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

’Ahbínídą́ą́’ hashbį’go baa nídiisdzá ’ákondi t’áadoo ’áłtso da.

morning-past 1-clear.I-GO 3-for 1-start.P however but not-yet all NEG

’Ak’éégo ’éí chizh niléí keehaidi ninahdahiigééh nt’éé’.

autumn-GO that wood over.there winter.camp-at pl-3-1-unload.P past

’Awéé’ bimá bit’ah sitį́.

baby 3-mother 3-undercover 3-lying.SPN
listenloadingplaying

The baby is lying under the same covers with its mother.

’Awééh kweʼé ninishteeh, adaʼoogeeh.

baby here 3-carry.AnO.I 3-fall.O

’Ałk’idídą́ą́’ kin ’áshłaa ńt’éé’ ’éí t’ahdii bii’ shighan.

quite.long.ago house 3-1-make.P past it still 3-in 1-home

’Áshįįh Bii’ Tóógóó náádísdzáago dziłghą́ą́’ hanáádeesh’nah.

Salt.Lake.City-toward again-1-go.F-GO mountain-back again-1-climb.R

’Ííyą́ą́dóó bik’ijį’ tsinyaagi nétį́į́ dóó ’iiłhaazh.

1-eat.P and 3-after tree-under-at.spec 1-lie.down.P and 1-sleep.P

-ba-

-ch’a

scold

-ch’ijí

Béégashii yáázh ła’ shibee’í’diidłííd bik’i niní’ą́.

calf one 1-cattle.brand 3-on 3-1-put.NP

dadizhdínóołkał

pl-3DO-4dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).F

Damóogo nihaa náájídááh.

Sunday.GO us.return 4-again.visit.F
listenloadingplaying

Visit us again on Sunday.

dayiigish

pl-3DO-3dpl-make.one.cut.in.it.I

dazhdiłhį́į́h

pl-3DO-4dpl-melt.it.I

Dibé yázhí bitsį’ bíchą́ yídéeshni’.

lamb 3-meat 3-crave 3-addicted.NP

diididoołjah

3DO-3-start.fire.F

Diné nishłį́ndi Bilaagana bizaad t’éí bee yáshti’.

Navajo 1-be.NI but English language only 3-with 1-speak.I

Díídó’ doo ákót’ée daásh łí?

this-DÓ’ neg indef-how-3-be.NI neg-ÍSH ŁÍ

Doo yéé shaa yánłti’go ndiséts’ą́’į́.

NEG fear 1-to 2-talk.DI-GO 2-1-hear.P
listenloadingplaying

It’s a good thing I didn’t hear you talking about me.

Dził bit’ááhgi bįįh halzheeh.

mountain 3-close.to-at deer 3-3-hunting.CI
listenloadingplaying

He’s deer hunting over near the mountain.

Dziłghą́ą́’góó deeshááł nissin.

mountain-top-toward 1-go.F 1-want.CI

Dziłgóó ’o’ooldee’ yę́ę ná’ooldah.

mountain-to 3-go.pl.P past 3-return.pl.I

ha’át’éédę́ę́’

Haashíyee’ ’ahíłká ’ańdiijah.

let’s.see each.other-for together-1du-run.pl.F

listenloadingplayingSpeaker: Ron GenelistenloadingplayingSpeaker: Lorene B Legah

Let’s cooperate with one another and see what happens.

hadeiniłchaad

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

haidoołtééł

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

hajííłgizh

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

háágóó

Hái da shą’ tsinaa’eeł ’ájiilaa lá?

who DA Q boat 3-4-make.P DISC

Háí lá sis łigai ’áyiił’įįh

who-Q belt silver 3-3-make.U

Hííłch’į’go ’íinda ta’iideeshnih.

evening.GO until 1-mix.dough.F
listenloadingplaying

I will mix the dough towards evening.

jiigish

3DO-4-make.one.cut.in.it.I

Mósí yázhí bimá yits’ą́ą́’ yóó’ííyá.

kitten 2-mother 3-from away-3-go.P

Na’ahóóhaii Ya’iishjááshtsoh bini góne’ nída’adleeh.

July 3-in 3-into rodeo 3-Pl-SUP-be.R
listenloadingplaying

In July, rodeo events take place.

Naakaii Bito’gi béégashii bee łá’í ’ídlínígíí bee ’anishtah.

mexican water-at cow 3-with one-unify.P-COMP 3-with 1-among.NI
listenloadingplaying

I’m a member of the Mexican Springs Cattle Association.

nidajiskáá’

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

nidasiilkáá’

pl-3DO-1dpl-investigate.it.P

Nimá yázhí bighangóó díílwoł dóó ’áájí ’awéé’ baa ’áhólyą́dooleeł.

your aunt 3-house-to 2-run-and that-way baby 3-for 2-care.CI FUT

Nishą́? Náádilyeed ho’dooniid.

2-Q It. 2-run 3-2-said.P
listenloadingplaying

What about you? You run over there too. He said to him.

Nídíshchííʼ ayóó ádaníłnéez dooleeł.

pinetree very pl-3-dpl-tall.NI 3-become.F
listenloadingplaying

The pine tree will grow very tall.

Shich’ahashkéé léi’ doo bíká ’iishyeed da.

1-3-upset.I since NEG 3-for 1-help.I NEG
listenloadingplaying

I didn’t help him/her since s/he was upset with me.

Shí hanii t’éiyá Naasht’ézhí bizaad sh bééhózin.

I contrary only English 3-language 1-with 3-know.P

Shíká ’anánílwo’ doodago’ t’áadoo shaa nánít’į́ní!

1-after indef-help.R or just-neg 1-about 1-2-bother.NI-neg

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

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

When my older brother started off in the car he left a trail of dust around the corner.

Shį́į́dą́ą́’ sitsą́ hodíínii’go k’asdą́ą́’ dasétsą́.

summer-last 1-stomach areal-.hurt.P-GO nearly 1-die.P
listenloadingplaying

Last summer I nearly died with a pain in my abdomen.

Sohodizingo t’áá ká nídoó’nééh.

prayer-GO neg 2-get.up.O

Yiską́ągo díí doo ’íídííłtah da. (K’ad tsxíiłgo ’ííníłta’.)

tomorrow this NEG 3-2-read.F NEG (now quickly 3-2-read.I)