Health & Hospital

1. Ndwaye, ndakeneye muganga

   n-dwa-ye, nda-ke-ne-ye mu-gan-ga

   I am sick, I need a doctor

   Usage

   Emergency phrase when sick and needing a doctor

   Grammar Note

   "Ndwaye" is the first person singular perfect of "kurwara" (to be sick). "Muganga" uses the class 1 human prefix "mu-".

2. Niki gitabaza inzu y'abarwayi?

   Ni-ki gi-ta-ba-za in-zu y'a-ba-rwa-yi?

   What is the hospital emergency number?

   Usage

   Asking for the hospital phone number

   Grammar Note

   "Inzu y'abarwayi" = "inzu" (house) + "y'" + "abarwayi" (sick people) = hospital. The "aba-" prefix marks human plural nouns.

3. Umutwe urambabaza

   u-mu-twe u-ram-ba-ba-za

   My head is hurting me

   Usage

   Expressing a headache

   Grammar Note

   "Urambabaza" = "u-" (class 1 subject) + "ra-" (present) + "m-" (first person object) + "babaza" (to cause pain). Kinyarwanda encodes subject-object agreement within the verb.

4. Mfite umuriro

   m-fi-te u-mu-ri-ro

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Reporting a fever

   Grammar Note

   "Mfite" means "I have". "Umuriro" literally means "fire"; "mfite umuriro" is "I have a fever".

5. Ufite imiti?

   u-fi-te i-mi-ti?

   Do you have medicine?

   Usage

   Asking a pharmacy or doctor for medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Imiti" is the class 4 (i-/imi-) plural of "muti" (medicine/tree). "Ufite" is second person singular present of "kugira" (to have).

6. Ndakomereka

   nda-ko-me-re-ka

   I am injured

   Usage

   Reporting an injury

   Grammar Note

   "-komereka" is the passive/stative of "komera" (to be strong/hurt), meaning "to be injured". "Nda-" is first person singular affirmative present.

7. Inshuti yanjye ararimo kuruka

   in-shu-ti yan-jye a-ra-ri-mo ku-ru-ka

   My friend is vomiting

   Usage

   Reporting that a companion is vomiting/unwell

   Grammar Note

   "Yanjye" is the first person possessive "my" agreeing with class 9 "inshuti". "Ararimo kuruka" means "is vomiting" (literally "is in the middle of vomiting").

8. Ndakeneye agakoresho k'uburinzi

   nda-ke-ne-ye a-ga-ko-re-sho k'u-bu-rin-zi

   I need a first aid kit

   Usage

   Asking for a first aid kit

   Grammar Note

   "Aga-" in "agakoresho" is the class 12 prefix (small/concrete items). "K'uburinzi" contracts "ka" (class 12 connector) + "uburinzi" (protection/safety).

9. Ndashaka gusuzumwa

   nda-sha-ka gu-su-zu-mwa

   I want to be examined

   Usage

   Requesting a medical examination

   Grammar Note

   "Gusuzumwa" is the passive infinitive of "gusuzuma" (to examine), formed by adding "-wa" to the verb root. Kinyarwanda forms passives with the "-wa" suffix.

10. Ndi ufite indwara ya malariya

    n-di u-fi-te in-dwa-ra ya ma-la-ri-ya

    I have malaria

    Usage

    Reporting malaria infection to a healthcare worker (important in tropical regions)

    Grammar Note

    "Indwara" is a class 9 noun. "Ya malariya" uses the class 9 connector "ya". Malaria remains a significant health concern in Rwanda and East Africa.

11. Ndatwite

    I am pregnant

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist you are pregnant

12. Asima

    Asthma

    Usage

    Tell staff you have asthma; the word comes from French "asthme"

13. Diyabete

    Diabetes

    Usage

    Tell staff you are diabetic

14. Indwara y'umutima

    Heart disease

    Usage

    Tell staff you have a heart condition

15. Igicuri

    Epilepsy

    Usage

    Tell staff you have epilepsy

16. Umuvuduko w'amaraso

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    Tell staff about your blood pressure; the phrase is also the general term for blood pressure

