LESSON 79

Causatives (continued)

Vocabulary

(Causatives of these verbs are formed regularly, except that of gukura and guklira. These are gukuza and gukuza.)

159. Some common irregularities of the causative:

1) Verbs ending in -za often replace -za with -risha or -resha. e.g. gukiza - to save gukirisha - to cause to save, save by means of

2) Some verbs ending in -ra change -ra to -za. e.g. kubabara - to suffer, kubabaza (past -je) - to cause to suffer, hurt (tr.)

Note: kubabara also has a regularly formed causative: kubabarisha - to use something to cause to suffer. e.g. kubabarisha Yesu ibyaha byacu - to cause Jesus to suffer by our sins. ‘

3) Some verbs ending in -za in their usual form are already causative, but take a different causative form when the instrument of the action is named. e.g. kwoza is the causative of kwoga. But “to wash with soap” is kwogesha isabuni.

4) Guseka has two causatives: gusekesha, gusetsa - to cause someone to laugh. The two forms are used quite interchangeably, but gusetsa is the more common. e.g. gusekesha umwana - to make the child laugh; Ibyo uvuga biransetsa - what you say makes me laugh.

5) Monosyllabic verbs must be learned one by one, for there is no rule to determine whether the suffix will have e or i.

kugwa - kugusha, kunywa - kunyweshan gusya - gusyesha, kuva - kuvusha, guha - guhesha, kurya - kurisha, guta - gutesha, guca - gucisha.

It is difficult to know for oneself how to form causatives since many follow the regular rule, and others follow those given above. Thus it is important to learn from the Africans each verb. But knowing these rules will help you to recognize what you hear, and by far the majority of verbs form it regularly with -isha or -esha.

Note: guhesha, though active in form, really is passive in meaning: kubahesha - to cause them to be given.

Exercises:

I. Translate into English:

1. Ibyaha byacu bibabaza Yesu. 2. Satani akunda kutugusha mu byahaj ariko Yesu adushoboza kumutsinda. 3. Abafundi bamenesha amabuye inyundo nini. 4. Amaraso ya Yesu yaduhesheje agakiza. 5. Canisha inkwi nini. 6. Ndagusabye kumfasha ariko sinshaka kugutesha igihe. 7. Kera Abanyaarwanda barishaga intoke ariko ubu abenshi (a makes it a pronoun) barisha ibiyiko. 8. Umwana (insert “who”) Urwaye, umunyweshe umuti mu kiyiko. 9. Abakozi batemesheje umupanga ibyatsi. 10. Abana banze kuvoma; byarakaje nyina.

II. Translate into Kinyarwanda:

1. Three boys lost their books, and the teacher punished them with a stick. 2. Have you (some) millet? Grind it with stones. 3. Jesus saved us with His blood. 4. Rain and sun make the plants grow (= cause plants to grow). 5. I want to praise God with my whole life. 6. Let’s not worship God with just (only) words, but let’s worship Him with our hearts. 7. Wash the windows with a lot of clean water and clean cloths.