I have compiled this manual because I found almost no resources for volunteers and their partners who wished to gain some competency in using the Runyankole language. This language is also called Runyankore and is also nearly identical to the Rukiga language with a few changes including spelling and pronunciation. I have combined the following in one pdf file. • [Personal Lesson Notes] Notes I have taken from lessons with the Bishop Stuart PTC nurse, Catherine • [Peace Corps Manual] A manual written for Peace Corps volunteers. A copy of the original manual was discovered in the VSO library. It appears to be quite dated but this shouldn’t affect the accuracy. However, I can’t vouch for its complete accuracy, especially the spelling of words in Runyankole. I have chosen the sections I thought would be helpful. This file is separate: • [Runyankole Lessons VSO] The handout given to VSO volunteers at In Country Training. Since I wasn’t able to attend ICT1 I have no notes and can’t expand on or explain some of the notes. The audio and the the guide for it are two files: • [Audio guide] I recorded our language tutor pronouncing some basic greetings and other commonly used words. This guide follows the audio file which is a separate file. It was difficult to organize these files into easily indexed sections, so I suggest that if you are looking for something in particular that you do a find/search. Annie Mbarara [email protected] PERSONAL NOTES Updated: 31 Dec 08 Key to pronunciation: Ki or ky – ch J as in Je’ taime. Omu – is, in, into Omuri – used with proper names and pronouns Aha – on, to, to, about, of, concerning Ahari – used with pronouns and proper nouns Contents: Greetings Basics Shopping Times of day – days of week Who, what, when, where, how, etc. Vocabulary - misc Questions – misc Food/meals Adjectives Verbs Pronouns Numbers Parts of the body GREETINGS: English Runyankole Pronunciation key Good morning – how are Oraire ota (ori-rota) you? I’m fine. Ndaire gye (indi-regee) I’m fine. Ndyaho (indi-ya-ho) –anytime of day Good morning, did you Oriregye? sleep well? Yes. Ego or eh Did you sleep well? Muriregye? (group) Good afternoon – how Osiibirota (o-see’-bur-ota) are you? I’m fine. Nsibire gye (insi-bur regee) How are all of you? Musiibiremuta Group Good afternoon, are you Osiibire gye okay? Yes. Ego or eh. Good afternoon, how was Wasibota (wasi-wota) the day? Fine. Good. nasibagye soft b nasi-wahgee How are you? (good Agandi news?) I’m good. Good news. nimarungi or nimarunj or ni gye How are all of you? A Murire muta (Mireeree moota) group – morning Fine. Turyaho or turiregye How are all of you? – Mwasibamuta ba-nyabo afternoon – group of na ba-sebo women or group of men We are fine. Turyaho or tusiibiregye Ok, all right, same to you. Kare Car - e Goodbye, keep well, Osiibegye (o-see’-ba-gee) enjoy the rest of the day (morning) Kare Same to you. See you later Turebane bwanyima Have a good night Oraregye (ora-regee) Same to you. Kare. See you tomorrow Turebane nyenkyakare (turay ba nay nyen cha kare) See you tomorrow Turebane nyenkyakare morning akasheshe omwihangwe ………………afternoon Nice to see you here – Nashemererwa kukureba singular Nice to see you as well Ninye nakira Nice to see you – more Nashemererwa kubareba than one Nice to see you as well Nitwe twakira Nice to see you (said by Nashemererwa person arriving to the okukushanga person already there) Goodbye to a group-- Musibegye (moo-see’-bagee) afternoon What is your name? eiziina ryawe oryoha? (izeena ryowee oryoha) My name is…………… Iziina ryangye ni…….. I am Or ndi ………… (izeena ryawngee nee…….) After not seeing someone Buhoro? Buhorogye? for a longish time – are Agandi? you okay? Replies: mmm mmmm Fine. Fine. Fine. nimarungi Welcome back Kurukayo Good to be back narugayo Have a safe journey. Ogyendegye (long O – gyen dege) Reply: thank you or okay Webare or kare Thank you for the good Webare omurimo (work) work you are doing. murungi (good) gworikukora/guwakora (you are doing. Well done Webare oguwakora BASICS: English Runyankole Pronunciation key Sir Sebo (say-bo) Group of men Ba-sebo Madame Nyabo Group of women Ba-nyabo Bad Nikibi Too hot – too bad – kanikibi very unpleasant Yes Ego (eggo) No Ngaha (in-ga-ha) Thank you Webare (way-ba ree) Thank you very much Webare munonga You’re welcome Webare kusiima Home Omuka My husband Omwami wangye My Wangye My wife Omukazi wangye Pardon, didn’t WanJI understand? Or in reply to being called – ie yes, what? Or ninga G as in game SHOPPING Thank