Lesson 32

Class 9 uku- ama-

Vocabulary:

ukuboko arm
ukuguru leg
ugutwi ear
ukwaha armpit
ukuri truth (no pl.)
ukwezi moon, month (pl. amezi)
(u) kwizera faith (no pl.)

62. Class 9.

Singular Prefixes/ Example Plural Prefixes/ Example
Noun prefix: uku- ukuboko ama- amaboko
Poss. prefix: kwa- kwanjye ya- yanjye
Verb prefix: ku- kuri a- ari
Adj. prefix: ku- kubi ma- mabi

* 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-inshi = kwinshi 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 infinitvies, there are very few other words in this class, except those given in this vocabulary. The word given here, (u)kwizera - faith, comes form 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 infinitve, but the context will usually make it plain whether it is the infinitive or a noun.

kugaruka to return
Kwizera kwawe kuri he? Where is your faith?
Hari ukwizera kwinshi my mutima we There is great faith in his heart.

Exercises:

I. Translate into English:

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Q1. Ukuboko kwe ni kugufi.

Q2. Umuhungu wawe afite amaguru maremare.

Q3. Abantu benshi bafite kwizera guke.

Q4. Imana ikunda gusenga kw' abantu beza.

Q5. Umwana muto afite indwara mbi mu matwi (ye).

Q6. Umwigisha wacu avuga ukuri.

Q7. Inkoko ntifite amaboko ariko ifite amaguru.

Q8. Turaririmba indirimbo z'Imana kuko dufite umunezero no (= na) kwizera.

Q9. Hari umunezero mu gukora cyane.

Q10. Umuntu afite amaguru n'amaboko, n'umutwe, n'amatwi, n'amaso, n' umunwa.

II. Translate into Kinyarwanda:

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Q1. The arm of God is not short.

Q2. The moon is small now but soon we shall see a large moon.

Q3. Do you have much faith in your heart?

Q4. The teacher's faith is very great (much).

Q5. Jesus will come soon; perhaps (ahari) we shall see His return.

Q6. Put (some) medicine on the child's leg.

Q7. My daughter has a burn on her arm.

Q8. A month has many days.

Q9. Are you (s.) telling (speaking) the truth? Will you help the poor man tomorrow?

Q10. Their parents will not come tomorrow because there are locusts in their garden and they have much work.