Kinyarwanda is the native and historical language of Rwanda. The country today has four official languages: Kinyarwanda, Swahili, French, and English. While almost all Rwandans speak Kinyarwanda at home, English has been the language of instruction in schools since 2008.

Adding Kinyarwanda to your letters is a great way to connect and show interest in your sponsored student’s culture! Read the table below to learn some helpful and important phrases.

You can find tips and details of how to write to your sponsored student on our letter writing page

 

ENGLISHKINYARWANDAPRONUNCIATION GUIDE
HelloMurahoMoo-RAH-hoh
How are you?Amakuru?Ah-mah-KOO-roo?
Thank youMurakozeMoo-rah-KOH-zeh
My name is …Nitwa…NEET-kwah
It’s good to hear from youNejejwe no kumva amakuru yanyuNeh-jeh-JGWEH NOH koom-vah ah-ma-KOO-ROO YAN-yoo
Greetings to you and your familyMbaye mbasuhuje n’umuryango wanyuMba-yeh MBA-soo-hoo-jeh NOO-moo-ree-jang-goh WAN-yoo
How is your family?Umuryango wanyu umeze ute?Ooh-moo-ree-jang-go WAN-yoo oo-meh-ZOO-teh
How are your siblings?Amakuru y’abavandimwe?Ah-ma-KOO-roo ya-ba-van-dim-mweh
How is school going?Amasomo ameze ate?Ah-ma-SOH-MOH ah-meh-ZAH-teh?
Good luckAmahirwe masaAma-HEER-gwe mah-sah
Happy BirthdayIsabukuru nzizaEe-SAH-boo-koo-roo nzee-zah
Merry ChristmasNoheli nzizaNoh-HEH-ree nzee-zah
Praise JesusYesu ashimweYes-ah-sheem-weh
God bless youImana ibahe umugishaEe-MA-na i-WA-he umu-jee-shah
I continue to pray for youNkomeje kuba sengeraN-HO-meh-jeh ku-wa SEN-je-rah
GoodbyeMurabehoMoo-rah-BEH-hoh 

 

Images © Wurzbach Fisher Photography (left) and Africa New Life Rwanda Creative Team.