17. Igufwa ryavunitse

    I have a broken bone

    Usage

    Say you think a bone is broken

18. Sinshobora guhumeka

    I can't breathe

    Usage

    Say you are struggling to breathe

19. Ndava amaraso

    I am bleeding

    Usage

    Say that you are bleeding

20. Igikomere

    Wound

    Usage

    Show a wound

21. Inkorora

    Cough

    Usage

    Report that you have a cough

22. Impiswi

    Diarrhoea

    Usage

    Report diarrhoea

23. Imihango

    Menstruation

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist about your period

24. Ubwishingizi bw'ubuzima

    Health insurance

    Usage

    Show at reception that you have health insurance

25. Ubwoko bw'amaraso

    Blood type

    Usage

    Tell staff your blood type, or ask for one

26. Kurara mu bitaro

    Hospital admission

    Usage

    Check whether you need to be admitted; literally "to spend the night at the hospital"

27. Guhinda umushyitsi

    Chills

    Usage

    Report the shivering that comes with a fever; the phrasing used in malaria and pneumonia symptom lists

28. Ibicurane

    Common cold

    Usage

    Report cold symptoms; the same word also covers influenza

29. Hamagara muganga!

    Ha-ma-ga-ra mu-gan-ga!

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Ask a bystander to call a doctor for a sudden illness or injury

    Grammar Note

    Fills the "Hamagara + person to summon" frame of "Hamagara polisi!" ("call the police") with "muganga" (doctor) from «Ndakeneye muganga vuba vuba». The "mu-" of "muganga" is the class 1 human singular prefix.

30. Umubiri wanjye wananiwe.

    U-mu-bi-ri wan-jye wa-na-ni-we.

    My body feels sluggish

    Usage

    Tell medical staff about the whole-body heaviness that comes with a fever or infection

    Grammar Note

    "Umubiri" (body) is a class 3 (umu-/imi-) noun; both the possessive "wanjye" and the subject prefix "wa-" agree with class 3. Compare "byanjye" in «Banyibye ibintu byanjye», the same possessive agreeing with class 8 "ibintu".

31. Ndakeneye kuruhuka?

    Nda-ke-ne-ye ku-ru-hu-ka?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Check with the doctor after an examination whether you need to rest

    Grammar Note

    Fills the "Ndakeneye + what is needed" frame of "Ndakeneye agakoresho k'uburinzi" ("I need a first aid kit") with the infinitive "kuruhuka" (to rest). As in "Ufite imiti?", the question is marked by intonation rather than a change of word order.

32. Impatwe

    Constipation

    Usage

    Lets you report an awkward symptom without saying it. Example: "kwituma impatwe (constipation)"

33. Amabyi

    Poop

    Usage

    The word for human stool, used in medical contexts too (cholera testing: "gupima amabyi"), not a child word. The same spelling can also mean earwax

34. Inkari

    Pee

    Usage

    The standard word for urine (testing: "gupima inkari"). Show it at a clinic when talking about urine

35. Mfite impiswi

    Mfi-te im-pi-swi

    I have diarrhea

    Usage

    To tell a doctor or pharmacist that you have diarrhea

    Grammar Note

    The same "Mfite + symptom" pattern as "Mfite umuriro" (I have a fever). “impiswi” means “diarrhoea”.

36. Mfite impatwe

    Mfi-te im-pa-twe

    I'm constipated

    Usage

    To tell a doctor or pharmacist that you are constipated

    Grammar Note

    The same "Mfite + symptom" pattern as "Mfite impiswi". “impatwe” means “constipation”.

37. Ndashaka kwihagarika

    Nda-sha-ka kwi-ha-ga-ri-ka

    I need to pee

    Usage

    To tell a companion or a child that you need to pee. "Kwihagarika" is the standard way to say to urinate

    Grammar Note

    Fills the "Ndashaka + what I want / want to do" frame of "Ndashaka umuti w'impiswi" with the infinitive "kwihagarika". Example: "ububabare nyuma yo kwihagarika" (pain after urinating).

38. Ndashaka kwituma

    Nda-sha-ka kwi-tu-ma

    I need to poop

    Usage

    To tell a companion or a child that you need to poop. "Kwituma" is the standard way to say to defecate

    Grammar Note

    The “Ndashaka + infinitive” pattern. Kwituma also appears in phrases like “kwituma impatwe” (to be constipated).

Browse all TravelPhrases languages