imperative of "kwitonda" (to be careful) as in "Witondere amazi!" ("watch out for the water"), here without an object so it covers any immediate danger.

29. Ngwino vuba vuba!

    Ngwi-no vu-ba vu-ba!

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Tell someone on the phone or nearby to come immediately

    Grammar Note

    Uses the same adverb "vuba vuba" (reduplicated "vuba", fast) as «Ndakeneye muganga vuba vuba». "Ngwino" is the suppletive imperative of "kuza" (to come) — a standalone form that is not derived from the regular paradigm.

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