THE DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES:
-bi bad, dirty, ugly
-bisi raw, uncooked, unripe, not dry
-gari wide, broad
-gufi short, low, shallow
-inshi much, many
-iza good, clean, beautiful, nice, pretty
-ke few, scanty, little (in quantity), (sometimes, -keya)
-kuru important, senior, great, adult
-nini big, thick, large
-nzinya very small, tiny (used only with 7th Class)
-re-re tall, long, high, deep (prefix repeated as well as stem, e.g. muremure)
-sa only, alone, mere
-shya new
-to small, little (size), young, thin (sometimes, -toya)
-zima alive, whole, living, healthy
- shaje old, out of fashion, outdated
THE DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES IN AGREEMENT WITH ALL CLASSES OF NOUN
|
Class
|
Noun
|
-iza
|
-bi
|
-to
|
-nini
|
-gufi
|
-re…re
|
-shya
|
-nzinya
|
|
Class 1
|
umwana
|
mwiza
|
mubi
|
muto
|
munini
|
mugufi
|
muremure
|
mushya
|
munzinya
|
|
|
abana
|
beza
|
babi
|
bato
|
banini
|
bagufi
|
barebare
|
bashya
|
banzinya
|
|
Class 2
|
umugozi
|
mwiza
|
mubi
|
muto
|
munini
|
mugufi
|
muremure
|
mushya
|
munzinya
|
|
|
imigozi
|
myiza
|
mibi
|
mito
|
minini
|
migufi
|
miremire
|
mishya
|
minzinya
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class 3
|
intebe
|
nziza
|
mbi
|
nto
|
nini
|
ngufi
|
ndende
|
nshya
|
******
|
|
|
Intebe
|
nziza
|
mbi
|
nto
|
nini
|
ngufi
|
ndende
|
nshya
|
******
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class 4
|
igiti
|
cyiza
|
kibi
|
gito
|
kinini
|
kigufi
|
kirekire
|
gishya
|
kinzinya
|
|
|
ibiti
|
byiza
|
bibi
|
bito
|
binini
|
bigufi
|
birebire
|
bishya
|
binzinya
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class 5 (b)
|
isabune
|
nziza
|
mbi
|
nto
|
nini
|
ngufi
|
ndende
|
nshya
|
******
|
|
|
amasabune
|
meza
|
mabi
|
mato
|
manini
|
magufi
|
maremare
|
mashya
|
******
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class 5 ( a)
|
itara
|
ryiza
|
ribi
|
rito
|
rinini
|
rigufi
|
rirerire
|
rishya
|
******
|
|
|
amatara
|
meza
|
mabi
|
mato
|
manini
|
magufi
|
maremare
|
mashya
|
******
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class 6
|
urutoke
|
rwiza
|
rubi
|
ruto
|
runini
|
rugufi
|
rurerure
|
*****
|
runzinya
|
|
|
intoke
|
nziza
|
mbi
|
nto
|
nini
|
ngufi
|
ndende
|
*****
|
******
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class 7
|
akagabo
|
keza
|
kabi
|
gato
|
kanini
|
kagufi
|
karekare
|
gashya
|
kanzinya
|
|
|
utugabo
|
twiza
|
tubi
|
duto
|
tunini
|
tugufi
|
tureture
|
dushya
|
tunzinya
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class 8
|
ubwato
|
bwiza
|
bubi
|
buto
|
bunini
|
bugufi
|
burebure
|
bushya
|
buzinya
|
|
|
amato
|
meza
|
mabi
|
mato
|
manini
|
magufi
|
maremare
|
mashya
|
manzunya
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class 9
|
ukuguru
|
kwiza
|
kubi
|
guto
|
kunini
|
kugufi
|
kurekure
|
******
|
kunzinya
|
|
|
amaguru
|
meza
|
mabi
|
mato
|
manini
|
magufi
|
maremare
|
******
|
manzinya
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Class 10
|
ahantu
|
heza
|
habi
|
hato
|
hanini
|
hagufi
|
harehare
|
hashya
|
hanzinya
|
Note:
Some classes have similar class prefix:
|
Prefix
|
Class
|
Relationship
|
Example
|
|
mu
|
Class 1
|
singular
|
Umukobwa muto
|
|
mu
|
Class 2
|
Singular
|
Umugozi muto
|
|
n
|
Class 3
Class 3
|
Singular and
Plural
|
Inka nto (imwe)
Inka nto (nyinshi)
|
|
n
|
Class 6
|
Plural
|
Intoke nto
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ma
|
Class 5
|
Plural
|
Amacupa mato
|
|
ma
|
Class 8
|
Plural
|
Amato mato
|
|
ma
|
Class 9
|
Plural
|
Amaguru mato
|
Note: There are some descriptive which are written in a different way but keep the same meaning.
