Mwiriwe neza
Mwiriwe neza is the Kinyarwanda way to say "good evening".
Mwiriwe neza is used as a greeting during the evening or late afternoon.
Meaning: greeting said in the evening (intj)
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with Mwiriwe neza, the standard polite response is to repeat the same phrase back to them.
Did you know?
- The word mwiriwe is actually a form of the verb 'to be' or 'to stay' in a specific tense, meaning the greeting literally implies a wish for the person to 'be well' through the afternoon and evening.
- Because Kinyarwanda is a tonal language, the melody of your voice when saying Mwiriwe neza can change the perceived warmth or formality of the greeting.
- In Rwandan etiquette, if you are greeting an elder or a person of high status, you might add a title or use more formal respect markers alongside Mwiriwe neza to show proper deference.
Examples in context
- Mwiriwe neza.Good evening.
Example conversation
Alice meets Olivier at a cafe in the evening.
- AliceMwiriwe neza, Olivier.Good evening, Olivier.
- OlivierMwiriwe neza, Alice.Good evening, Alice.
- AliceUmeze ute?How are you?
- OlivierNdaho, urakoze.I am fine, thank you.
