Introduction to Navajo Adverbs

This lexicon is built on a list from Young & Morgan (1987:12-17). This list is a heterogeneous collection of expressions that certainly belong to more than one syntactic category. For instance, it includes time expressions like ’adą́ą́dą́ą́’ (‘yesterday’) and ’ałní’ní’ą́ (‘at noon’), but it also includes the negative frame doo…da and several expressions that are constructed with it, and it includes various particles that tend to appear before the verb (e.g., hah ’quickly’; dah ‘up’). These appear in various places within a clause. Oddly, ńt’éé (a particle denoting past time which is placed after the verb) is in the list, but dooleeł (a particle denoting future time which appears in the same position) is not in the list.

We constructed this tool using Young & Morgan’s list without making adjustments to it. There may be a future version that includes different selections.

An example search has returned 50 entries

’Ak’ah ła’ dishhį́įhgo baa naashá.

lard some 3-1-melt.I 3-to 1-go.CI

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ shá bíighah ’atah ’adishdiłgo ’i’íí’ą́.

yesterday 1-for 3-passing down 1-play.stick.dice.RI-GO evening

’Ahbínídą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’ííyą́ą́’góó biniinaa wónáásdóó sitsiits’iin díínii’.

morning-past neg 1-eat.P-GO.NEG because soon 1-head 3-ache.P

’Ałah ’aleehgóó deesháál nínízinísh doodago béésh nitsíkeesí daats’í bee nidoonááł ’éí doodago t’áá hooghanídi daats’í KTNN yídíiłts’iił?

meeting-to 1-go-F 3-2 want.NI-Q or computer possibly 2-watch.F or just home-at possibly KTNN 3-2-listen.F

’Áłchíní hastą́ą́ binidááhaidóó deigo hodees’áago t’áá ’ałtso da’ółta’go yá’át’ééh.

children six 3-year.P-from up areal-extend.NP all pl-3-study.NI-GO 3-good.N

’Eii łééchą̨ą’í t’áá ’áko taah yilwo’.

that dog immediately water.into 3-run.U
listenloadingplaying

The dog immediately runs into the water. 

Ashkiísh t’áádoo nideezhí yíni’ yá ahóólaa da?

boy NEG 2-younger.sister 3-mind 3-for 3s-3-make.P NEG

Awéé’ doo ndó’ yidlóoh da.

baby NEG NDO’ 3-cold.I NEG
listenloadingplaying

The baby isn’t even cold. 

Át’ah ’índa shaa náádíídááł.

later 1-to again-2-come.F

Bááh łikanígíí ła’ nisin háálá ayóo łikan.

bread 3-be.sweet.NI.NOM some 3-1-want.NI because very 3-be.sweet.NI

Béésh bii’ kǫ’í bizooł dego deez’á.

stove 3-pipe up 3-extend.SPN
listenloadingplaying

The stovepipe sticks up (extends upward, rises).

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Bilagáanaa Bizaad doo diists’a’ da. K’ad éí t’ááshxǫǫd t’áá bee yáshti’.

formerly English NEG 1-understand.I NEG | now TOP at.least just 3-with 1-speak.I

Chidí kǫ́ǫ́ ndaajeehígíí t’áá ’ániidígo dahodeezlįįd.

car here 3-run.pl.I-COMP just recently pl-3-become.P
listenloadingplaying

These cars that run around here just recently came into existence, cars are a recent invention.

Dah doónááł lágo!

up 2-go.F don’t

Dahojitaałgo t’áá hoonaałgo wónáásdóó ’ayóí ’íits’a’go dahojitaał.

Pl-4-sing.I-COMP just areal-3-move.Prog-COMP soon remarkable 3-sound.I-COMP pl-4-sing.I

Dibé bits’į́’ daodą́ą́’ lágo.

sheep 3-meat pl-3-1dpl-eat.O LÁGO

Díí éé’ shił nizhónígo nahideeshniih nisin nt’éé’ ’áko ndi ayóo ilį́į́ lá.

this clothing 1-with 3-like-GO 3-1-buy.F 1-think.Cl Past even then very 3-expensive Disc

Doo ’áłah dadiidleeł da.

NEG together pl-1dpl-meet.pl.F NEG

doo --- ndi

Doo nił bééhózín da lá jiní. T’áá káhí la’ bił hóolne’!

NEG 2-with 3-knowledge.CI NEG disc 4-say.P just never some 3-with 2-tell.F

Doo t’áá k’ad bá’ólta’í sélį́į’ da.

NEG just now teacher 1-be.SPN NEG
listenloadingplaying

I don’t want to become a teacher.

dooshą’ léi’ --- lá

Doozhǫǫgo da’ííłta’ígíí t’éiyá yá’át’éehgo naanish bá dahólǫ́.

satisfactory pl-3-study.P-NOM only 3-good.N-GO work 3-for pl-3-exist.NI
listenloadingplaying

Only the people with a decent education have good jobs.

