Planning a trip to Rwanda in the near future? You will definitely need these top 101 words in Kinyarwanda to get around!
- Jye, jyewe, jywekho – I
- Twebwe/twe – we
- Mwebwe – you
- Bo, ba – they
- We – he
- We – she
- Ibye – his
- Nka – as
- Ibyo – that
- Yari – was
- Ku – on
- Kuri – for/to/as
- Ni – are
- Hamwe na – with
- Kugira – have
- Iyi – this
- Kuva – from
- Na – by/and
- Ariko – but
- Iki – what
- I – the
- Bya – of
- Hanze – out
- Yabo – their
- Se – father
- Mama – mother
- Umwana – child
- Umuvandimwe – brother
- Mushiki wawe – sister
- Umuhungu – son
- Umukobwa – daughter
- Umuntu – man
- Abantu – people
- Umugore – woman
- Sekuru – grandfather
- Nyirakuru – grandmother
- Umutwe – head
- Ugutwi – eaer
- Ijisho – eye
- Akanwa – mouth
- Iryinyo – tooth
- Ikirenge – foot
- Ivi – knee
- Ikiganza – hand
- Ishingo – neck
- Urugo – home
- Inzu – house
- Inyamaswa – animal
- Ibiryo – food
- Isahani – plate
- Ikiyiko – spoon
- Igikombe – cup
- Icyuma – knife
- Inyama – meat
- Igi – egg
- Imbuto – fruit
- Ikibabi – leaf
- Indabyo – flower
- Intebe – chair
- Ameza – table
- Uburiri – bed
- Imyenda – clothes
- Inkoni – stick
- Igiti – tree
- Ishyamba – forest
- Inzoka – snake
- Imbwa – dog
- Ifi – fish
- Inyoni – bird
- Imotoka – car
- Ishuri – school
- Izuba – sun
- Ukwezi – moon
- Umunsi – day
- Umwaka – year
- Inyeyeri – star
- Imvura – rain
- Igare – bicycle
- Kurya – to eat
- Kunywa – to drink
- Andika – to write
- Genda – walk
- Kwiruka – run
- Gusinzira – sleep
- Icara – sit
- Ihagarare – stand
- Mwarimu – teacher
- Umuganga – doctor
- Umupolisi – policeman
- Umukuru – chief
- Umuforomo – nurse
- Imwe – one
- Bibiri – two
- Bitatu – three
- Bine – four
- Bitanu – five
- Atandatu – six
- Karindwi – seven
- Umunani – eight
- Icyenda – nine
- Icumi – ten
Good luck as you learn this beautiful language!