Introduction to Conjunctions
This Saad Dílzin lexicon illustrates various conjunctions, words like dóó (and), doodaii (or), ndi (but), háálá (because), and others. The term we use for a word that holds constituents together is conjunction (zaatą’ii). Conjunctions combine two or more sentences, phrases, or words into a single sentence or phrase. Each conjunction has its own meaning.
This lexicon is mainly focused on coordination, but it includes other expressions that can connect two sentences (like yę́ędą́ą́’). It is sometimes difficult to distinguish conjunctions from adverbs.
Sometimes adverbs appear with conjunctions, and they influence or modify the meaning of the conjunction.
Joe and Louise are conjoined in the sentence below to make a single phrase:
The verb hataał, is intransitive, meaning that it can only have one argument:
| Joe | hataał. |
| Joe | 3-sing.CI |
| Joe is singing. | |
| *Joe | Louise | hataał. |
| Joe | Louise | 3-sing.CI |
| Joe Louise is singing. | ||
Example (3) is only grammatical if Joe Louise is the name of a particular person. If we take the two names to refer to two different people then we have to connect them with the conjunction dóó (and). This is what happens in (1). When dóó is in the middle you know there are two people.
In Navajo, more than two phrases can be conjoined, but the verb will have the plural marker da in it when three or more actors are involved in the event being described:
| Joe | dóó | Louise | dóó | Kii | dahataał. |
| Joe | and | Louise | and | Kii | pl-3-sing.CI |
| Joe, Louise, and Kii are singing. | |||||
The examples, (1) and (4), above include conjunctions of noun phrases. Other phrases can be conjoined in the same way. Here are examples with postpositional enclitic phrases:
| Tsé’áándę́ę́’ | dóó | tsédáajį’ | ninish’na’. |
| cave-from | and | cliff-to | 1-crawl.P |
| I crawled out of the cave and to the edge of the cliff. | |||
| Na’ná’á | biyaa | góne’ | dóó | báhátis | ’adiłt’oh. | |
| bridge | 3-under | below | and | 3-across | 3-3-shoot.P | |
| S/he shot them (e.g., arrows) over the bridge and under it. | ||||||
Sentences can also be coordinated, and several different conjunctions can be used:
| Kin | Łánídi | naashnish | háálá | ’áadi | shaghan. |
| Flagstaff | 1-work.I | because | there | 1-live.NI | |
| I work in Flagstaff because I live there. | |||||
| Kin | bighą́ą́’dę́ę́’ | hadah | ’adzííłhaal | ndi | t’áadoo | ’ádadénih | da. |
| house | 3-to-from | down | 1-tumble.P | but | NEG | RFLX-1-hurt.P | NEG |
| I tumbled off the housetop but I didn’t get hurt. | |||||||
The table below shows the expressions in this lexicon, except that the complementizer -go is listed in the Adverbs lexicon [link]. This list appears in Young & Morgan (1987:23-24).
| Navajo | English | Is the expression a coordinating conjunction? | categories that can be conjoined |
|---|---|---|---|
| dóó | ‘and’/‘and then’ | yes | clause, NP, PP, EP |
| ’áádóó | ‘and then’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko | ‘so, so that, so then’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko ’índa | ‘when, then’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko ndi | ‘even so, even then’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko shį́į́ | ‘then maybe/ then probably’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko shį́į́ ’índa | ‘then only’ | yes | clause |
| doodago | ‘or’ | yes | clause, NP, PP, EP? |
| doodaii’ | ‘or’ | yes | clause, NP, PP, EP? |
| -go | no | clause, NP | |
| háálá | ‘for, because’ | yes | clause |
| -ii’ | ‘and, and thereupon’ | yes | clause |
| ’índa | ‘and only then’ | no | clause |
| léi’ | ‘because’, ‘inasmuch as’ or ‘in view of the fact that’ | yes | clause |
| ndi | ‘but’ | yes | clause |
| ’azhą́…ndi | ‘even though, despite the fact that, notwithstanding’ | yes (or else ’azhą́ is an adverb and ndi is a conjunction) | clause |
| ńt’éé’ | past | maybe | clause |
| yę́ędą́ą́’ | past | no | clause |
- NP
- noun phrase
- PP
- postpositional phrase
- EP
- postpositional enclitic phrase
With coordination, two phrases have the same status. With subordination, one clause modifies the other. In this way, they are different. When there are two clauses and -go appears in the first, the two become one sentence. Then the first clause modifies the second.
