inzozi nziza
The phrase for sweet dreams in Kinyarwanda is inzozi nziza.
inzozi nziza is used to wish someone pleasant sleep, functioning the same way as the English phrase 'sweet dreams'.
Meaning: sweet dreams (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of inzozi, meaning 'dreams' and nziza, meaning 'good' or 'sweet'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective nziza (good) agrees with the noun inzozi (dreams) according to the Kinyarwanda noun class system.
Did you know?
- In some traditional Rwandan contexts, dreams are viewed as communicative portals, making the wish for inzozi nziza a way of hoping for positive omens from the spiritual world.
- The word inzozi can be used in Kinyarwanda to describe not only dreams during sleep but also one's hopes, ambitions and lifelong aspirations.
- The word inzozi comes from the Proto-Bantu root *ndóótɪ̀, meaning it shares a prehistoric ancestor with words for 'dreams' in hundreds of other languages across Central and Southern Africa.
Examples in context
- Inzozi nziza.Sweet dreams.
- Uze kugira inzozi nziza.May you have sweet dreams.
Example conversation
Olivier and Beatrice are saying goodnight before bed.
- OlivierNdagiye gusinzira, Beatrice.I am going to sleep, Beatrice.
- BeatriceSinzira neza, Olivier.Sleep well, Olivier.
- OlivierMurabe, inzozi nziza!Goodbye, sweet dreams!
- BeatriceNawe nawe, inzozi nziza!You too, sweet dreams!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries inzozi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
