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

’Abe’ yistiní hazhóó’ógo ni’ ninishtłeeh ńt’éé’ nááłhęęsh.

ice.cream carefully stop 3-1-stop.carry.I past 3-fall.P
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I was carefully putting down a scoop of ice cream when it fell.

’ayóí

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remarkable, amazing, extraordinary

’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 da’ííyą́ą́’ ’áko shį́į́ ’índa hooghandi nákai.

first 3.eat.P until then only home.at 3.pl.return.P
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First they ate, only until then they returned home.

’Ólta’góó daats’í deeshááł doodaii’ jooł bee nideeshneeł.

school-toward maybe 1-walk.F or ball 3-with 1-play.F

-ghá

-yaaghah

around the corner from, disappearing behind, around the point from, on the other side

-yah

Awéé’ doo ndó’ yidlóoh da.

baby NEG NDO’ 3-cold.I NEG
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The baby isn’t even cold.

Ch’į́į́góó baa ntséskees.

fail 3-about 1-think.I
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I think about it (from many angles) without success (as in trying to hit upon a practical solution for a problem).

Ch’į́į́góó ch’ééh tádííyá.

fail in.vain 1-go.P
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I went everywhere (looking for something but without success).

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.

Chidí naa’na’í ’ayóo bídin nishłį́.

tractor really 3-without 1-be.NI
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I really want a tractor.

Da’ dibé nee hólǫ́?

Q sheep 2-with 3-exist.NI

Dah díníilghaazhísh ’íilnilaa?

fry.bread-Q 3-2-make.P

dajiyą́

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

Dibéésh nee hólǫ́?

sheep-Q 2-with 4-exist.NI

dididiiljah

3DO-1dpl-start.fire.F

dizhdínóołkał

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

Díigi ’át’éego yigááł.

this-similar.to 3-walk.Prog
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This is the way he walks.

Díí hastiin tł’ééjí hataałgo bee béého’doolzįįd.

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This man became famous as a Night Chant singer.

doołbish

3DO-2dpl-boil.it.F

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

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

Dziłneeláagí nánisé’ ’azee’ háágeed.

mountain-end-at growing.herb medicine up-3-1-dig-1.P
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I collected medicinal herbs at the base of the mountain.

haa nízah

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how far is it, how much time

haashgéésh

3DO-1-cut.it.out.I

hadazhdoołtééł

pl-3DO-4dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.F

Haidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ nishishnish ńt’éé’ --- doo sh yá’áhoot’éeh da.

winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.P past neg 1-with 3-good.N neg

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

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

Háadi lá ’ádeiit’į́?

where-at Q pl-3-be

Hádą́ą́’sh Mary ’ólta’dę́ę́’ nádzá?

when-past-Q Mary school-from 3-return.P

Hoozdohgóó daats’í deeshááł ’éí doodaii’ Be’eldííldahsínilgóó deeshááł.

Phoenix-toward maybe 1-walk.F or Albuquerque-toward 1-walk.F

Háágóósh díníyá?

where-to-Q 2-go.I

Jáan, nanilnishísh?

John 2-work.I-Q

K’idadeelyáá nit’éé’ t’óó daazgan, háálá doo nahałtin da.

1pl-plant.P past just 3pl-dry.SPN, because NEG 3-rain.CI NEG

Kin Łánídi daats’í ’éí doodago Bee’eldííldahsinildiísh naniná?

Flagstaff-at perhaps or Albuquerque-at-Q 2-go.around.CI

na’ashkǫ́ǫ́’

1-swim.I

naa

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across, crosswise on

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

Nibéézh bee hane’é doo ndi naalnish da.

2-cellphone NEG but 3-work.P NEG

nidadoohłeeł

pl-3DO-2dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.F

Shikee’ ’ániidígo biniinaa shikee’ bąąh tó’diisool.

1-shoe recently because 1-foot 3-on 3-blister.form.P
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Because my shoes are new, they made a water blister on my foot.

Shiye’ éí naaki béeso yideená chidí yésį́.

1-son TOP two money 3-exchange.for car 3-stand.SPN
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My son is standing, guarding the car for two dollars.

T’áá ’aaníígóó shił hodoonih bíniiká na’ídíshkid.

truth 1-with 3-tell.O 3-against 3-1-question. I
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I’m asking questions (against him) to get him to tell the truth.

T’áá ch’ééh ’ásht’į́įgo bįįh biyaaghah ’eelwod.

just in.vain 1-act.NI-GO deer 3-around.corner 3- run.away.P
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I was still trying (to get a bead) when the deer went around a corner and disappeared.

Tsé dzídzahashníiłgo baa naashá, daniidoiigo táchééh góne’ yah ’adoo’nił biniiye.

rock into.fire-3-1-put.P-GO 1-go.I 3-become.hot.P-GO sweathouse into in 3-PASS.put.PlO.F 3-because
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I’m busy putting stones into the fire, to be taken into the sweathouse when they get hot.

yiishjį́į́ł

Progressive Mode: 1-become.black.Prog
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I am in the process of becoming black, getting sunburned

yik’ídéideezdiz

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

yiłhį́į́h

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

łahágóó

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in a few places