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

’Ashkii bi’éé’ hazhó’ó ’ayíyiischid dóó ’ólta’ góne’ yah ’ííyá.

boy 3-shirt nicely 3-3-tuck.in.P and 3-go.P

’Atsą́ą́’ ła’ jóyą́ą’ le’.

ribs some 4-eat.O desire
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I wish to have some ribs.

’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

’Áádóó hainidzaa?

and.then what-3-2-do.P

’áko shį́į́ ’índa

CONJ

’Áshįįh Bii’ Tóodi níyáago dził bąąh hanáádeesh’nah.

Salt.Lake.City-at 1-go.P-GO mountain 3-on again-1-climb.R
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When I go to Salt Lake, I will climb mountains again.

’Áłchíní hastą́ą́ binááhaidóó deigo hodees’áago t’áá ’ałtso da’ółta’go yá’át’ééh.

children six 3-year.P-from up areal-extend.NP all pl-3-study.NI-GO 3-good.N

’Áłtsé nééł’į́į́’ ’áko ’índa ’ííyą́ą́’.

first 1-look.P after.that 1.eat.P
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I looked at it first, after that I ate it.

-dą́ą́’

past time, also used in conditionals, marking the antecedent

Bíni’dii ’awéé’ ałhosh, yee nǫǫsééł.

3-let-stay baby 3-sleep.I 3-by.means.of 3-grow.I
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Don’t bother the baby! Let s/him sleep! ałhosh

Chidí kǫ́ǫ́ ndaajeehígíí t’áá ’ániidígo dahodeezlįįd.

car here 3-run.pl.I-COMP just recently pl-3-become.P
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These cars that run around here just recently came into existence, cars are a recent invention.

Da’ chidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodaii’ ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?

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

dadiidį́į́ł

pl-3DO-1dpl-eat.it.F

dadizhdínóołkał

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

dadínółkaad

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

deitł’ó

pl-3DO-3dpl-weave.it.I

didazhdiłjeeh

pl-3DO-4dpl-start.fire.I

Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi łáhágóó ninádahałtį́įh łeh.

Navajo 3-land 3-on-at a.few.places areal-rain.I usually

Doo kingóó diit’ash da.

NEG town-to 1dpl-go.du.Prog NEG

Ha’át’ííshą’ hastiin dóó ’at’ééd ’áyiilaa?

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

Ha’át’íí́sh baa hane’?

What Q 3-for be.told.CI

haa néelą́ą́’

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how much, how many, what quantity. [mass]

haahláyéé

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don’t dare

Haaʼísh niʼnis´bąąs?

where-Q 3-1-park.F

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.

Háidígíísh ʼałkʼésdisí deeshį́į́ł?

which.one-ÍGÍÍ-Q candy 3-1-eat.F
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Which candy should I eat?

jishóóh

3DO-4-brush/comb.it.I

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.

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
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In July, rodeo events take place.

Na’nízhoozhígóó deeyá, ya’?

Gallup-toward 2-go.sg.F Q

Naʼahóóhai baa nídiikai ʼakó ʼakʼidahiʼniłí bee shí ʼadíílwoł.

rodeo 3-about 1pl-do.F so saddle.blanket 3-with 1-after 2-help.F

Náńsdzáago t’áá ’íídą́ą́’ ’ííníyą́ą’ dooleeł.

back-1-go.sg.P-GO just already INDEF-2-eat.P FUT

listenloadingplayingSpeaker: Wallace DalelistenloadingplayingSpeaker: Sammie Largo

When I get back, you will/should already have eaten.

neidooleeł

3DO-3-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.F

Níká ’adeeshwoł biniiyé níyá.

2-for 1-run.F 3-purpose.of 1-came.P

Níwe, ni’éé’ t’óó bik’i na’ínil

stop 2-clothes just 3-on 3-2-dribble.I
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Stop, you are just messing up your clothes!

Saad biihi’níłí bee neilnish.

word computer 3-with pl-2-du.work.I
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We (us two) work with computers.

Shá bíighah na’ashkǫ́ǫ́’.

sun proportionate 1-swim.CI

Shideezhí náneeskaadí ’ánáánéídlééh.

1-younger.sister tortilla 3-3-make.R
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My younger sister is making tortilla again.

Shighan bíighahgi yas biyi’dę́ę́’ tsé hahíí’ą́.

3-house 3-inside of snow 3-inside-from rock 3-stick.out.NP

Shimá tanaashgiizh ’áyiilaago ’áádóó deiilts’ee’.

1-mother pudding 3-make.P-GO and.then pl-3-1dpl-eat.MM.P
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My mom made pudding and then we ate it.

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

t’ahdii

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still

T’áadoo hosh niyą́ní.

T’ÁADOO cactus 3-2-eat.I-Í
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Don’t eat cactus.

Tóshjeeh yah ’adíí’ááł nidishnínéesh yah’ííní’ą́?

water.jug into 3-2-take.in.F 1-say-PP-Q.P PP-3-2-take.in.P.SRO
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I told you to bring in the water jug, did you bring it in?

yidiłhį́į́h

3DO-3-melt.it.I

Yiską́ągo níléí hódahdi ’ółta’di ni’dí’néeshtįįł nissin.

tomorrow that up.at school-at 1-teach.F 1-want.CI

łah

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once, at one time, once upon a time

ʼAtʼééd doo bzhǫ́ǫ da dooleeł.

girl NEG 3-with 3-happy.NI NEG 3-become.F