LESSON 65

-o with the infinitive

Vocabulary

urukero - saw	inyundo - hammer
umusumari - nail, straight pin	itafari (or, idafari) - brick (5th)
itegura (5th) - tile for roof	incabiti, ishoka, indyankwi - axe
gusakara (ye) - to roof, put on roof	gusenya (nye) - to tear down
umucanga - sand, gravel	umusenyi - sand
kubumba (mbye) - to mold (bricks, pottery)	gukeba (bye) - to cut meat, cloth paper
gusatura (ye) - to cut lengthwise	guca (ciye) - to cut (tree, string cut in chunks
kubaza (jye) - to plane (boards), do wood carving	kwasa (shije) - to split wood

130. Note the construction in the following phrases:

: umucanga wo kwubaka - sand for building
: imbaraga zo gutsinda Satani - strength to defeat Satan
: amategura yo gusakara - tiles to make a roof, or, for roofing

In all of these examples you notice that the verb is explaining the work or use of the thing named. But in Kinyarwanda the simple infinitive is not sufficient as in English for this construction. You must use this little particle which is the possessive particle with a changed to o. Remember that whenever you wish to use a noun followed by an infinitive explaining the use of the object you must use this particle in agreement with the noun. This may also be translated: “for using” as “for building” (above) instead of “to build.” Note these examples:

: Ndashaka umuntu wo kujya i Kigmi - I want a man to go to Kigali (purpose).
: Yasabye umugabo kugenda - he asked the man to go (no particle needed).

Exercises:

1. Translate into Sngl ish:

: 1. Uyu munsi abafundi babumbye amatafari magana atanu. 2. Ohereza abaagabo bo kuzana umucanga mwiza; ndawushaka. J. Zana inyundo yo gushimangira (pound) imiswnari. 4. Senya inzu; mwubatse nabi. 5. Imana yaduhaye imbaraga zo gutsinda Satani. 6. Ndashaka imbugita yo guhata ibirayi. 7. Ntidufite uburyo bwo kuza iwanyu. 8. Umukozi arashaka icywna cyo kubaza. 9. Ndashaka ibitoke byo kurya. Mbese murabifite? 10. Ku cyumweru ni umunsi wo gusenga.

II. Translate into Kinyarwanda:

: 1. I want four hoes to cultivate (with) in the bananas. 2. Bring all the tools for cutting trees. 3. Look for a man to put a roof on the house. 4. The workers have many nails to put in the boards. 5. We want two other workers to plane boards; one is sick. 6. Where is your axe for splitting wood? 7. Find (look for) a pencil for writing the names of the pupils. 8. Bring a cloth to put on the table. 9. We have thirteen pieces of paper (= 13 papers) to sell. 10. The children don’t have books to read.