LESSON 85
Passives of Monosyllabic Verbs
Vocabulary
| inzoga - beer, alcoholic drink |
urusyo - grindstone (for millet, etc.) |
| ikinyobwa - peanut, ground nut, lima beans, beverage |
akabemba - peanut, ground nut |
| icyubahiro - respect, honor, reverence |
ubwiza - glory, beauty |
| ijuru - sky, heaven |
|
169. The monosyllabic verbs form their passives in -bwa. In
the past forms the b drops out leaving just the w.
| Infinitive |
Present Passive |
Past Passive |
| guca |
gucibwa |
yaciwe |
| kugwa |
kugubwa |
yaguwe |
| guha |
guhabwa |
yahawe |
| kunywa |
kunyobwa |
yanyowe |
| gusya |
gusebwa |
yasewe |
| guta |
gutabwa |
yatawe |
| kurya |
kuribwa |
yariwe |
170. Some of these passives could not be translated literally into
English, but have an idiomatic use, such as kugubwa. Kugubwa
means “to be settled down nicely” - yaguwe neza,
or, “to have good pleasant living.” Kugubwa nahi is the
opposite. Kuribwa mu nda means “to have a stomach ache”.
171. Guhabwa is not “to be given” in the sense of
“the book was given to me”, but: nahawe igitabo
is “I was given a book.” Thus, guhabwa really means
“to receive.” It is often used for the future of -fite.
Exercises:
I. Translate into English:
-
-
1. Imana ihabwa icyuhahiro mu gusenga kwacu. 2. Inzoga nyinshi zanyowe
n’abantu ku munsi mukuru. 3. Uburo bwasewe na Mariya ku rusyo.
4. Twebwe tuzahabwa ubwiza mu ijuru. 5. Inyama ziri he? Zariwe n’injangwe.
6. Umugore ararakaye cyane; ntiyahawe imyenda n’ umugabo we.
7. Ndanezerewe ko turi hano i Cyangugu, ndumva ko naguwe neza. 8. Nabonye
ko umushyitsi yaje kubaha ibintu. Mbese mwahawe iki? 9. Ndashaka gukora
umugati w’imineke; ndakoresha akabemba (or, ibinyobwa)(insert
“which”) gaseye (active used for passive). 10. Dufite inkwi
nke cyane. Mbese ibindi biti bizacibwa ryari?
II. Translate into Kinyarwanda:
-
-
1. The clothes were thrown away because they were torn. 2. Two trees
were cut down by the men, but the fundi didn’t want them. 3.
Let us give reverence (to) God for (because) He should (ikwiriye followed
by infinitive) be given it. 4. I want to go to (mu) heaven far we shall
see Jesus and we shall have much joy. 5. Much milk was drunk by the
children. 6. Is the meat of the sheep eaten by the Banyarwanda? No,
they don’t eat it. 7. Were my papers thrown away? Go, look for
them because I want them. 8. Jesus left His glory in heaven and came
to earth (isi). Here He was hated by many people. 9. All the beer was
poured out when(igihe) the people were saved. 10. The good bricks and
tiles were chosen by the builder; the others were thrown away.