Kinyarwanda (Ikinyarwanda)

Kinyarwanda is a Bantu language spoken with about 7 million speakers who live mainly in Rwanda, where it is the national language along with French and English, and also in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Kinyarwanda is closley related to Kirundi, which is spoken in Burundi and Tanzania.

A standardised spelling system for Kinyarwanda has been in use since the 1940s, though the spelling used by Roman Catholic and Protestant missions differ somewhat.

Kinyarwanda alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

K = [k^h] before A, [k^w] before O and U, and [k] elsewhere
Kinyarwanda is a tonal language but the tones are not usually indicated in writing

Sample text

Abantu bose bavuka aliko bakwiye agaciro no kwubahwa kimwe. Bose bavukana ubwenge n'umutima, bagomba kugilirana kivandimwe.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Tower of Babel in Kinyarwanda

Language courses for Kinyarwanda and other African languages (en français)