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.

Ła’ ha’nitáhígíí ’éí biihidzóhí 50 entries

Ch’éénísh’į́įgo náá’deeshtł’óół nissin.

out summer.GO 1-again.weave.F 1-desire

’Anít’i’ ńtłóo’go biniinaa béégashii t’óó yigháníkah.

fence 3-loose.P-GO 3-because.of cow just 3-through-3-go.pl.P
’íísíníłts’ą́ą́’loadingplaying

’Ashkii yázhí ’ayóo hwe’ádílááh.

little boy very 3-mischief
’íísíníłts’ą́ą́’loadingplaying

’Ashkii yázhí bee’eldǫǫh yik’ee ’ádadeeznih.

boy little gun 3-on.account.of REFL-3-hurt.P

’Awéé’ bimá bit’ah sitį́.

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

’Ałk’ésdisí naháłnii’go sitsilí dóó shideezhí ’aheełt’éego bá ’ahá níjaa’.

candy 3-1-buy.P-GO 1-little.brother and 1-little.sister RECP-equal-GO 3-for RECP-for 3-lie.aligned.PlO.NP

’Áłah ’aleehdi hastiin léi’ t’óó yááłtih yiits’a’.

meeting-at man INDEF just 3-talk.Prog 3-be.heard.I

-í + -jígo

-na’

Bááh łikanígíí ła’ nisin háálá ayóo łikan.

bread 3-be.sweet.NI.NOM some 3-1-want.NI because very 3-be.sweet.NI

bik’ídadohdis

pl-3DO-2dpl-wrap.it.around.it.I

bik’ídazhdidoodis

pl-3DO-4dpl-wrap.it.around.it.F

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

dadoołhį́į́’

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

Dah díníilghaazhísh ’íilnilaa?

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

dajishbéézh

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

deeshį́į́ł

3DO-1-eat.it.F

Dibé tó y yáánii’á.

sheep water 3-with 3-crowd.P

dołhį́į́h

3DO-2dpl-melt.it.I

Gah bik’ee’ taah yí’áhígóó ’eesbąs.

rabbit foot water 3-into1-drive.Prog

Gowééh ła’ ’ádá dooshkááł laanaa.

coffee one for.self pl.3-1-handle.OC.O wish

Ha’át’éego lá ’íiyisíí ’atiinjį’ ’ańdeeshdááł lá?

how Q main road-up.to 1-back-on-go.F DISC

Ha’át’éegoshą’ t’áadoo díníyáa da?

why-Q neg 2-go.sg.P NEG

Haa’í shą’ neezgai?

where Q 3-hurt.N

hadeidééłbįįd

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

hadeneeshchaad

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

Hak’az bik’ee shíchį́į́h doo ’áháłchįįh da.

haniilchaad

3DO-1dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).P

haołgéésh

3DO-2dpl-cut.it.out.I

Hái da shą’ tsinaa’eeł ’ájiilaa lá?

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

Háidíígíí lá neidiyoołnih?

which.one-ÍGÍÍ DISC 3-3-buy.F

Háíshą’ tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?

who-Q boat 3-3-make.P

K’ad shį́į́ deesk’aaz hodooleeł.

now probably cold area-become.F
’íísíníłts’ą́ą́’loadingplaying

KinŁánídi ’ííníshta’ ńt’éé’ ’áádóó t’áá ’ániidígo ’áadi náánísdzáá ńtéé’ ’ééhosisya’ lá.

Flagstaff-in 1-study.P past and.then just recently there-at 1-return.P past 1-get.hazy.P disc

le’ ’át’éégóó

Mary ha’át’íí nayiisnii’?

Mary what 3-3-buy.P

Naadą́ą́’ lá haa néelą́ą́’ nida’ak’eh biyi’ góne’?

corn Q how 3.much.N 2-cornfield 3-in there

Náá’íídéeshtah nisin doodago t’óó siláogóó deeshááł.

again-1-go.school.F 1-want or merely military-to 1-go.F

Níléí dá’ák’ehdi ła’ joogááł.

there corn.field-at some 4-walk.Prog

Shą́ą́’ ’ałk’idą́ą́’ baa hwiinít’į́į ni’.

remember long.ago 3-for 3-discuss.I recall

Shitsili tsin ła’ nieidiitą́ii’ łeechą́ą́’ii’ łéi néídiiłhaal.

1-little.brother stick 3-3-pick.up.P-and dog INDEF 3-3-hit.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

T’áá hazhóó’ógo yisháałgo biniinaa shaa ’adiildee’.

just carefully 1-walk.Prog-GO 3-because 1-for PASS-left.behind.P

Tó dílchxoshí sits’ą́ą́’ wóódlą́ą́’ lágo.

soda 1-from 3-1-drink.O don’t

yiitł’ó

3DO-1dpl-weave.it.I

yishbéézh

3DO-3-boil.it.P

Yootóodi níyáago shik’éí daostse’ laanaa nisin.

Santa.Fe-at 1-arrive.P-GO 1-relatives 3-1-see.O wish 1-want.CI

Łah shicheii nahałáago bá ’asmaz ńt’éé’.

once 1-grandpa 3-perform.ceremony.CI-GO 3-for 3-1-twirl.CI past

Łééchąą’í ’ałch’į’ yiil’aad.

dog RECIP-toward 3-1du-sic.P