ndagukunda nanjye
The Kinyarwanda phrase for "I love you too" is ndagukunda nanjye.
A response used to tell someone that you feel the same love for them that they expressed for you.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of nda- (I), -ku- (you), -kunda (love) and nanjye (and me/too).
How does it change in a sentence?
The word nanjye functions as the "too" or "also" in this context, literally meaning "and me". If you remove nanjye from the phrase, it becomes the standard way to say "I love you".
Did you know?
- In many traditional Rwandan social contexts, expressions of intense romantic love are often expressed through subtle actions or poetic metaphors rather than direct verbal statements like ndagukunda.
- The verb root -kunda is shared with other Bantu languages, reflecting a wide linguistic family across Central and Southern Africa. This makes the core of the phrase recognizable to speakers of languages like Swahili.
- The root -kunda is used not only for romantic love but also for liking a specific food, hobby, or object. There is no separate word for 'like' versus 'love' in many common contexts.
Examples in context
- Ndagukunda nanjye, rukundo rwanjye.I love you too, my love.
- Urakoze, ndagukunda nanjye.Thank you, I love you too.
- Ndagukunda nanjye cyane.I love you very much too.
Example conversation
Claudine and Eric are saying goodbye before work.
- ClaudineNdagukunda cyane, Eric.I love you very much, Eric.
- EricNdagukunda nanjye, Claudine.I love you too, Claudine.
- ClaudineUmeze neza uyu munsi?Are you doing well today?
- EricYego, ndaho.Yes, I am fine.
