Kirundi (or Ikirundi) is the national language of Burundi, spoken by approximately 12 million people across East Africa. It is one of the country's official languages alongside French and English. Kirundi is closely related to Kinyarwanda (Rwanda) — the two languages are mutually intelligible at around 90%.
Whether you have Burundian roots and want to reconnect with your heritage, or you are simply interested in the Great Lakes region of Africa, this guide will give you all the fundamentals to start learning Kirundi.
- Why learn Kirundi?
- Pronunciation and alphabet
- Essential greetings
- Basic grammar: the noun class system
- Survival vocabulary: 50 essential words
- Numbers in Kirundi
- Useful daily phrases
- Burundian culture: understanding to learn better
- Resources and learning method
Why learn Kirundi?
Kirundi is much more than just another African language. Here's why it deserves your attention:
A language that connects an entire region
Kirundi belongs to the Bantu group (a sub-family of Niger-Congo languages). If you learn Kirundi, you will automatically understand Kinyarwanda and a good portion of Kiha (Tanzania). It's a gateway to the entire Great Lakes region.
An active diaspora in Europe and North America
The Burundian diaspora is present in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States. Approximately 500,000 Burundians live outside the country. Speaking Kirundi connects you to this dynamic community.
Almost zero competition online
Unlike English or Spanish, very few online resources exist for learning Kirundi. Targumi is one of the rare platforms offering structured learning for this language.
A musical and poetic language
Kirundi is a tonal language (like Chinese) — the same word can have different meanings depending on intonation. This musicality makes it a fascinating language to learn.
Pronunciation and alphabet
Kirundi uses the Latin alphabet, which is an immediate advantage for English speakers.
Vowels
Kirundi has 5 vowels, each of which can be short or long. Length changes the meaning of a word:
| Vowel | Sound | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| a | as in "father" | gukora | to work |
| e | as in "day" | rero | today |
| i | as in "see" | umwisi | the sun |
| o | as in "go" | igitoke | banana |
| u | as in "food" | umuntu | person |
Special consonants
- c : pronounced "ch" (as in "church")
- j : pronounced "dj" (as in "judge")
- sh : pronounced "sh" (as in "ship")
- ny : pronounced like "ny" in "canyon"
- nk : the "n" is pronounced before the "k"
The tonal system
Kirundi uses two tones: high and low. Tones are not usually written, but they are essential in speech:
- gukúra (high tone on "ku") = to grow
- gukùra (low tone on "ku") = to remove
Don't worry if tones seem difficult at first — with practice and listening to native speakers, they will become natural.
Essential greetings
Burundians are very warm people, and greetings are important in the culture. Here are the essential expressions:
Basic greetings
| Kirundi | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Amahoro | Hello / Peace | Universal, formal |
| Bwakeye | Good morning | Morning only |
| Bwiriwe | Good afternoon | Afternoon |
| Mwiriwe | Good evening | Evening |
| Ni meza | It's fine | Positive response |
| Ego | Yes | Affirmative |
| Oya | No | Negative |
| Urakoze | Thank you | Polite, common |
| Murakoze | Thank you (plural/respect) | More formal |
| Mwiriwe neza | Good night | When leaving in the evening |
A typical dialogue
A: Amahoro! (Hello/Peace!) B: Amahoro! Urakomeye? (Hello/Peace! How are you?) A: Ndakomeye, urakoze. Nawe? (I'm fine, thank you. And you?) B: Ndakomeye na jewe. (I'm fine too.)
Basic grammar: the noun class system
Kirundi grammar is built around a system of noun classes — a fundamental concept in Bantu languages.
What is a noun class?
Instead of genders (masculine/feminine) like in French, Kirundi organizes nouns into 16 classes based on prefixes. Each class has a singular and plural prefix.
Main classes
| Class | Sg. prefix | Pl. prefix | Sg. example | Pl. example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | umu- | aba- | umuntu | abantu | person(s) |
| 3/4 | umu- | imi- | umutima | imitima | heart(s) |
| 5/6 | i- | ama- | ijambo | amajambo | word(s) |
| 7/8 | iki- | ibi- | ikitabu | ibitabu | book(s) |
| 9/10 | in- | in- | inka | inka | cow(s) |
Class agreement
The class system affects EVERYTHING in the sentence: adjectives, verbs, possessives. It's as if in English, instead of saying "the good book," you had to change every word to match the noun's class.
