Martial Arts

1. Nshobora kureba imyitozo?

   Nsho-bo-ra ku-re-ba i-myi-to-zo?

   May I watch the training?

   Usage

   Almost no traditional Rwandan fighting art is documented, but Kigali has modern combat sports gyms. Judo is organised through a national federation that sends athletes to international events, and boxing and taekwondo clubs are growing

   Grammar Note

   "Nshobora" is the first-person present of "gushobora" (to be able), followed by an infinitive in "ku-". "Imyitozo" is a class 4 plural; the singular is "umwitozo"

2. Nshobora kwitoza umunsi umwe gusa?

   Nsho-bo-ra kwi-to-za u-mun-si u-mwe gu-sa?

   Can I train for just one day?

   Usage

   Kigali gyms mostly work on monthly membership, but many will quote a single-session price for a visitor. Hotel fitness centres sometimes run kickboxing classes as well

   Grammar Note

   "Kwitoza" contains the reflexive infix "-i-", literally to train oneself. Numerals agree with class: class 3 "umunsi" (day) takes "umwe" (one)

3. Umunsi umwe ni angahe?

   U-mun-si u-mwe ni an-ga-he?

   How much is one day?

   Usage

   The currency is the Rwandan franc. City gym membership runs roughly 10,000-30,000 francs a month, with a drop-in at a few thousand. Mobile money is widely accepted

   Grammar Note

   "Ni" is the copula linking a noun to another noun or a question word. "Ni angahe" is the most basic way to ask a price and works in any shop or market

4. Ndi umutangizi, sinigeze nkora siporo yo kurwana.

   Ndi u-mu-tan-gi-zi, si-ni-ge-ze nko-ra si-po-ro yo ku-rwa-na.

   I am a beginner, I have never done a combat sport

   Usage

   Tell the desk or coach up front and they will start you from stance and breakfalls. Rwandan gyms rarely post skill levels and rely on you saying where you are

   Grammar Note

   Negation prefixes "si-" before the subject marker (n- becomes sin-). "Siporo yo kurwana" means "sport for fighting" and covers combat sports generally

5. Mufite gants zo gukodesha?

   Mu-fi-te gants zo gu-ko-de-sha?

   Do you have gloves to rent?

   Usage

   "Gants" is a French loanword used everyday in Rwanda, though English "gloves" is understood too. Gym equipment is often limited and shared, so bring your own if you can

   Grammar Note

   "Mu-" is the second-person plural subject prefix, also used to address a business politely. "Zo + infinitive" forms a purpose modifier meaning "for doing"

6. Nyamuneka, ukore buhoro buhoro.

   Nya-mu-ne-ka, u-ko-re bu-ho-ro bu-ho-ro.

   Please take it gently

   Usage

   Say this before sparring or throwing practice. "Buhoro buhoro" means slowly, little by little, and is very common in everyday speech. "Nyamuneka" is the all-purpose softener for requests

   Grammar Note

   Polite requests use the subjunctive, shifting the final vowel from "-a" to "-e" (gukora becomes ukore). Reduplicating the adverb reinforces the sense of gradualness

7. Ivi ryanjye rirababara, sinshobora gutera.

   I-vi ryan-jye ri-ra-ba-ba-ra, sin-sho-bo-ra gu-te-ra.

   My knee hurts, I cannot kick

   Usage

   Always declare this before training. Swap "ivi" (knee) for "ipfundo" (joint), "umugongo" (back) or "urutugu" (shoulder). Gyms take no intake form, so speaking up is the only way

   Grammar Note

   Possessives agree with noun class: "ivi" is class 5 and takes "ryanjye" (my), while other classes give "wanjye", "yanjye" and so on

8. Imyitozo itangira saa ngahe?

   I-myi-to-zo i-tan-gi-ra sa-a nga-he?

   What time does the training start?

   Usage

   Kigali gyms cluster their classes early in the morning and after six in the evening. Close to the equator, sunrise and sunset barely shift through the year, so schedules stay constant. Many venues close on the last Saturday morning of each month for Umuganda, the national community work day

   Grammar Note

   "Saa" is a loan via Swahili meaning hour. East African counting from sunrise survives in Rwanda, though cities also use international clock times

9. Mwigisha judo hano?

   Mwi-gi-sha judo ha-no?

   Do you teach judo here?

   Usage

   The Rwandan judo federation is among the country's best-organised combat sports bodies, with several dojo in Kigali. It sends athletes to international competition and welcomes visitors who want to try a session. Swap "judo" for "karate", "taekwondo" or "boxing"

   Grammar Note

   "Kwigisha" (to teach) is "kwiga" (to learn) plus a causative suffix. The prefix "mu-" regularly becomes "mw-" before a vowel in Kinyarwanda

10. Hari aho kwiyuhagirira?

    Ha-ri a-ho kwi-yu-ha-gi-ri-ra?

