ijoro ryiza
The English phrase "goodnight" is translated into Kinyarwanda as ijoro ryiza.
ijoro ryiza is a greeting used to wish someone a pleasant night. You can use this phrase both when wishing someone a good night before they go to sleep and when saying goodbye to someone late in the evening.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun ijoro (night) and the adjective ryiza (good/nice).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective ryiza takes the prefix ry- to agree with the noun class of the noun ijoro.
Did you know?
- While ijoro ryiza is a standard wish for a good night, Kinyarwanda uses different greetings based on the time of day, and saying 'goodnight' too early in the evening can be seen as suggesting the host should go to bed.
- Because Kinyarwanda is a tonal language, the meaning of your greeting can change based on the pitch you use, though the phrase 'ijoro ryiza' is generally understood through context.
- In many Rwandan households, the farewell is often accompanied by a specific blessing or a wish for protection during the night.
Examples in context
- Ijoro ryiza, uze kuruhuka neza.Goodnight, may you rest well.
Example conversation
Patrick and Beatrice are saying goodbye before bed.
- PatrickIjoro ryiza, Beatrice.Goodnight, Beatrice.
- BeatriceNawe nawe ijoro ryiza, Patrick.Goodnight to you too, Patrick.
- PatrickTuzabonana ejo.We will see each other tomorrow.
- BeatriceSawa, ijoro ryiza!Okay, goodnight!