| Shilééchąą’í | bił | na’nishkaadgo | jooł | bá | ’abíńjíshhałgo | yikéé’ | náádiilwo’. |
| 1-dog | 3-with | 1-herd.CI | ball | 3-for | 3-1-bat.R-GO | 3-after | 3-run.R |
| When I’m out herding with my dog I bat fly balls for him and he chases them. | |||||||
The first clause modifies the second by describing its reference time. A range of interpretations for -go is possible. In the following example, the -go clause is understood as describing the cause for the main clause:
| ’Ádihodideesht’ih | sha’shin | nisingo | t’áadoo | ’atah | haasdzíi’ | da. |
| Joe | dóó | Louise | dóó | Kii | dahataał. | |
| I didn’t say anything because I thought I might get myself into trouble. | ||||||
Examples of clauses subordinated using -go can be found in the Adverbs lexicon [link].
Some observations
Our understanding is that -go is a complementizer, sometimes called subordinating conjunction in traditional grammar (we follow Schauber 1975 [link] in concluding this).
When clauses are coordinated, a conjunction appears in place of -go. Ńt’éé’ can also take the place of -go. We take it that it can be either a conjunction or a complementizer. (Occasionally, it can appear along with -go, suggesting that it could be an adverb as well!)
Some of the expressions in this lexicon can only appear when -go appears on the first clause. These expressions are likely to be adverbs.
Concerning ’azhą́…ndi, we have already concluded that ndi is a conjunction. We could analyze ’azhą́ as an adverb, or we could consider ’azhą́…ndi to be a two-part conjunction, similar to either…or.
An example search has returned 50 entries
’Atsiniltł’ish dóó tó dayókeedígíí baa ’áłah ’aleeh lá.
electricity and water pl-3-request.I-NOM 3-for meeting DISC’Azhé’é chízh ’éí nííni’yį́ ’áádóó hastiin bíká ’eelwod.
INDEF.father wood TOP 3-3.haul.complete.LPB.P AND man 3-after 3-run.F’Ałah ’aleehgóó deesháál nínízinísh doodago béésh nitsíkeesí daats’í bee nidoonááł ’éí doodago t’áá hooghanídi daats’í KTNN yídíiłts’iił?
meeting-to 1-go-F 3-2 want.NI-Q or computer possibly 2-watch.F or just home-at possibly KTNN 3-2-listen.FWill you go to the Chapter meeting in person or watch on the computer or will you stay home and listen to KTNN?
bookmark- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- déyá start to gofind in Navajo Verb Modes
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nisin think, wantfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- doodago or
- -ísh enclitic for yes/no questionsfind in Navajo Questions Lexicon
- daats’í maybe, perhaps, possiblyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
’Ałk’idą́ą́’ tł’oh naadą́ą́’ dant’į́įhgo łį́į́’ doodaii’ béégashii da há hadahwiił’éés ńt’éé’.
long.ago grass corn 3-ripen.I-GO horse or cow etc. 4-for 3-stomp.I past’Áádóó éí haa daadzaa?
and.then TOP what pl-3-do.P’Áádóó háajigo dah diníyá?
and.then which.way-GO start.off 2-go.I’Áádóó shą’?
and.then Q’Áłt’ąą nida’iilyę́ęgo ’inda nánídááh.
after 2-pay-go only 2-show up’Áłtsé baa nitsídadiikos ’áko shį́į́ ’índa bik’i nidadii’nił.
first about 3-3.think.F then only 3-3pl.record.I’Áłtsé biba’ dooleeł ’áko shį́į́ ’índa nihił dah adidoolwoł.
first 3.for will until then only 1.with start 3-drive.F’Ííyą́ą́’ dóó bik’ijį’ tsinyaagi nétį́į́ dóó ’iiłhaazh.