Some descriptives are extended by adding 'ya':
|
-to
|
-to+ya
|
-gufi
|
-gufi+ya
|
|
Umugozi muto
|
Umugozi mutoya
|
Umugozi mugufi
|
Umugozi mugufiya
|
|
Igiti gito
|
Igiti gitoya
|
Igiti kigufi
|
Igiti kigufiya
|
|
Amaboko mato
|
Amaboko matoya
|
Amaboko magufi
|
Amaboko magufiya
|
Some descriptive are doubled.
|
-shya
|
-shyashya
|
-re-re
|
|
Ibitabo bishya
|
Ibitabo bishyashya
|
Abagore barebare
|
|
Icyuma gishya
|
Icyuma gishyashya
|
Akana karekare
|
|
Amashati mashya
|
Amashati mashyashya
|
Amaboko maremare
|
Verb kubasha and gushobora with the meaning of to manage to and to be able to respectively:
|
Affirmative
|
|
Affirmative
|
|
|
Nabashije gukora
|
I’ve managed to work
|
Nashoboye kwiga
|
I was able to study
|
|
Wabashije gukora
|
You’ve managed to work
|
Washoboye kwiga
|
You were able to study
|
|
Yabashije gukora
|
He has managed to work
|
Yashoboye kwiga
|
He was able to study
|
|
Twabashije gukora
|
We’ve managed to work
|
Twashoboye kwiga
|
We were able to study
|
|
Mwabashije gukora
|
You’ve managed to work
|
Mwashoboye kwiga
|
You were able to study
|
|
Babashije gukora
|
They’ve managed to work
|
Bashoboye kwiga
|
They were able to study
|
|
Negative
|
|
Negative
|
|
|
Sinabashije gukora
|
I’ven’t managed to work
|
Sinashoboye kwiga
|
I wasn’t able to study
|
|
Ntiwabashije gukora
|
You’ven’t managed to work
|
Ntiwashoboye kwiga
|
You weren’t able to study
|
|
Ntiyabashije gukora
|
He hasn’t managed to work
|
Ntiyashoboye kwiga
|
He wasn’t able to study
|
|
Ntitwabashije gukora
|
We’ven’t managed to work
|
Ntitwashoboye kwiga
|
We weren’t able to study
|
|
Ntimwabashije gukora
|
You’ven’t managed to work
|
Ntimwashoboye kwiga
|
You weren’t able to study
|
|
Ntibabashije gukora
|
They’ven’t managed to work
|
Ntibashoboye kwiga
|
They weren’t able to study
|
|
Question: mbese
|
|
Reply
|
|
|
wabashije kubikora?
|
have you managed to do it?
|
sinabibashije
|
I haven’t managed
|
|
wabashije kuza?
|
have you managed to come?
|
sinabashije kuza
|
I haven’t managed
|
|
mwashoboye kujyayo?
|
have you managed to go there?
|
ntitwabishoboye
|
I haven’t managed
|
|
mwashoboye kurya?
|
have you been able to eat?
|
ntitwabishoboye
|
we haven’t been able to
|
|
washoboye gutwara imodoka?
|
have you been able to drive?
|
sinabishoboye
|
I haven’t been able to
|
|
babashije kujya ku isoko?
|
have they been able to go to the market?
|
ntibabashije kujyayo
|
they haven’t been able to
|
|
yashoboye kuryama?
|
did he/she managed to sleep?
|
ntiyabishoboye
|
he/she didn’t
|
|
yabashije kwiga?
|
did he manage to study?
|
ntiyabashije kwiga
|
he/she didn’t manage to study
|
|
mwashoboye gukora irya imyitozo?
|
have you managed to do those exercises
|
ntitwabishoboye
|
we couldn’t
|
Negation “nti" used with object pronouns:
Note: “nti” is used with other persons except the 1st person in singular.
|
Negatve
|
|
Affirmative
|
|
|
ntibishoboka
|
It is not possible
|
birashoboka
|
it is possible
|
|
ntibiryoshye
|
It has no taste
|
biraryoshye
|
it is tasty
|
|
ntibishira
|
They won’t get finished
|
birashira
|
I will get finished
|
|
ntibikomeye
|
It is not difficult. It is not hard
|
birakomeye
|
it is difficult. It is hard
|
|
ntitubimara
|
We won’t finish them
|
turabimara
|
we will finish them
|
|
ntitugaruka
|
We won’t come back
|
turagaruka
|
we will come back
|
|
ntitugishaka
|
We don’t want it
|
turagishaka
|
we want it
|
|
ntitubakunda
|
We don’t like you. We don’t like them
|
turabakunda
|
we like you. We love you
|
|
ntitubyumva
|
We don’t understand it
|
turabyumva
|
we understand it
|
|
ntitubabwira
|
We don’t tell them
|
turababwira
|
we will tell them
|
|
ntitugufasha
|
We won’t help you
|
turagufasha
|
we will help you
|
|
ntitubigura
|
We don’t buy them
|
turabigura
|
we will buy them
|
|
ntitukwishyura
|
We don’t pay
|
turakwishyura
|
we will pay you
|
Negation “si” used with object pronouns:
Note: “si” is exclusively used with the 1st person in singular.
|
Negative
|
|
Affirmative
|
|
|
simbishobora
|
I can’t
|
ndabishobora
|
I can
|
|
simbimara
|
I won’t finish them
|
ndabimara
|
I will finish them
|
|
singaruka
|
I won’t come back
|
ndagaruka
|
I will come back
|
|
singishaka
|
I don’t want it. I don’t need it
|
ndagishaka
|
I want it. I need it.
|
|
simukunda
|
I don’t like him/her. I don’t love him/her
|
ndamukunda
|
I like him/her. I don’t love him/her
|
|
sinkwumva
|
I don’t understand you
|
ndakwumva
|
I understand you
|
|
simbabwira
|
I don’t tell you
|
ndababwira
|
I will tell you. I will them
|
|
simbafasha
|
I don’t help you. I don’t help them
|
ndabafasha
|
I help you. I help them
|
|
simbigura
|
I don’t buy them
|
ndabigura
|
I buy them
|
|
simbishyura
|
I don’t pay you. I don’t pay them
|
ndabishyura
|
I pay you. I pay them
|
