LESSON 88

Demonstratives (continued)

Vocabulary

178. Wa, etc,. This is the demonstrative which calls attention to that which has been mentioned previously or is well known to both speaker and hearer. The form is exactly the same as the possessive particle, but it precedes the noun and removes the initial vowel.

wa mukobwa - that girl (as much as to say, “you know the one”)

cya gitabo - that book (which we talked about before)

wa mwana twabonye kare - that child we saw earlier

180. Kubura. In addition to the meaning given in this vocabulary, this word is used in the future negative to express the idea of certainty, e.g. Ntazabura kugenda - he will certainly go (lit. he will not fail to go)

181. Igihe. This word and umwanya, both of which mean “time” are not always used interchangeably. Igihe means “time” in the sense of days, weeks, years, etc., or a certain specific time. It may also sometimes be used for a duration of time.

e.g. Waje gihe ki? - what time did you come?

Wamazeyo igihe kinini? - Did you spend’a long time there?

Mu gihe cyo gusoma abana bicara neza - At reading time (time to read) the children sit quietly.

182. Umwanya. Umwanya usually implies duration or space of time. Someetimes it is used like uburyo.

e.g. Simfite umwanya wo kugikora - I don’t have time to do it.

Nta mwanya mfite, nzaza ejo - I don’t have time, I’ll come tomoorrow.

It also has the other meanings as given in the vocabulary.

Ntidufite umwanya wo kukujyana ~ we don’t have room to take you.

Exercises:

1. Translate into English:

1. Rwa ruguma rubi rwakize neza. 2. Umwigisha ntazabura guhana ba bana babi. 3. Wa musore utafite umwanya wo gushaka cya gitabo. 4. Imbwa zishe ya njangwe yacu; none imbeba nyinshi zizaza. 5· Mbese wibutse kuzana ya mafaranga? Oya, nayibagiwe. 6. Yesu azatujyana mu ijuru kugira ngo tubone bwa bwiza bwe. 7. Mbese wabonye ya mbugita yawe? Oya, nayihebye. 8. Mbese mutinya iki? Kwa kwizera kwanyu kuri he? 9. Wa mwana ararizwa n’iki? Ararira kuko yahebye ya mbwa ye. 10. Genda wanure za ngano uzishyire mu mifuka.

II. Translate into Kinyarwanda:

1. The boy’s Parents prevented him from bringing (= to bring) those sweet potatoes. 2. That bad tire is flat (dead); we will be late to go. 3. Where are those medicines? The people want them. 4. Did you take those seeds? I do not see them. 5. That thief came again in the night; let’s catch him. 6. Yesterday that foolish man came back here. Can’t the doctor heal him? 7. Where is that machete you cut grass with yesterday? 8. The doctor has treated well your father’s wounds, he will certainly get well. 9. Will you take me to Butare? I’m sorry, I don’t have room. 10. When will those workmen be paid their francs? I’ll give them to them on May 3rd.