1-eat.P and 3-after tree-under-at.spec 1-lie.down.P and 1-sleep.P’Ólta’góó daats’í deeshááł doodaii’ jooł bee nideeshneeł.
school-toward maybe 1-walk.F or ball 3-with 1-play.F’Ániid ’iiyą́ą́ ’áko ndi t’ah dichin nisin.
Recently 1-eat.P even then still 3-hungry 1-want.NIÁt’ah ’índa shaa náádíídááł.
later 1-to again-2-come.FCh’aa déyá ńt’éé shichídí bikee’ dilkǫǫh.
travel 1-go past 1-vehicle 3-tires worn.Ch’iyáán t’óó ’ahayóí ndi tó ’ádin.
food lots but water 3-none.NIChidí ’anáshdlééh, háálá doo naalnish da.
car 3-1-repair.I because NEG 3-work.I NEGChidí bitoo’ hadi’dííłbį́į́łgo ’índa Na’azhǫǫshgóó diikah.
car 3-fuel 3.fill.up-GO.P only.then casino-GOO 3pl.go.FDaango k’ééda’dilyééh nt’éé’ t’áádoo k’ééda’diilyáa da.
spring-GO 3-plant.R past NEG 3-3-plant.P NEGWe used to plant in the springtime, but this time we didn’t.
bookmark- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Iterative (R)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- k’idishłé plant itfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- ńt’éé’ past
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- t’áadoo notfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- k’idishłé plant itfind in Navajo Verb Modes
Dibé bitsį’ doodago béégashii bitsį’ daats’í nínízin?
sheep 3-meat or cow 3-meat possibly 3-2-want.NIDiné nihaikaíígíí nihizaad nideilkaahgo ayóó bił danilį́ ’áko ndi doo ’akót’ée da.
people 1dpl-3-come.pl.P-COMP 1dpl-language pl-3-1-investigate.I-GO very 3-with pl-3-be.NI even so NEG thus-3-be.NI NEGDíí tsídii bit’oh yisdádeeshjoł, ’áko shį́į́ kónááhoot’éhé tsídii ła’ náábít’oh dooleeł.
this bird 3-nest 3-1-save.F-NCM then maybe next.year bird some again-3-nest futureDoo hah shił ’ílwod da léi’ t’áá ’íídą́ą́’ da’oodą́ą́’ lá.
NEG quick me.with 3.drive.P NEG since already 3pl.eat.P discoverDoo hazhó’ó ’adiist’a’ da léi’ t’óó shaa daadloh.
NEG good reflex-1.hear.NI NEG since just me.at pl.3.laugh.IHooghan bikáá’ dah si’ánígíí bíyah da’nii’áago ’ádíílį́į́ł ’áko hooghan doo ’ałhiih nídoołdas da.
hogan 3-on up 3-sit.SPN-ÍGÍÍ 3-under pl-3-extend.NP-GO 3-2-make.F so hogan NEG RECIP-3-collapse.F NEGUse strong pillars to build the hogan so that the roof will not cave in.
bookmark- -káá’ on, on top offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- dah up at an elevation, off, static, holdingfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Si-Perfective Neuter (SPN)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- -yah under, beneathfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Neuter Perfective (NP)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áko so, so that, so then
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
Hónáhoot’éhí ’índa ch’aa deeshááł nissin.
next.year until travel will.go.F 1-desire.K’ad ’ałníí’góó ’eeshtł’óół doo yę́ę ła’ damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’asétł’ǫ́ǫ da.
now half-toward 1-weave.Prog future past one Sunday when.past NEG 1-weave.P NEGI could have been halfway through weaving, but last week I didn’t weave at all.
bookmark- Progressive (Prog)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashtł’ó weavefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashtł’ó weavefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- k’ad nowfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- goal
- -dą́ą́’ past timefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- time
- yę́ędą́ą́’ past
Kii łį́į́’ yizloh léi’ yí’diiłííd.
