Action Sentences in Kirundi

Action sentences bring together words a child already knows into phrases that describe real moments. This action sentences in Kirundi lesson covers 14 full sentences — a child climbing a tree, someone washing plates, a parent feeding children — each recorded by a native speaker.

The sentences build on what came before: keza ariko aratonora igitoke (Keza is peeling a green banana) brings back igitoke from the vegetables lesson. Ciza ariko aragura itara (Ciza is buying a lamp) brings back itara from basics. A child who hears these sentences at home will recognise the pieces before they recognise the whole.

Lionel Kubwimana, a native Kirundi speaker from Bujumbura, recorded every sentence in this Kirundi vocabulary lesson. The sentences are long enough to carry meaning and short enough to say together.

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Choose one sentence a day that matches what is happening. If someone is studying, say kaneza ariko ariga neza cane. If a child is playing with a ball, say abana bariko barakina umupira. One sentence, one moment, is enough.

The sentences in this lesson introduce new verbs: araherekeza (accompanying), aravura (giving care or fishing, depending on context), araduza idarapo (raising the flag). These are worth a second listen — the verbs are longer than those in the earlier actions lesson and carry more meaning.

The premium course adds a practice game so a child can work through all 14 sentences independently, with score tracking across sessions.

Audio recorded by Lionel Kubwimana, native Kirundi speaker from Bujumbura.

These are full sentences a Kirundi-speaking family can say at home — not grammar drills. A parent who is not yet fluent can still use this lesson: say the Kirundi sentence when the action is happening, then play Lionel Kubwimana's recording so your child hears the correct form. This lesson is for any parent raising a child with Kirundi at home, wherever that home is.

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14 words with translations
ciza is climbing a treeciza ariko arurira igiti
kaneza is studying very wellkaneza ariko ariga neza cane
gatore is accompanying kezagatore ariko araherekeza keza
keza is giving good carekeza ariko aravura neza
ciza is washing their faceciza ariko aroga mu maso
kamikazi is feeding rice to the childrenkamikazi ariko aragaburira abana umuceri
keza is washing the plateskeza ariko aroza amasahani
ciza is buying a lampciza ariko aragura itara
keza is peeling a green bananakeza ariko aratonora igitoke
wakana is raising the flagwakana ariko araduza idarapo
kabura is fishing in the lakekabura ariko araroba ifi mu kiyaga
the children are playing with a ballabana bariko barakina umupira
the children are playing with marblesabana bariko barakina udusoro
kamikazi is watering the pineapplekamikazi ariko aravomera inanasi