iya
EE-yah
How to say it
KinyarwandaiyaEE-yahsoon
Englishthe one of, that of (n nouns)soon
Frenchcelle de, celui desoon
Meaning
A pronoun that stands for a noun of the n class already known and links it to its owner or its rank, like English 'the one of'. Iyi modoka ni iya data means this car is my father's.
Good to know
It agrees with the noun it replaces: uwa for umuntu, iya for inka or imodoka, icya for igitabo, iby' for ibitabo. Gufata iya mbere means to take the lead, to be the first to act.
Examples
- Iyi nzu ni iya sogokuru.This house is my grandfather's.
- Imodoka yanjye ni iya kabiri uhereye ibumoso.My car is the second one from the left.
- Ababyeyi bagomba gufata iya mbere mu kurera abana.Parents must take the lead in bringing up children.
Not yet checked by a native speaker.