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.CICh’ééníshį́įgo náá’deeshtł’óół nissin.
return.summer.GO 1-again.weave.F 1-desire’Ahbínídą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’ííyą́ą́’góó biniinaa wónáásdóó dichin shi’niiłhį́.
morning-past NEG 1-eat.P-NEG.GO because soon hunger 1-3-kill.PBecause I did not eat this morning I am hungry now.
bookmark- ’ahbínídą́ą́’ this morning
- t’áadoo not
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashą́ eatfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -niinaa because of, on account offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- wónáásdóó soon, finally
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- sisxé killfind in Navajo Verb Modes
’ayóo
’Ayóo la’ deesdoi, nahóółtą́ą́’ laanaa.
very disc 3-hot.SPN 3-rain.O hope’Ałk’idą́ą́’ ’ayóo nahałtin ńt’éé’.
long.ago very areal-rain.I past’Ádihodideesht’ih sha’shin nisingo t’áadoo ’atah haasdzíi’ da.
RFLX-1-get.into.trouble.F perhaps 1-think.CI-GO NEG among 1-say.P NEGI didn’t say anything because I thought I might get myself into trouble.
bookmark- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ádihodiisht’ééh get oneself into troublefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- sha’shin perhaps
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nisin think, wantfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- t’áadoo not
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrases
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- haasdziih speak, exclaimfind in Navajo Verb Modes
’Ąąh háá’á wolyéii k’ad doo ’asht’é’égóó bik’ee ntsinisdzá.
credit 3-call.P now neg extremely.neg 3-on-account-of overwhelm.P’Ániid ’iiyą́ą́’ ’áko ndi t’ah dichin nisin.
recently 1-eat.P even then still 3-hungry 1-want.NII recently ate even then I am still hungry.
bookmark- ’ániidígo recently, not long ago
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áko ndi even so, even thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -t’ah in a recess, pocket or enclosed space, undercoverfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nisin think, wantfind in Navajo Verb Modes
Ch’iyáán ’ádaasdįįdgo kingóó ła’ hááshááł.
food pl-3-run.out.P-GO store-to some area-1-go.get.ProgThe shelves are empty, and I am going to the grocery store.
bookmark- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ádįįh dwindle, become extinctfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -go verb and subordinating enclitic
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Progressive (Prog)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- hááshááł go along after itfind in Navajo Verb Modes
Chizh ła’ yah ’aníjááh.
firewood some in 2-bring.IDa’ Ron yiską́ągo saad neidoołkah?
Q Ron tomorrow word 3-3-investigate.FDibé yázhi bimá doo boosáni da, biʼnootsaał.
sheep little 3-mother NEG 3-love.I NEG 3-starve.ODon´t let the lamb starve to death because itʼs mother is rejecting it.
bookmarkDiné nihaikaíígíí nihizaad nideilkaahgo ayóó bił danilį́ ’áko ndi doo ’akót’ée da.
people 1dpl-3-come.pl.P-COMP 1dpl-language pl-3-1-investigate.I-GO very 3-with pl-3-be.NI even so NEG thus-3-be.NI NEGDíí tł’éé’ t’áá ká dóola dá’ák’eólyeed lágo, dádiʼnítįįh.
this night NEG bull into.field-3-run.O hope.not 3-2-close.gate.IDon’t let the bull get into the field tonight, so close the gate.
bookmark- Command, negativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Optative with t’áá ká and lágofind in Navajo Imperatives
- t’áá ká don’t
- lágo negative particle used with the optative mode
- Optative (O)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- Command, affirmativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Imperfectivefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
Doo ’áłah deiidleeh da.
NEG together pl-1dpl-meet.pl.I NEGDoo hanii ni ’ałdó’ nilį́į́’ bik’i dah ’íníił da.
NEG contrary 2 also 2-horse 3-on up saddle 3-2-put.PlO.I NEGDoo ndó’ daatsaah noolin da.
