Ki rufe labule idan rana ta yi zafi sosai.

Close the curtain if the sun is very hot.

Breakdown of Ki rufe labule idan rana ta yi zafi sosai.

• sosai: very
• yi: to do
• idan: if
• rufe: to close

Questions & Answers about Ki rufe labule idan rana ta yi zafi sosai.

Why does the sentence start with Ki?

Ki is the imperative marker used when speaking to one female person.

So this sentence is addressed to a woman or girl.

Compare:

• Ki rufe labule = close the curtain. (to one female)
• Ka rufe labule = close the curtain. (to one male)
• Ku rufe labule = close the curtain. (to more than one person, or sometimes politely)

Is ki the same as the ordinary word for you?

Not exactly. In this sentence, ki is functioning as the feminine singular imperative marker, not just as an independent subject pronoun.

A learner can think of it as part of the command structure:

• Ki + verb = command to one female
• Ka + verb = command to one male

So Ki rufe... is the normal way to say Close... to a female addressee.

What does rufe mean exactly?