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.
| ENGLISH | KINYARWANDA | PRONUNCIATION GUIDE |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Muraho | Moo-RAH-hoh |
| How are you? | Amakuru? | Ah-mah-KOO-roo? |
| Thank you | Murakoze | Moo-rah-KOH-zeh |
| My name is … | Nitwa… | NEET-kwah |
| It’s good to hear from you | Nejejwe no kumva amakuru yanyu | Neh-jeh-JGWEH NOH koom-vah ah-ma-KOO-ROO YAN-yoo |
| Greetings to you and your family | Mbaye mbasuhuje n’umuryango wanyu | Mba-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 luck | Amahirwe masa | Ama-HEER-gwe mah-sah |
| Happy Birthday | Isabukuru nziza | Ee-SAH-boo-koo-roo nzee-zah |
| Merry Christmas | Noheli nziza | Noh-HEH-ree nzee-zah |
| Praise Jesus | Yesu ashimwe | Yes-ah-sheem-weh |
| God bless you | Imana ibahe umugisha | Ee-MA-na i-WA-he umu-jee-shah |
| I continue to pray for you | Nkomeje kuba sengera | N-HO-meh-jeh ku-wa SEN-je-rah |
| Goodbye | Murabeho | Moo-rah-BEH-hoh |
Images © Wurzbach Fisher Photography (left) and Africa New Life Rwanda Creative Team.
