Language/Rundi/Grammar/Present-Tense

Rundi → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Verbs and Tenses → Present Tense

Introducing Rundi Present Tense

In this lesson, you will learn about the present tense in Rundi. Understanding the present tense is vital to speaking and expressing yourself in the language. By the end of this lesson, you will know how to form and use the present tense of verbs in Rundi.

Present Tense Overview

The present tense in Rundi is used to describe actions that are happening now. It is formed using a combination of the verb stem and subject agreement markers (prefixes that agree with the subject of the sentence).

This is different from English, where the present tense also describes habitual actions or actions occurring in the near future. Rundi has other verb forms to express these concepts, which will be covered in future lessons.

Conjugating Regular Verbs in the Present Tense

Regular verbs in Rundi have predictable conjugation patterns in the present tense, based on the noun class of the subject.

Noun classes are groups of nouns that share the same prefix, based on certain characteristics like animacy, shape, or size. The noun class of the subject determines which subject agreement marker is used to form the present tense of the verb.

The present tense subject agreement markers for regular verbs in Rundi are:

Noun Class	Subject Agreement Marker
1	a-
2	ba-
3	tu-
4	a-
5	zi-
6	a-
7	ku-
8	tu-
9	a-
10	a-

To form the present tense of a regular verb, you take the verb stem and add the appropriate subject agreement marker. For example:

• kwandika (to write)
• kw-
• a-
• => akwandika (he/she is writing)

Here are more examples of how you can form the present tense for different noun classes:

Rundi	Pronunciation	English
Abadafite bose barimo ibirenge	a-ba-da-fi-te bo-se ba-ri-mo i-bi-ren-ge	All the farmers are cultivating beans.
Ndaguma nandora ingomero	n-da-gu-ma n-an-do-ra in-go-me-ro	I'm currently planting onions.
Muvakuli yari afite amahirwe	mu-va-ku-li ya-ri a-fi-te a-ma-hi-rwe	The student has talent.

Irregular Verbs in the Present Tense

Some verbs in Rundi do not follow the regular conjugation pattern in the present tense. These are called irregular verbs, and they must be memorized individually.

Here are some common irregular verbs in the present tense:

Rundi	Pronunciation	English
kugira ngo	ku-gi-ra n-go	to have to
kubona	ku-bo-na	to see
kubona	ku-bo-na	to see

Note that some irregular verbs also have irregular stem changes. For example:

• kubona (to see) => mbone (I see)
• guhita (to stop) => nshaka (I want to stop)

Using the Present Tense in Sentences

In Rundi, the verb usually comes at the end of the sentence. Here are some examples of how to use the present tense in sentences:

• Umugabo aragira ngo abantu baramugira ikibi.
• Imbere yanjye hasigaye kurya isombe.
• Abari bananiwe bari mu rukundo rwabo.

Notice how the verb changes based on the noun class of the subject, as seen in the subject agreement marker. The noun class must correspond to the class of the subject in the sentence.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You now know how to form and use the present tense in Rundi. Be sure to practice using it in sentences and read up on noun classes in order to further understand how verbs are used. In the next lesson, we will discuss verb conjugation in the past tense.

Table of Contents - Rundi Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Rundi Language

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

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Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Classes
• Pronouns

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers
• Days and Months

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Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

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Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Describing with Adjectives
• Describing with Adverbs

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Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Dining Vocabulary

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Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Using Prepositions
• Using Conjunctions

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

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Burundian Culture

• History and Traditions
• Music and Dance

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Hobbies and Entertainment

• Common Hobbies
• Entertainment Vocabulary

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Questions and Negation

• Asking Questions
• Negating Sentences

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Health and Emergencies

• Health Vocabulary
• Emergency Vocabulary

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Rundi Etiquette and Customs

• Social Etiquette
• Festivals and Celebrations

Other Lessons

• Using Prepositions
• Basic Sentence Structure
• Conditional Mood
• Past Tense
• Negating Sentences
• Questions
• Future Tense
• How to Use Have
• How to Use Be
• Gender