Language/Kinyarwanda/Grammar/Describing-Verbs
Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn how to use adverbs to describe verbs in Kinyarwanda. Adverbs are words that modify verbs, providing more information about how, when, or where the action took place. We will also cover how to form comparative and superlative adverbs.
Describing Verbs with Adverbs
Adverbs describe how the verb is performed, and there are many adverbs in Kinyarwanda that you can use to describe the verb. Some common examples of adverbs in Kinyarwanda include:
- Cyane (Chya-ne): Very
- Ntacyo (N-ta-cho): Nothing
- Bityo (Bee-tyo): So / Then
- Birashoboka (Bee-rah-sho-bo-ka): Maybe / Possible
- Dore (Do-reh): Here / There
For example, consider the sentence "Nkora ibintu byinshi" (I do many things). To describe the verb "Nkora" (do), we can add an adverb like "cyane" (very) to modify the verb and create a new sentence: "Nkora ibintu byinshi cyane" (I do many things very).
Here are some more examples:
| Kinyarwanda | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Mbega nko mbera | Mbenga- n-ko m-be-ra | I usually come |
| Ntacyo mbyifuzaga | N- ta-cho m-byi-foo-za-ga | I didn't want anything |
| Bikomeye cyane. | Bee-kome-ye chya-ne | It's really good. |
Notice how the adverbs, such as "often" or "usually" in the first example, or "anything" in the second example, modify the verbs and give more information about when and how the actions took place.
Comparative and Superlative Adverbs
In Kinyarwanda, comparative adverbs are used to compare two actions, while superlative adverbs are used to compare three or more actions or things. To form comparative adverbs, you can use the word "bishoboka" (possible) or "nto" (more) before the adverb. To form superlative adverbs, you can add "cyane" (very) after the comparative adverb.
Here are some examples:
- "Nkora ibintu byinshi cyane nkomeretswa n'abandi" (I do many things very compared to others)
- "Nkora ibintu byinshi cyane nkomeretswe n'umuco" (I do many things very compared to anyone else)
In the first example, "Nkomeretswa n'abandi" (compared to others) is the comparative phrase, while in the second example, "Nkomeretswe n'umuco" (compared to anyone else) is the comparative phrase.
Note that the adjective "cyane" (very) is added to the comparative adverb.
Conclusion
In this lesson, you learned how to describe verbs with adverbs in Kinyarwanda and how to form comparative and superlative adverbs. As you continue to learn Kinyarwanda, try to use adverbs in your sentences to provide more information about how, when, or where the action took place. With practice, you will become more comfortable using adverbs to describe verbs effectively.