LESSON 32

Class 9 uku- ama-

Vocabulary

62. Class 9.

The plural accords are the same as those of Class 5.

According to the regular rule, ku- before a vowel becomes kw- e.g. ku-iza = kwizam ku-inshi= kwinshi

63. This class contains all infinitives, for in Kinyarwanda, as in English, an infinitive may be used as a noun. Besides the infinitives, there are very few other words in this class, except those given in this vocabulary. The word given here, (u)kwizera - faith, comes from the verb kwizera - to believe. The infinitive, become a noun, is given the initial vowel u only when it follows a form of the verb “to be”, such as ni, si, -ri. Otherwise it looks just like the infinitive, but the contex will usually make it plain whether it is the infinitive or a noun.

kugaruka - to return

kugaruka kwe - his return

Kwizera kwawe kuri he? - Where is your faith?

Hari ukwizera kwinshi mu mutima we - There is great faith in his heart.

Exercises:

I. Translate into English:

1. Ukuboko kwe ni kugufi. 2. Umuhungu wawe afite amaguru maremare. 3. Abantu benshi bafite kwizera guko. 4. Imana ikunua gusenga kw’abantu beza. 5. Umwana muto afite indwara mbi mu matwi (ye). 6. Umwigisha wacu avuga ukuri. 7. Inkoko ntifite amaboko ariko ifite amaguru. 8. Turaririmba indirimbo z’Imana kuko dufite umunezero no (= na) kwizera. 9. Hari umunezero mu gukoracyane. 10. Umuntu afite amaguru n’amaboko, n’umutwe, n’amatwi, n’amaso, n’umunwa.

II. Translate into Kinyarwanda:

1. The arm of God is not short. 2. The moon is small now but soon we shall see a large moon. 3. Do you have much faith in your heart? 4. The teacher’s faith is very great (much). 5. Jesus will come soon; perhaps (ahari) we shall see His return. 6. Put (some) medicine on the child’s leg. 7. My daughter has a burn on her arm. 8. A month has many days. 9. Are you (s.) telling (speaking) the truth? Will you help the poor man tomorrow? 10. Their parents will not come tomorrow because there are locusts in their garden and they have much work.