Schedule & Booking

1. Ni saa ngahe ubu?

   ni saa nga-he u-bu?

   What time is it now?

   Usage

   Basic phrase to ask the time

   Grammar Note

   "Saa" is borrowed from Swahili "saa" (hour). Rwanda uses both standard and Swahili-influenced time-telling. "Ubu" is the temporal adverb for "now".

2. Ni saa tatu z'igitondo

   ni saa ta-tu z'i-gi-ton-do

   It is 9 AM (Swahili counting: "3 of morning")

   Usage

   Saying 9 AM using Swahili-influenced time counting

   Grammar Note

   The Swahili time system counts from dawn (6 AM = "saa moja"), so "saa tatu" = 9 AM. "Z'igitondo" contracts "za" (class 10 connector) + "igitondo" (morning).

3. Uyu munsi

   u-yu mu-n-si

   today

   Usage

   Basic time reference for today

   Grammar Note

   "Uyu" is the class 3 demonstrative "this". "Munsi" is a class 3 (umu-) noun for "day". Uniquely, "ejo" means both "yesterday" and "tomorrow" depending on context.

4. Ejo duhure.

   e-jo du-hu-re.

   Let us meet tomorrow

   Usage

   Proposing to meet tomorrow

   Grammar Note

   "Ejo" can mean "tomorrow" or "yesterday" depending on context; here the invitation points to the future, so it is "tomorrow". "Duhure" is the first person plural subjunctive of "guhura" (to meet), expressing "let us meet".

5. Ejo habeze nagiye ku isoko

   e-jo ha-be-ze na-gi-ye ku i-so-ko

   Yesterday, I went to the market

   Usage

   Recounting something done yesterday

   Grammar Note

   "Habeze" is a past temporal modifier. "Ejo habeze" (yesterday) vs "ejo hazaza" (tomorrow). "Nagiye" is first person singular perfect of "kujya" (to go).

6. Icyumweru gikurikira

   i-cyu-mwe-ru gi-ku-ri-ki-ra

   next week

   Usage

   Discussing next week's plans

   Grammar Note

   "Icyumweru" is a class 7 noun (icy- prefix). "Gikurikira" is class 7 subject form of "gukurikira" (to follow) meaning "the following/next week".

7. Tarehe ni iyihe?

   ta-re-he ni i-yi-he?

   What is today's date?

   Usage

   Asking for today's date

   Grammar Note

   "Tarehe" is borrowed from Swahili "tarehe" (date). "Iyihe" is the class 9 interrogative pronoun "which". Rwanda uses many Swahili-origin time and number vocabulary.

8. Twatinze.

   twa-ti-nze.

   We have become late

   Usage

   Acknowledging that you are running late

   Grammar Note

   "Twatinze" is the first person plural perfect of "gutinda" (to be late/delayed).

9. Vuba vuba!

   vu-ba vu-ba!

   Hurry up! Quickly!

   Usage

   Urgent casual expression to hurry

   Grammar Note

   "Vuba vuba" uses repetition for emphasis, a common Kinyarwanda linguistic feature. Reduplication expresses intensity, habituality, or urgency.

10. Gahunda y'urugendo

    ga-hun-da y'u-ru-gen-do

    travel itinerary / schedule

    Usage

    Referring to a travel itinerary or schedule

    Grammar Note

    "Gahunda" is a class 9 noun, so its connector is "ya". "Y'urugendo" contracts "ya" + "urugendo". "Uru-" in "urugendo" is the class 11 noun prefix.

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