(they pronounce it guwanda, in Kirundi, fun fact),
here are some survival phrases.
…Or what I know.
Or really what a teacher at the school deemed important for communication…
(and I'm finding out that some of his advice wasn't so very correct grammatically…)
Yes -- Ego (like leggo my ego!)
No -- Oya (like saying 'oh yeah!', ...except it's opposite day)
Thank you -- Urakoze (or murakoze, if you're thanking a crowd)
Sit -- Icara
Down -- Hasi
Children -- Abana
Come -- Ingo
Here -- Ngaha
There -- Hariya
Go -- Genda
Can I take your picture? -- Noshobora kubafotora?
Try -- Gerageza
What is your name? -- Nitwa nda?
My name is ____ -- Jawe nitwa ______
Friend -- Mugenzi (pretty much pronounced like my name!)
How are you? -- Nisawa?
Good Morning -- Mwaramutse
Good Afternoon-- Miwiriwe
It is peace? (as a greeting) -- N'amahoro?
It's fine/ok/good -- Sawa.
Let's go! -- Tugende!
To speak -- kuvulga (the command, "speak!" is vulga)
To sing -- Turirimbre
to look -- Kuraba
To be quiet -- Guhora
Me -- jewe (jay-way)
You -- wewe (way-way)
this -- iki
that -- ico
Where? -- hehe? (hay-hay)
I don't know -- Sindabizi
What is this? -- iki n'igiki?
What is this in Kirundi? -- Iki n'iki mu Kirundi?
Also, it's taboo to take pictures of policemen... well I was sneaky.
This is a policeman when he stopped us for papers (we were stopped twice, just to make sure our papers checked out!)
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