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

’Ahwééh náshdlį́į́h áádóó naanishgóó yishááh.

coffee again-1-drink.R then work-toward 1-go.I
listenloadingplaying

I drink coffee and then I go to work.

’Ahwééh yishdlį́į́h ’áádóó naanishgóó yishááh.

coffee 3-1-drink.U and.then work-toward 3-1-go.U

’áko ’índa

CONJ

’áyąą, ’áyaańda

listenloadingplaying

no wonder, little wonder that

’Áádę́ę́’ nánísdzáago łį́į́’ ni’deeshjoł.

from.there 1-return.p-GO horse 3-for pl-1-feed.F

-aa

-yah

Asdzą́ą́ yázhí bichidí doondó’ ndi naalnish da.

woman little 3-car not.even but 3-work.P NEG

bik’ídisoodiz

3DO-2dpl-wrap.it.around.it.P

Chidí sits’ą́ą́’ hashtł’ish yiih yilwodgo t’áá ch’į́į́góó ch’ééh ’ííł’įįd.

car 1-away mud 3-into 3-go.P-GO just fail in.vain 3-1-act.P

Da’ naadą́’ísh nee hólǫ́?

Q corn-Q 2-with 3-exist.NI

Da’ Ron saad nináánéíłkaah ya’?

Q Ron word 3-3-investigate.I Q
listenloadingplaying

Ron’s investigating words again?

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ dziłghą́ą́’dę́ę́’ shádí dóó ba’áłchíní bił ’adaashkai.

sunday past-time mountain top.of-from 1-elder.sister and 3-children 3-with downward-1-go.Pl.P

dayoodlą́ą́’

pl-3DO-3dpl-drink.it.P

dego

listenloadingplaying

up, upward, up in the air

diilyį́į́h

3DO-1dpl-melt.it.I

Díí 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.I

Dííshą’ látsíní háádę́ę́’ naa ninídee’?

this-Q bracelet where-from 2-to 3-arrive.PlO.P

Dlǫ́ǫ́’ ’akǫ́ǫ́ náájilwod.

Prairie Dog LOC-there It. 4-2-run.I
listenloadingplaying

The Prairie Dog went over there.

doodaii’

or

doohsį́į́ł

3DO-2dpl-eat.it.F

Díkwíí lá ninááhai?

how.many Q 2-winter

Gohwééh nayiisnii’diísh b bééhózin?

coffee 3-3-buy.P-at-Q 3-with 3-know.NI

Gólízhii dégo dasidoo’į́įgo da’oołzhish ni.

Skunk up-GO pl-3-look.I-GO pl-3-dpl-dance.I
listenloadingplaying

Skunk said, look up and dance.

Ha’át’íí baa ’áłah ’aleeh jiní?

what 3-for meeting 4-say.NI

hadadoołtééł

pl-3DO-2dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.F

hanołchaad

3DO-2dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).I

Hooghan ’adeeshłííł ndi tsineheeshjíí’ shee ’ádin.

hogan 1-build.F but lumber 1-with 3-none.NI

Jáan biʼdizhchínéejįʼ ʼanááhoolzhiizh. Tįʼ bá daʼdiidįį́ł.

John 2-birth-up-to again-area-arrive.P let's.go 3-for pl-2-eat.F
listenloadingplaying

It is John’s birthday, let’s have a dinner for him.

lá

Mary bimá sání yá ’ata’ halne’.

Mary 3-grandmother 3-for indef.between 3-talk.DI

Mósí ch’óółt’e’ lágo.

cat out-3-2-carry.O LÁGO

naashłé

3DO-1-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.I

Nichxǫ' doo ájíléeh da.

stop NEG 3-4-make.I NEG
listenloadingplaying

Stop, don’t do bad stuff!

Nichxǫ' t'áadoo baa nánít’íní.

stop NEG 3-about 2-bother.I-Í

Nidlóóhísh doodaii’ dooísh nidlóoh da?

2-cold.X-Q or NEG-Q 2-cold.X-Q NEG

Níléí dá’ák’ehdi ła’ joogááł.

there cornfield-at some 4-walk.Prog

Shimá nitsii’ yiilch’ííł áádóó bíni’ t’áá’ ákót’ée doo.

1-mom 2-hair 3-2-curl.I and.then let.be just it.is will.be.F
listenloadingplaying

Mom curl your hair and leave it that way.

Shiye’, t’áadoo nikídíltałí.

1-son NEG 2-stomp.IR-Í

Shínaaí shikétł’á ’iiyilgo łį́į́’ bikáá’ hasis’na’.

1-older.brother 1-foot-bottom 3-3-boost.P-GO horse 3-top up-1-crawl.P
listenloadingplaying

My older brother boosted me and I got up on the horse’s back.

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

shíníłbéézh

3DO-2-boil.it.P

Sitsiitł’óól tsásk’eh bikáá’ dah yishłééh.

Navajo.hair.tie bed 3-on up 3-1-put.SFO.U

t’ahdii

listenloadingplaying

still

Tsé nitsaa ’áko nidaaz.

stone 3-big CONJ 3-heavy

Tł’éédą́á’ dibé ch’íníjéé’ yiists’ą́ą́’ ’áádóó t’óó ńléí tsé deez’áhí bizánághah góne’ ’ahosoolts’ą́ą́’.

last.night sheep out-3-run-Pl.P 3-sound.P and then merely there rock point 3-around areal-in out-are
listenloadingplaying

Last night the sheep got out of the corral and the sound they made disappeared around the point of the ridge.

yideeshjį́į́ł

Future Mode: 1-become.black.F

yiit’aal

3DO-1dpl-chew.it.P

yishbéézh

3DO-3-boil.it.P

yiyííłhį́į́’

3DO-3-melt.it.(snow).P