you Webare (way-ba ree) Thank you very much Webare munonga You’re welcome Webare kusiima How much does it cost? Noguza ota? (no-guz-ota) What do you want? Noyenda ki? Ki - (chi) I want – I would like…. Ninyenda (I want a pen) Ninyenda akacumu akachumu How much does the Noguza ota amate milk cost? I have come to buy salt. Nija kugura omwonyo How much for the tray Noguza ota tureyi ya of eggs? mahuri. I have come to buy a Nija kugura tureyi ya (Neeja coogar-a tray-e tray of eggs. mahuri. ya mahoori) I want to buy a ½ tray of Ninyenda ekicweka kya Echi–chwayka–cha eggs. tureyi ya mahuri. traye (1/2) (of) (tray) Small amount Kakye (kachi) Bakery bekeri Shop Eduka shops amaduka Market akatare Tailor omubazizi Pay shashura I want to pay. Ninyenda kushashura Make me (build, sew, Nkorera…. etc.) TIMES OF DAY – DAYS OF THE WEEK - MONTHS Today Erizooba (aire-e-zoba) Tomorrow Nyenkyakare (nyen-cha-karee) Morning Akasheshe Daytime after noon Omwihangwee Yesterday Nyemwebazyo evening omumwaabazyo Night nyekiro Tonight zekiro Noon Eihangwe Eshaaha Hour/time/clock Amazoba gesande. (days of the week) Monday orwokubanza Soft rw Tuesday Orwakabiri Wednesday orwakashatu Thursday Orwakana Friday orwakatano Saturday orwamukaga Sunday Sande; saabiiti Days of the week are e.g. aha Rwakana – on usually preceded by Thursday ah (on) Today is Monday Erizooba norwokubanza. ………..Tuesday Erizooba norwakabiri. …….Weds …………norwakashatu. …….Thurs ………….norwakana. ……..Fri …………..norwakataano ……..Sat ……….norwamukaaga ……….Sun ……….nisande Months January Okw’okubanza February Okwakabiri March Okwakashatu April Okwakana May Okwakataano June Okwamukaaga July Okwamushanju August Okwamunaana September Okwamwenda October Okwikumi November Okw’ikumi na kumwe December Okw’ikumi n’ebiri Months of the year are e.g. omu Kwakashatu – usually preceded by in March omu (in) Sample sentences: Yesterday I went to Nyemwebazyo ngire omu injeerey town. town. I shall go to Kampala on Ninza kuza Kampala aha Aha rwakabiri (run Tuesday. Rwakabiri. together as one word) I was born in February. Nkazarwa omu kwakabiri. I shall pay you a visit in Ninyiija kukutaayaayira May. omu Kwakataano. I shall go to America in Ninza kuza America omu August. Kwamunaana. I ate too much on Nkarya munonga aha Nkarya (past tense – Sunday. Sande. not recently) I am going to have a Ninza kuhuumura omu holiday in May. Kwakataano. I am going to drive to Ninza kuvuga QE Park Queen Elizabeth Park in omu Kwakana. April. I eat too much every Nindya munonga buri Sunday. Sande. Time in Runyankole English Shaha emwe yakashese 7 am (singular) Shaha ibiri zakashese 8 am Shaha ishatu zakashese 9 am Shaha ina zakashese 10 am Shaha itaano 11 am zakashese Shaha mukaaga 12 noon zihangwe Shaha mushanju 1 pm zihangwe Shaha munaana 2 pm zihangwe Shaha mwenda 3 pm zihangwe Shaha ikumi zihangwe 4 pm Shaha ikumi nemwe 5 pm zomwabazyo Shaha ikumi nibiri 6 pm zomwabazyo Shaha emwe 7 pm yomwabazyo Shaha ibiri zomwabazyo 8 pm Shaha ishatu 9 pm zomwabazyo Shaha ina zekiro 10 pm Shaha itaano zekiro 11 pm Shaha mukaaga zekiro 12 midnight Shaha mushanju zekiro 1 am Shaha munaana zekiro 2 am Shaha mwenda zekiro 3 am Shaha ikumi zekiro 4 am Shaha ikumi nemwe 5 am zekiro Shaha ikumi nibiri 6 am zakasheshe Sample sentences: Ninza kukareba shaha I will see you at 2.30 pm. munaana nekicweka zihangwe. Ninza kuzikuha I am going to give you orwarataano. money on Friday. Ninza kukikuha I will give you (item) on orwakataano. Friday. Eshaha Time Shaha Hour Minutes nedakika Munaana nedakika 8.15 ikumi nitaano Munaana nekicweka 8.30 WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, ETC. Who? Oha How? Ota Where? Nkahi When? Ryari Soft r (er yari) Why? Ahabwenki What? Ki (chi) Who told you? Noha owakugambira That ekyo Is it? tikwo? When will I see you? Turebane ryari? Soft r – er-yari Where are you going? Nozahi (no-zahee) I am going to Mbarara. Ninza Mbarara I am going to drink tea. Ninza kuynwa chai I am going dancing. Ninza kuzina. I am going to class. Ninza omukibina. I am going to class to Ninza Kushoma. learn. Ninza kushomesa. I am going to teach. Ninza kwozya. I am going to do washing. Ninza kushutama. I am going to sit. Where are you coming Norugahi (noru ga hee) from? I am coming from… Ninduga Why are you late? Ahabwenki wakyerererwa? What class are you in? Noshoma ekyakangahi (echi kangahi) (P1, Replies: Ninshoma ekyokubanza. I am in Primary 1: Ninshoma ekyakabiri. P2 Ninshoma ekyakashatu. P3 Ninshoma ekyakana. P4 Ninshoma ekyakataano. P5 Ninshoma ekyamukaaga.