Example:
- Umwana muto = the small child (class 1)
- Abana bato = the small children (class 2)
Verbs
Kirundi verbs start with gu- or ku- in the infinitive:
- gukora = to work
- gusoma = to read/study
- kurya = to eat
- kunywa = to drink
- gukunda = to love
Present tense conjugation adds person prefixes:
- Nda-soma = I read
- Ura-soma = You read
- Ara-soma = He/She reads
- Dura-soma = We read
- Mura-soma = You (plural) read
- Bara-soma = They read
Survival vocabulary: 50 essential words
Here are the 50 most useful words for a Kirundi beginner:
People and family
| Kirundi | English |
|---|---|
| umuntu | person |
| umugabo | man |
| umugore | woman |
| umwana | child |
| data | father |
| mama | mother |
| musaza | brother |
| mushiki | sister |
| nyogokuru | grandmother |
| sogokuru | grandfather |
Food and drink
| Kirundi | English |
|---|---|
| amata | milk |
| amateke | cooked bananas |
| igitoke | banana |
| umuceri | rice |
| inyama | meat |
| amazi | water |
| ikawa | coffee |
| icayi | tea |
Nature and places
| Kirundi | English |
|---|---|
| ikiyaga | lake |
| umusozi | hill |
| umugezi | river |
| inzu | house |
| igiti | tree |
| izuba | sun |
| ukwezi | moon |
| imvura | rain |
Common expressions
| Kirundi | English |
|---|---|
| Ndagukunda | I love you |
| Ndumva | I understand |
| Sinumva | I don't understand |
| Bite? | How much? |
| Ryari? | When? |
| Hehe? | Where? |
| Kubera iki? | Why? |
Numbers in Kirundi
| Number | Kirundi |
|---|---|
| 1 | rimwe |
| 2 | kabiri |
| 3 | gatatu |
| 4 | kane |
| 5 | gatanu |
| 6 | gatandatu |
| 7 | indwi |
| 8 | umunani |
| 9 | icenda |
| 10 | icumi |
| 100 | ijana |
| 1000 | igihumbi |
Useful daily phrases
Introducing yourself
- Nitwa... = My name is...
- Ndavuka mu Burundi = I come from Burundi
- Ndiga kwiga ikirundi = I'm learning Kirundi
At the market
- Ivyo bigura angahe? = How much does this cost?
- Ni birahenze = It's expensive
- Urashobora kugabanya? = Can you lower the price?
Asking for help
- Urashobora kumfasha? = Can you help me?
- Sinumva ikirundi neza = I don't understand Kirundi well
- Ongera, buhoro buhoro = Please repeat, slowly
Burundian culture: understanding to learn better
The sacred drum — Ingoma
The royal drum of Burundi, the Ingoma, is a national symbol. The practice of Burundian royal drummers has been inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2014. Their performances are spectacular: powerful rhythms, synchronized dances, and collective singing.
Ubuntu — The philosophy of shared humanity
The concept of ubuntu (ubumuntu in Kirundi) is central: "I am because we are." This philosophy of solidarity and sharing permeates all of Burundian society.
Coffee culture
Burundi produces exceptional coffee, recognized worldwide. Coffee is an economic and cultural pillar — representing 60 to 80% of export revenue. Talking about coffee is an excellent conversation starter with Burundians.
Resources and learning method
At Targumi, we offer Kirundi courses for all levels:
- Certified native tutors from Burundi
- Small group classes (3-6 students) for collaborative dynamics
- Private lessons adapted to your level and goals
- A mobile app with exercises and vocabulary
- A cultural approach integrating Burundian traditions, music, and history
Kirundi is a rich, musical language carrying a deep culture. Every word you learn brings you closer to a warm community and a fascinating history.
Urakoze cane! (Thank you very much!)
Article written by Jean-Pierre Ndayisaba, certified Kirundi tutor and Targumi collaborator. At Targumi, we make learning Kirundi accessible to everyone.
Sources and References
- Kirundi — Ethnologue: Kirundi is spoken by about 10 million native speakers. Language family: Niger-Congo, Bantu branch.
- Wikipedia — Kirundi: encyclopedic information on the language, its geographic area and official status.
- Targumi — Learn Kirundi: courses with certified native teachers.
Further Reading
- Learn Kirundi on Targumi — courses with native teachers
- All languages on Targumi — 106 languages taught