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

’Aadę́ę́’ hoołtį́į́ł.

there-from 3s-rain.Prog

’ayóigo

very, extremely

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi łį́į́’ bichąą bíighahgo tł’oh deíl’áá ńt’éé’ jiní.

long.ago Navajo.land 3-upon-at horse 3-belly sufficient-GO Pl-3-extend.out.of.sight.SNP hearsay
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They say that long ago the grass in the Navajo country was as high as a horse’s belly.

’Áłtsé biba’ dooleeł ’áko shį́į́ ’índa nihił dah adidoolwoł.

first 3.for will until then only 1.with start 3-drive.F
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We’ll wait for them, only then will we start to drive away.

-sh

Bikáá’ dah ’asdáhí bikáa’gi doodaai’ ni’góó daats’í nishdaah?

chair 3-top-at or floor-on perhaps 1-sit.NI

Ch’iyáánísh hólǫ́?

food-Q 4-exist.NI

Chidí naat’a’í nihił dah diit’a’.

airplane 1dpl-with up 3-fly.P

dadidínóołkał

pl-3DO-2dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).F

dajishbéézh

pl-3DO-4dpl-boil.it.P

daoohdlą́ą́’

pl-3DO-2dpl-drink.it.P

Dibé bighan báátis dah yiishte’.

sheep corral 3-over up 1-climb.P

Dichin nínízin ya’?

hungry 2-want.NI Q

didínéeshkał

3DO-1-start.to.herd.them.(animals).F

didínóołkał

3DO-2dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).F

didííníłjéé’

3DO-2-start.fire.P

Díí dziłígíí shádi’ááh bich’ijígo ’ałkéé’ ’adíítąąd.

this mountain-Comp southward 3-toward-GO one-behind-another 3Pl-scatter.NP
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These mountains are strung out, one behind the other toward the south.

Díí yihahígíí biyi’, háísh tówónaanígóó ch’aa deeyá?

this year.IGII within who overseas.GOO travel 3-going.F-Q
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Who is traveling overseas this year?

Díí łééchąą’í dah doosłóós laanaa.

this dog 1-lead.O.ADV-laanaa optative particle for a positive wish, hope or desire.

Doo hazhó’ó ’adiist’a’ da léi’ t’óó shaa daadloh.

NEG good reflex-1.hear.NI NEG since just me.at pl.3.laugh.I

dó’

Dziłdę́ę́’ hoołtį́į́ł ńt’éé’ t’áá nihich’į’jį’ ’ásdįįd.

mountain-from areal-rain.Prg past just 1pl-toward-up.to 3-disappear.P

díníshkaad

3DO-1-start.to.herd.them.(animals).I

dííłhį́į́’

3DO-1-melt.it.P

Ha’át’íí biniinaa náníldzid?

what 3-cause 2-fear.I

Ha’át’íí biniiyé shą́ą́h ńdídááh?

what 3-because 1-passing.by 2-go.I

Ha’át’íí nizhé’é yaa naaghá?

what Q 2-father 3-about 3-do.CI

haa + Neuter V

how / what V. The ’h’-expressions formed with ’haa’ plus a neuter verb are used to pose questions about “physical characteristics, quantity, and degree”.

haa’í

hadéélbįįd

3DO-1dpl-fill.something.up.with.it.P

Haidą́ą́’ shich’ą́ą́h ’ííchííl na’nishkaadgo.

winter-past 1-protect 3-snow.P 3-1-herd.CI-GO

hajííłgizh

3DO-4-cut.it.out.P

Hatáálgóó déyáago shikélchí t’óó tsxį́į́łgo bił ’ada’shéshiizhgo ńdaséłkad.

ceremony-1-go-Fut-GO 1-moccasin merelyhurry.GO 3-with 3-1-pierce-GO 3-1-sew-P
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Since I was going to a ceremony, I hurriedly pierced holes in my moccasins and sewed them.

Háíshą’ tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?

who-Q boat 3-3-make.P

Jáan Mary bił baghan.

John Mary 3-with 3-live

Jį́į́dą́ą́’ t’óó k’asídą́ą́’ nihee nahóółtą́.

today just very.nearly 1dpl-with areal-rain.P
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It came awfully close to raining today, it very nearly rained today.

Joołísh ’atiin tsé’naa ’ahííníłhan doodaii’ daats’í ’anít’i’ báhátis ’ahííníłhan?

ball-Q road across 3-2-throw.P or perhjaps fence 3-over 3-2-throw.P

Kintahdę́ę́’ hahí néínídzáá lá.

town-from quickly 2-return.P DISC

Kǫ’ ’ayóigo bee n’deezdíín ndi doo shiníłdoi da.

fire very 3-with 3-sheds.light.P but NEG 1-3-warm.SPN NEG
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The fire gives lots of light, but it doesn’t warm me.

lá

Shicheii t’áá sáhí ’átsą́ą́’ ’ałtso yoolghal --- doochǫǫł ’át’éego ’ajilghał dooleeł!

1-grandpa just himself rib whole 3-chew.P ridiculous 3-be.NI-GO SER-3-ate.DI FUT
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My grandfather ate the whole rib section by himself --- it’s absurd to eat like that!

Shilééch’ąą’í hats’ąą ńdóosht’į́į́ł laanaa nízin yę́ę bik’íníyá.

1-dog areal-away.from 1-hide.O wishful 3-want past 3-1-find.P

shíníłbéézh

3DO-2-boil.it.P

t’ah ńt’éé’

t’áá

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just

T’ááłáhádi kin binída’shiilzhiizh dóó hooghangóó dah ńdiikai.

once-at house 3-into-Pl-1dpl-dance.P home-toward start start-1dpl-go.pl.P

Yéego ’ííníłta’, shi’awéé’, ’áko nizhónígo ni’dííłtah.

really 2-study.NI 1-baby so well 2-graduate.F

Łáháda ’ach’íí’ náshdį́į́h.

now.and.then rolled.intestine 1-eat.R

łahda

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sometimes, from time to time

łahgo

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otherwise, altered, changed