Lesson 11

Class 3 (contunued)

Vocabulary

imvura - rain	ifu - flour (pl. amafu) (some use ifarini)
inyama - meat (usually pl.)	isuka - hoe (pl. amasuka)
ihene - goat	isaho - bag, sack (pl. amasaho)
imuhirai - at home	isahane (or, isahani) - plate, dish (Swahili) (pl. amasahane)

17. Some third class irregularities. The last five words in this vocabulary, as well as ihene have no n in the prefix; the prefix is simply i.

1. ifu - its plural, amafu, is used only of different types of flour.

2. ifi - though the plural is usually amafi, sometimes it is the same as the singular.

3. isuka, isaho, and isahane, all from their plurals with ama- in the place of i-. This is the regular plural of the fifth class, and you will learn the proper agreements there. See par. 30. Both the singular is 3rd class.

Note: Isahane is a Swahili word. From time to time a few Swahili words will be given because there is no equivalent for them in Kinyarwanda.

18. Preposition i. This preposition means at, to, from. It is used almost entirely with place names, e.g. i Kibuye - at Kibuye, i Remera - at Remera. With certain places ku or mu may be used, but that must be learned by familiarity with the place. However, in general, i is used.

This preposition is also used in the expressions: imuhira - at home, and with the possessive pronoun, thus: iwacu - at our place, or, at home; iwanyu - at your place (home); iwabo - at their place (home). Note that in all of these the i is attached to the other word.

In all of these latter expressions, in most instances the plural pronoun is used; however the singular is used for the head man of the kraal or family. He would say iwanjye. If he said “iwacu” he would bean “in our vicinity”. In speaking of “his place (home)”, one would say iwe.

Exercises:

I. Translate into English.

: 1. Abantu benshi bafite ihene. 2. Mfite amasuka imuhira. 3. Imvura ni nziza. 4. Abagabo barajya mu Kirambo. 5. Umuhungu wawe afite ihene nyinshi n’inka nyinshi. 6. Umugabo afite inyama nziza nyinshi. 7. Iwacu mfite isaho nini cyane. 8. Abigishwa barakora i Kibogora. 9. Umusaza afite ifi nyinshi. 10. Ifu yacu ni nziza. 11. Abahungu bafite imbwa iwabo.

II. Translate into Kinyarwanda:

: 1. I have much good flour. 2. The old man has many goats at his place. 3. The woman has a hoe in her house. 4. The new teacher has many gardens. 5. The teacher’s new house is large. 6. The boys have a few fish, (Make prefix for ‘few’ ma-). 7. The child’s plate is clean. 8. A man is walking to the house. He has a sack on (his) head. 9. My plate is dirty. 10. Are the boys hoeing in the rain?