isabukuru nziza
The phrase "happy birthday" in Kinyarwanda is isabukuru nziza.
The phrase isabukuru nziza is used to express good wishes for birthdays, but it is also appropriate for other types of anniversaries, such as wedding anniversaries.
Meaning: good wishes for a birthday (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of isabukuru, meaning "anniversary" or "birthday" and nziza, meaning "good" or "beautiful".
How does it change in a sentence?
In Kinyarwanda, the adjective nziza follows the noun isabukuru to modify it.
Did you know?
- In Rwandan culture, the celebration of an isabukuru often involves the community and extended family, as milestones are viewed as collective achievements rather than individual ones.
- Kinyarwanda is a tonal language, so the meaning and 'feeling' of your birthday wish can change depending on the pitch you use when pronouncing the syllables.
- In traditional Rwandan contexts, the concept of a specific birth date was less emphasized than the transition into a new age grade or social stage.
Example sentences for Kinyarwanda are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Beatrice is greeting Eric on his birthday.
- BeatriceEric, isabukuru nziza!Eric, happy birthday!
- EricMurakoze cyane, Beatrice!Thank you very much, Beatrice!
- BeatriceWari ugiye kwizihiza ute?How were you going to celebrate?
- EricNzagirana n'inshuti zanjye.I will spend it with my friends.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “happy birthday” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