Kii horse 3-3-rope.SP CONJ 3-3-brand.INeezdáago ’índa yiyííłtsą́.
3-sit.P-Comp only.then 3-3-see.PNidlóóhísh doodaii’ dooísh nidlóoh da?
2-cold.I-Q or NEG-Q 2-cold.I-Q NEGShimá dóó shizhé’é bił dibé dóó tł’ízí ta’nda’díígish nt’éé’.
1-mom and 1-dad 3-with sheep and goats 3-pl.shear.I pastShimá dóó shizhé’é Yootóodi ’ółta’ ńt’éé’.
1-mother and 1-father Santa.Fe-at 3-go.to.school.NI pastShimá sání dah díníilghaazh ’ayiila’ii’, nihí yaa néíni’ką́.
1-grandmother frybread 3-3-make.P-and 1.dpl under 3-3-place.PMy grandmother made frybread, and placed it in front of us.
bookmark- -ii’ and, and thereupon
- yaa down, downwardfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashłééh makefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- baa’nishkah place it, put itfind in Navajo Verb Modes
Shimá dóó shizhe’é ’éiyáhá Kin Łánígóó naazh’áázh.
1-mother and 1-father TOP building many-to 3-roundtrip.pl.SPT’áá ’ashání ’ashą́ą ndi sitsį’ yę́ę ’áádįįł.
just 1-eat.I-í 1-eat.I but 1-flesh past 3-dwindle.ProgTsé nitsaa ’áko nidaaz.
stone 3-big CONJ 3-heavyTsé’áándę́ę́’ dóó tsédáajį’ ninish’na’.
cave-from and cliff-to 1-crawl.PI crawled out of the cave and to the edge of the cliff.
bookmark- -dę́ę́’ from a general location or point in space or time, also out of, off offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- dóó and, and then
- -jį́’ up to, as far asfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ninish’nééh crawl to a pointfind in Navajo Verb Modes
Tsinaabąąs bee nida’abąąs yę́ędą́ą́’ shi’dizhchį́.
wagon 3-with pl-3-drive.I past 1-pass-born.PTsxį́įłgo naalkidígíí neeznáá yidziihgo Jóhonaa’éí daolyéii ch’ééh ’iih da’ałne’ nít’éé’ ’áłt’ąą ’ałtso ’o’oolkidgo ’índa ’iih da’asne’.
fast-GO 3-tick-ÍGÍÍ ten 3-remain.I-GO Suns pl-3-call.NI-NMLZ in.vain 3-into pl-3-3-throw.I past until.after all clock-go finally 3-into pl-3-3.throw.PThe Phoenix Suns tried to make a basket within 10 seconds to win, they finally made a basket after the time expired.
bookmark- tsxį́įłgo quickly, fastfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ch’ééh in vain, futilely, tryfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -iih intofind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’áłt’ąą after allfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- ’áłt’ąą after all, in spite of unfortunatelyfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- nit’ee’ pastfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- ’índa and only then
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
Tł’éédą́ą́ łééchąą’í léi’ nihił ’yaííyá’ii’ neeztį́.
last.night dog strange 1dpl-with 3-come.inside.P-and lie.down.SNPLast night, a (strange) dogs came walking in on us and lay down.
bookmark- tł’éédą́ą́’ last nightfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yishááł walkfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -ii’ and, and thereupon
- Si-Perfective Neuter (SPN)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- sétį́ lie downfind in Navajo Verb Modes