Dził bíchį́į́shk’ą́ą́h gódeg hoołtį́į́ł.

mountain 3-nose-against areal-up areal-rain.Prog
listenloadingplaying

It’s raining up on the point of the mountain.

Háísh yiską́ągo ’adoogis?

who-Q tomorrow 3-wash.F

Hoozdo hoolyéedi deesdoi sha’shin. ’Áyaańda (’áyąą) diné bi’éétsoh t’áá gééd ndaakai.

Phoenix areal-called-at hot possibly no.wonder person 3-coat without pl-3-go.pl.P
listenloadingplaying

I guess it’s warm in Phoenix. No wonder people go around without coats.

K’ad cháshk’eh góyaa tó de ’anool’ąął.

now wash down water up 3-rise.Prog
listenloadingplaying

The water’s rising now down in the wash.

K’ad cháshk’eh góyaa tó deg ’anool’ąął.

now wash area-down water up 3-move.Prog
listenloadingplaying

The water level is rising now down the wash.

K’idadeelyáá nit’éé’ t’óó daazgan, háálá doo nahałtin da.

1pl-plant.P past just 3pl-dry.SPN, because NEG 3-rain.CI NEG

Kintah góyaa yishááł ńt’éé’ béeso ńdiiłtsooz

areal-down 1-go.Prog past money 3-1-pick.FFO.P

Láshdóón chidí bídadiiltłʼółígíí k’ad hashtʼe dadiilnííł.

ribbon car 3-dist.pl-3-tie.F-ÍGÍÍ now prepare 3-1pl-make.F
listenloadingplaying

Letʼs get the ribbons ready to tie onto the vehicle now.

Na’nízhoozhígóó chídí doo nił dah didoolwoł da.

Gallup-to car NEG 2-with up start-3.drive.F NEG

Na’níle’dii béeso ła’ haaníníl, t’áadoo tł’oh nidziisnii’ da.

dismay money some 4-3-1-give.PlO.P NEG hay 3-4-buy.P NEG

Naalyéhé bá hooghandi tł’oh hániikai ńt’éé’ ’áníídí yee’ ’ásdįįd lágo ’áadi niikai.

trading.post-at hay 1dpl-go.pl.P past recently very 3-disappear.P DISC-GO there 1dpl-go.pl.P
listenloadingplaying

We went to the trading post after hay only to find that the supply had just run out. 

Naʼazhǫǫshgóó dooʼáazhgo nihikééʼ ʼiih deeshwoł.

casino-to 2du-go.F-GO 2pl-follow 3-into 1-run.F

She’abe’ sits’ą́ą́’ wóódlą́ą́’ lágo.

1-milk 1-from 3-2-drink.O LÁGO

Shikee’ ’ániidígo biniinaa shikee’ bąąh tó’diisool.

1-shoe recently because 1-foot 3-on 3-blister.form.P
listenloadingplaying

Because my shoes are new, they made a water blister on my foot. 

Shimá dóó shizhé’é Yootóodi ’ółta’ ńt’éé’.

1-mother and 1-father Santa.Fe-at 3-go.to.school.NI past

Shinaaí ła’í ndi chizh t’áadoo ła’ yaah ayiitą́ą da.

1-older.brother not.even.one but firewood just-NEG some directional-3-3-gather.P NEG.

Shiyáázh Damóogo ’índa ’áádę́ę́’ nídeesdzá

1-son Sunday.GO will.be from 2-returning.F

Shínaaí chidí bił dah diilwodgo bizánághah góne’ łeezh ’adzíísi’.

older.brother car 3-with up 3-run.I-GO 3-around areal-in dust 3-trail.P

Shínaaí shíká ’adoolwoł nisin ńt’éé’ ’áłt’ąą t’áadoo níyáa da.

1-older.brother 1-for 3-run.F 1-want.NI but after.all NEG 3-come.sg.P NEG

Shínaaí łahda bił náhoniidoh.

1-older.brother sometime 3-with 3-become.warm.R
listenloadingplaying

My older brother gets drunk sometimes.

T’áadoo yaa nidanoht’áhí.

NEG down pl-3-2dpl-put.SRO.I-Í

T’áá kwe’é shiba’ sínídáa doleeł.

just right.here 1-waiting.for 2-sit.SPN FUT

Tooh ńłínígíí ha’naa shił ’adeeshdloozh ńt’éé’ łį́į́’ shił deezgo’

water river areal-across 1-with 3-move.P past horse 1-with 3-fall.P
listenloadingplaying

I started to ride across the river when the horse fell with me.

Tó lą’ígo nidlą́ ’áko bee nitah yá’áhoot’ééh dooleeł.

water many 3-2-drink.DI so 3-with 2-among pl-3-good.NI future

Tsézéí lą’í joyéełgo nidaaz dooleeł.

gravel a.lot 3-4-haul.I-GO 3-heavy.NI 3-become.F

Yóó’ ’anáháshyeed.

away SER-1-run.R
listenloadingplaying

I run away time after time.