Rwanda
/ʁwɑ̃.da/masculine
The English phrase Rwanda refers to the country in French as Rwanda or Ruanda.
Meaning: country (name)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rwanda | /ʁwɑ̃.da/ | masculine |
| Ruanda | masculine |
Both Rwanda and Ruanda are masculine nouns used to refer to the country. Rwanda is the standard modern spelling and does not include any accent marks. In historical contexts, you may encounter the term Ruanda-Urundi, which was the name used for both Rwanda and Burundi during the colonial era.
Which one should you use?
Rwanda is the standard modern spelling used today, whereas Ruanda is an older, more traditional French spelling that is still occasionally encountered in historical contexts or older texts.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both forms are masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁwɑ̃.da/
When do people say it?
The nickname Le Pays des Mille Collines (The Land of a Thousand Hills) is used to describe the country's landscape.
Did you know?
- In formal French diplomatic writing, the full official name is République rwandaise, where the adjective rwandaise changes ending to match the feminine noun République.
- In French, the name Rwanda is almost always preceded by the definite article le, as in le Rwanda, whereas English usually omits the article.
- While the nickname Le Pays des Mille Collines is popular in French, the number 'thousand' is used figuratively and does not represent a literal count of the hills.
Examples in context
- Tom habite à Kigali, la capitale du Rwanda.Tom lives in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.This sentence uses Rwanda to demonstrate its use in a sentence regarding a capital city.Tatoeba #8755003 by Rafik, translation #11792121 by shekitten
- La République du Rwanda entretient de bonnes relations avec la France.The Republic of Rwanda maintains good relations with France.
- Le président du Rwanda prononcera un discours à l'ONU demain.The president of Rwanda will deliver a speech at the UN tomorrow.
- J'ai entendu dire que le Rwanda est un pays magnifique à visiter.I heard that Rwanda is a beautiful country to visit.
- Je suis tombé amoureux du Pays des Mille Collines et de ses habitants.I fell in love with the Land of a Thousand Hills and its people.
- Le Rwanda est un pays magnifique.Rwanda is a beautiful country.
- Elle part en voyage au Rwanda.She is going on a trip to Rwanda.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are talking about her upcoming vacation.
- GabrielTu vas où pour tes vacances ?Where are you going for your vacation?
- LéaJe vais au Rwanda cet été.I am going to Rwanda this summer.
- GabrielC'est une destination incroyable.It is an incredible destination.
- LéaOui, j'ai hâte d'y être.Yes, I can't wait to be there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rwanda” translations and entries Rwanda, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