    Is there somewhere to shower?

    Usage

    Newer Kigali gyms have showers, but neighbourhood clubs often do not. Bring your own towel. Rwanda sits high above sea level and mornings and evenings are cool, so pack a change of clothes

    Grammar Note

    "Hari" is the locative existential "there is". "Kwiyuhagira" is reflexive, to wash oneself, and the applicative extension adds the sense of doing it at a place

11. Zamura amaboko, urebe mu maso y'uwo urwana na we!

    Za-mu-ra a-ma-bo-ko, u-re-be mu ma-so y'u-wo u-rwa-na na we!

    Raise your hands, look into the eyes of the one you are fighting!

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Coaching in Kigali gyms often mixes Kinyarwanda, English and French. It comes as a short imperative with no rudeness intended

    Grammar Note

    A positive command uses the bare stem (zamura). The second verb shifts to the subjunctive "urebe", chaining the two instructions together

12. Tera ukomeye, ntugire ubwoba!

    Te-ra u-ko-me-ye, ntu-gi-re u-bwo-ba!

    Kick hard, do not be afraid!

    Usage

    Said by the coach during pad work. In actual sparring you would be told the opposite, so treat this as aimed at pads and bags

    Grammar Note

    Negative commands take "nti-" plus the subject prefix plus the stem in "-e". "Ubwoba" is a class 14 abstract noun, and "gira ubwoba" (to have fear) is the idiom for being afraid

13. Ruhuka iminota itanu, unywe amazi.

    Ru-hu-ka i-mi-no-ta i-ta-nu, u-nywe a-ma-zi.

    Rest for five minutes and drink water

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Kigali sits at about 1,500 metres and newcomers get out of breath quickly. Do not drink the tap water — bring bottled

    Grammar Note

    Numerals agree with class: class 4 "iminota" (minutes) takes "itanu" (five). "Amazi" (water) is a class 6 plural and is always treated as plural

14. Birahagije uyu munsi. Wakoze neza!

    Bi-ra-ha-gi-je u-yu mun-si. Wa-ko-ze ne-za!

    That is enough for today. You did well!

    Usage

    The coach's closing line. In Rwanda it is courteous to shake hands with everyone after a session. Reply with "murakoze" (thank you)

    Grammar Note

    "Wakoze" is the perfective of "gukora" (to do, to work) and shares its root with the thanks formula "murakoze". "Neza" is the adverb "well"

15. Ukwezi kumwe ni angahe?

    U-kwe-zi ku-mwe ni an-ga-he?

    How much is one month?

    Usage

    Staying over a week, monthly membership beats paying per visit. Some gyms add a joining fee, so ask what the month covers — use of the weights room, how many classes and so on. Mobile money is the easiest way to pay

    Grammar Note

    "Ukwezi" means both the moon and the calendar month, and its plural "amezi" shifts to a different class. Numerals agree with class, so "ukwezi" takes "kumwe" (one)

16. Hari amasomo y'abagore gusa?

    Ha-ri a-ma-so-mo y'a-ba-go-re gu-sa?

    Are there classes for women only?

    Usage

    Kigali has a growing number of women's self-defence and fitness classes, and the judo and taekwondo clubs run girls' groups. Clubs outside the capital are often all-male, so check in advance

    Grammar Note

    The connective "of" agrees with the class of the first noun: class 6 "amasomo" takes "ya", which contracts to "y'" before a vowel

17. Nyamuneka, ongera unyereke.

    Nya-mu-ne-ka, on-ge-ra u-nye-re-ke.

    Please show me again

    Usage

    The standard request while learning a technique. Coaching in Kigali mixes Kinyarwanda, English and French, so repeating it in English does no harm. Gesturing works if you do not know the name of the move

    Grammar Note

    The imperative of "kwongera" (to do again) followed by a subjunctive verb expresses "do it once more". Objects sit inside the verb as infixes, with "-n-" standing for "me"

18. Ni ryari nzabasha kurwana n'undi?

    Ni rya-ri nza-ba-sha ku-rwa-na n'un-di?

    When will I be able to spar with someone?

    Usage

    Sparring waits on the coach's approval, usually until your breakfalls and basic defence hold up. Judo lets you into randori relatively early, while striking gyms want several sessions first. A mouthguard is your own

    Grammar Note

    The infix "-za-" marks the future, so "n-za-basha" is "I will be able to". The comitative "na" (with) contracts to "n'" before a vowel

Browse all TravelPhrases languages