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

’Akóyaa ’adah, t’áá baa ’áhólchįįh.

there-down down, just 3-to 2-aware.NI

’Ashdladi oolkiłgo ’áko shį́į́ ’índa ákǫ́ǫ́ diikah.

five.at time-GO only until then there 1dpl-go.pl.I
listenloadingplaying

At 5 o’clock only then we’ll leave for there.

’ayóigo

very, extremely

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ dahane’ yę́ę k’ad ’índa baa nídahane’.

past pl-3.tell.story.I old now until.now 3-for pl-3.tell.story.I

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ tł’oh naadą́ą́’ dant’į́įhgo łį́į́’ doodaii’ béégashii da há hada’ał’éés ńt’éé’.

long.ago grass corn 3-ripen.I-GO horse or cow etc. 4-for 3-stomp.I past

-de

-jí + -k’ehgo

Baa tįįh náádiikah.

3-for achieve 1dpl-walk.pl.I

Beeldléí danołtsóós.

blanket pl-3-2dpl-bring.FFO.I

Béégashii ndahaniihdi dóola ’ayóí ’ánóolin léi’ t’óó bidánééł’į́į́’.

cattle-NOM pl-3-sell.CI-at bull remarkable 3-resemble.N INDEF just 3-1-look.at.P
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At the cattle sale I saw a beautiful bull that I sure wished I had.

Chidí naat’a’íísh hooghankáá’góó ch’ínísaal ’éí doodaii’ dziłghąą’góó daats’í?

airplane house-over-along over-3-fly.P TOP or mountain-attached-along perhaps

Chidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodago ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?

car-Q 3-with 4-exist.N or 2 maybe car 2-with 4-exist.NI

dazhdiłhį́į́h

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

deidíníłkaad

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

didínéeshkał

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

Díí tł’éé’ t’áá ká dóola dá’ák’eólyeed lágo.

this night NEG bull into.field-3-run.O hope.not LÁGO

Dlǫ́ǫ́’ ’akǫ́ǫ́ náájilwod.

Prairie Dog LOC-there It. 4-2-run.I
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The Prairie Dog went over there.

doo --- ndi

Doo yéé niiłtsán.

NEG fear .P. 2-1-see-NOM
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It’s a good thing I didn’t see you!

Dziłghą́ą́’góó deeshááł nissin.

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

Ha’a’aahgo doo jiztįį da, johonaa’ai hwił ołtáh jíní.

sunrise-GO NEG 4-lay.O NEG, sun 4-with count 4-say.I
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Do not lay after the sun rises, the sun will count you in with the dead.

haa nízah nináhálzhishgo shą’

listenloadingplaying

‘how often’, what span of time

Hastiin dóó ’at’ééd ha’át’íí lá ’áyiilaa?

man and girl what Q 3-3-make.P

Háadi niyaa hazlį́į́’?

where-at 2-under area-grow.P

Hónáhoot’éhí ’índa ch’aa deeshááł nissin.

next.year until travel will.go.F 1-desire.

I’m thinking about traveling until next year.

jidiłhį́į́h

3DO-4-melt.it.I

jitł’ó

3DO-4-weave.it.I

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

now wash down water up 3-rise.Prog
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The water’s rising now down in the wash.

Kʼadí! Tʼáadoo tʼóó ’ííyį́į̨́łí.

stop NEG just 2-eat.Prog-í

Na’nízhoozhígóósh díníyá?

Gallup-to-Q 2-go.SP

Nahóółtą́ągo tł’óo’di dizhdółjeeh le’ nízin shicheii.

it.rained-GO outside.at 4-build.fire.O wish 3-3.want.CI my.grandfather
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My grandfather wishes to build a fire outside, but it has just rained.

Nichidí lá háadi nííníłbą́ą́z?

2-car where-at-Q 3-2-park.P

nidasoołkáá’

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

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

2-auntie 3-house-toward 2-run.F and there-at baby 3-to 2-care.CI FUT

Nídiiłne’.

3-2-hit.I

Shizhé’é nihwiiłdlaadgo bikéé’ naad’ ’adaashjaah łeh.

1-father 3-3-plow.I-GO 3-behind corn 3Pl-1-drop.I Cust.
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As my father plows it is my custom to follow along behind and drop the corn kernels.

Sohodizingo t’áá ká nídoó’nééh lágo.

prayer-GO neg 2-get.up.O LÁGO

T’ahdoo ’ashdladí ’aleeh da.

NEG five-at happen NEG
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It’s not 5 o’clock yet.

T’áadoo yaa nidanoht’áhí.

NEG down pl-3-2dpl-put.SRO.I-Í

T’áá ká baa hóólne’

Neg 3-about 2-tell.O
listenloadingplaying

Don’t tell it.

T’iis Ts’ózídi shicheii bidááh níyá.

Crownpoint.at 1-grandfather 3-meet 1-walk.P
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I met my grandfather at Crownpoint.

Tooh ńlínigíí t’óó bááłk’iis yisháałgo shee ’i’íí’ą́.

river merely 3-alongside 1-walk.Prog 1-with evening time
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I spent the day walking alongside the river.

Tł’éé’go doo 'ízh'dísóół da.

night-GO NEG 4-whistle.O NEG
listenloadingplaying

Do not whistle at night.

wohtł’ó

3DO-2dpl-weave.it.I

yishtł’ó

3DO-1-weave.it.I

yishóóh

3DO-1-brush/comb.it.I

yoodlą́ą́’

3DO-3-drink.it.P

Łééchąą’í ’ałch’į’ yiil’aad.

dog RECIP-toward 3-1du-sic.P
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We sicced the dogs on each other.

“Chizh ła’ nahílááh”, hałní jíní.

firewood some 2-gather.I 4-say.P 4-say.P
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“Gather some firewood”, one said, it was said.