Food & Drinks

1. Ndashaka kubona urutonde rw'ibifungurwa

   I want to see the menu

   Usage

   When you sit down at a restaurant and want the menu

   Grammar Note

   urutonde is "list", rw' is "of" and ibifungurwa is "food": literally "list of foods"

2. Ndashaka ibiharage n'umuceri

   I want beans and rice

   Usage

   For ordering a staple meal

   Grammar Note

   ibiharage (beans) + n' (and) + umuceri (rice); n' is na (and) shortened before a vowel

3. Biraryoha cane!

   It is very delicious!

   Usage

   For praising a meal

   Grammar Note

   bi- (they, things) + -ra- (present) + -ryoha (be delicious) + cane (very)

4. Sindya inyama

   I don't eat meat

   Usage

   To say what you do not eat

   Grammar Note

   si- (I do not) + -n- + -rya (eat) gives sindya; inyama is meat

5. Ndashaka ikawa

   I would like coffee

   Usage

   For ordering; coffee is one of Burundi's main exports

   Grammar Note

   ikawa is an i- class noun meaning coffee, as in Wanyoye ibikombe vy'ikawa bingahe? (how many cups of coffee did you drink?)

6. Ndashaka amazi

   I would like water

   Usage

   For ordering

   Grammar Note

   amazi is "water", an ama- class noun

7. Numva inyota

   I'm thirsty

   Usage

   When you want something to drink

   Grammar Note

   numva means "I feel" and inyota means "thirst"

8. Ndi n'inzara

   I'm hungry

   Usage

   When you want a meal; Uri n'inzara? asks "are you hungry?"

   Grammar Note

   ndi (I am) + n' (with) + inzara (hunger): literally "I am with hunger"

9. Ndashaka ikintu co kunywa

   I want something to drink

   Usage

   For asking for a drink

   Grammar Note

   ikintu (thing) + co (for) + kunywa (drinking)

10. Umuceri

    Rice

    Usage

    For rice, as in Murafise umuceri? (do you have rice?)

    Grammar Note

    umuceri is an umu- class noun

11. Umukate

    Bread

    Usage

    For buying bread, as in Reka nje kugura umukate. (let me go and buy bread)

    Grammar Note

    umukate is an umu- class noun

12. Inyama

    Meat

    Usage

    For meat dishes, as in Inyama canke ifi? (meat or fish?)

    Grammar Note

    inyama is an in- class noun; canke means "or"

13. Ifi

    Fish

    Usage

    For fish dishes

    Grammar Note

    ifi is an i- class noun

14. Imboga

    Vegetables

    Usage

    For vegetables, as in Fungure imboga nyinshi! (eat plenty of vegetables)

    Grammar Note

    imboga is an in- class noun; fungure is the imperative of gufungura (to eat a meal)

15. Ivyamwa

    Fruit

    Usage

    For fruit

    Grammar Note

    ivyamwa is a plural noun for fruit; the dictionary also gives imbuto

16. Isupu

    Soup

    Usage

    For soup, as in Mw'isupu hari umunyu urenze. (there is too much salt in this soup)

    Grammar Note

    isupu is an i- class noun; umunyu is salt

17. Pilipili

    Hot pepper

    Usage

    For asking for or avoiding spicy seasoning

    Grammar Note

    pilipili is a word of Swahili origin

18. Amata

    Milk

    Usage

    For milk, as in Nywa amata yawe! (drink your milk)

    Grammar Note

    amata is an ama- class noun

19. Umutobe

    Juice

    Usage

    For juice; umutobe w'imicungwa is orange juice

    Grammar Note

    umutobe is an umu- class noun; w' means "of"

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