Kiga (also called Rukiga, Ruchiga, or Chiga) is the native language of the Kiga people (Bakiga). Kiga is a very similar language to the Nkore language. It was first written in the second half of the 19th century.
In common with other Bantu languages, Kiga has a noun class system in which prefixes on nouns mark membership of one of the noun genders. Pronouns, adjectives, and verbs reflect the noun gender of the nominal they refer to. Some examples of noun classes:
mu – person (singular), e.g. omukiga = inhabitant of Kigezi land
ru – language, e.g. Rukiga = language of the Kiga
ba – people, e.g. Bakiga = The Kiga people
ki – customs or traditions, e.g. kikiga, (sometimes spelled Kichiga), describes religious tradition common to the Kiga people. Sometimes the people are called 'Chiga' by people misunderstanding the linguistic rules in relation to the prefixes.
The sound [l] is not distinctive in Rukiga. The letter "r" is used instead.