NEG but 3-be.sick.I 3-resemble.NP NEGDooshą’ gah t’áá gééd náshdááh lá.
ensure rabbit just without 1-return.I DISCdó’
Haidą́ą́’ shich’ą́ą́h ’ííchííl na’nishkaadgo.
winter-past 1-protect 3-snow.P 3-1-herd.CI-GOHalah doo bííghah jiztį́į da.
opposite.sibling NEG 3-beside 4-lay.O NEGhazhóó’ógo
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.PK’ad ’ałníí’góó ’eeshtł’óół doo yę́ę ła’ damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’asétł’ǫ́ǫ da.
now half-toward 1-weave.Prog future past one Sunday when.past NEG 1-weave.P NEGI could have been halfway through weaving, but last week I didn’t weave at all.
bookmark- Progressive (Prog)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashtł’ó weavefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashtł’ó weavefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- k’ad now
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- goal
- -dą́ą́’ past timefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- time
- yę́ędą́ą́’ pastfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
K’ad cháshk’eh góyaa tó deg ’anool’ąął.
now wash area-down water up 3-move.ProgNaaki yiskánídą́ą́’ da’iiníílta’go hahoolzhiizh.
two day-past pl-1dpl-school.NI-GO start-time.passing.PNaalyéhé 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.PNanise’ígíí ch’iyáán daohsą́ ’áko bee nihits’íís bitah yá’ádahoot’ééh dooleeł.
plant-ÍGÍÍ food pl-2-eat.I so 3-with 2pl-body 3-among pl-3-good.NI futureNáá’íídéeshtah nisin doodago t’óó siláogóó deeshááł.
again-1-go.school.F 1-want or merely military-to 1-go.Fnáás
Náás heesháałgo chidí bine’ ’ííyá.
forward 1-step.Prog-GO car 3-behind 1-go.PNáneeskaadi t’áádoo naa’ółí bił yíyą́ą’da. ’Alóós t’éiyá yíyą́ą́’.
Tortilla-N (t’áá)doo-NEG Bean-N bił-3-with yíyą́ą’da-3o-1s-eat.P NEG Rice-N t’éiyá-only yíyą́ą’-3o-1s-eat.P.Ni ga’ k’ad dibé bikéé’ díínááł.
you EMPH now sheep 3-behind 2-go.FNibéézh bee hane’é doo ndi naalnish da.
2-cellphone NEG but 3-work.P NEGNidlóóhísh doodaii’ doo daats’í nidlóoh da?
2-cold.I-Q or neg perhaps 2-cold.I negNimá yázhí bighangóó díílwoł dóó ’áájí ’awéé’ baa ’áhólyą́ą dooleeł.
your aunt 3-house-to 2-run-and that-way baby 3-for 2-care.CI FUTGo to your aunt’s house and take care of the baby over there.
bookmark- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yishwoł run alongfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -aa tofind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- goal
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áháshyą́ carefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- dooleeł future
ńt’éé’
Shicheii t’áá ’íiyisíí hastihgo biniinaa kónááhoot’éhí doo na’ádódlíi da.
1-grandfather very 3-old.N-GO because next.year NEG 3-expect.live.NP NEGShiyáázh Damóogo ’índa ’áádę́ę́’ nídeesdzá
1-son Sunday.GO will.be from 2-returning.FShínaaí łahda bił náhoniidoh.
1-older.brother sometime 3-with 3-become.warm.RShį́į́dą́ą́’ sitsą́ hodíínii’go k’asdą́ą́’ dasétsą́.
summer-last 1-stomach areal-.hurt.P-GO nearly 1-die.PShí Kinłánígóó shił ’ayóó ’ánízáád ’áko ndi sitsóí ’éí bił ’áyídí.
I Denver to 1-with 3-far.NI but 1-grandsongranddaughter 3-with nearbyDenver is too far with me but to my grandson, it is close or nearby.
bookmark- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’ayóigo very, extremely
- -á for, for the benefit offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -á for, for the benefit offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’áko ndi even so, even thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon




