Introduction to Navajo Postpositions

This is a lexicon of Navajo postpositions and postpositional enclitics.

Postpositions are pretty much the same as prepositions in English but a postposition appears after its noun phrase object rather than before it. Postpositions tend to be short words with meanings that indicate information about location, direction, or timing of an event described by the verb in the sentence, or about the kind of role played by the noun phrase in the event.

There is a relatively small number of postpositions, so by memorizing them, language learners can quickly improve their comprehension of Navajo.

This lexicon includes 14 postpositional enclitics and 75 postpositions based on Young & Morgan (1987:25-26).

In example (1), sha’áłchíní bá is a postpositional phrase, meaning ‘for my children’.

(1)
Sha’áłchíní bá ch’iyáán ’íishłaa.
1-children 3-for food 3-1-cook.P
I cooked for my children.

The postposition is -á, and the pronoun prefix is b-. This is a third person prefix, which is why the gloss underneath bá has a 3 in it. The meaning of -á is ‘for’, and this is also indicated in the gloss. Also, the sh in the word sha’áłchíní, ‘my children’, is a first person pronoun prefix. This pronoun prefix also appears inside the verb ’íishłaa. Note that the gloss is 3-1-cook.P; this indicates that the word means ‘I cooked it’: 3-1 in the gloss indicates that the subject of the verb is first person (‘I’), and the object is third person (‘it’). For a guide to glossing, click here.

The first person prefix appears again on the postposition -ił (‘with’), in the example below:

(2)
Chidí k’asdą́ą́’ shił ’adah ch’éélwod.
car almost 1-with down off-3-go.P
The car almost ran off (the road) with me.

Postpositional Enclitics do not have pronoun prefixes, and instead attach directly onto another phrase. In the example below, the enclitic is -di (‘at’). It is attached directly to Na’nízhoozhí (‘Gallup, New Mexico’). There is no pronoun prefix:

(3)
Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Na’nízhoozhídi kééhasht’į́ ńt’éé’.
formerly Gallup-at 1-live.I past
I used to live in Gallup.

In the example below, the enclitic -gi is attached to the postpositional phrase tsé biká (‘on the rock’). The pronoun prefix bi- is attached to the postposition -káá (‘on’), not to the enclitic:

(4)
Tsé bikáa’gi béésh dah si’ą́.
rock 3-on-at knife up 3-sit.SNP
The knife is on the rock.

Note that both -di and -gi are glossed as ‘at’. The enclitic -di is used for more general locations, and -gi is used for more specific ones.

The postpositional enclitics in this lexicon are, from the list in YMM (1992:938-09):

-dą́ą́’
past time
-dę́ę́’
from a general location or point in space or time, also out of, off of
-di
at a general location
-dóó
from a specific location or point in space or time
-ę́ę-dą́ą́’ =yę́ędą́ą́’
back when
-gi
at a specific location
-góó
to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a date
-í-jígo
over in the direction of the place where
-jigo
toward, northward
-jí
designates ceremonies, religious and political institutions and lifeways
-jí
on the side of, in the direction of, in the manner of
-jí-k’ehgo
in the manner of
-jį́’
up to, as far as
-k’eh -jí
in the way(s) of

The pronoun prefixes, which can appear on postpositions, are shown below:

singular dual-plural
1st person shi- nihi-
2nd person ni- nihi-
3rd person yi-/bi-
4th person ho-
unspecified ’a
reciprocal ’ahi-
reflexive ’ádi-
area ha-; ho-; go-

In using these prefixes, the final vowel sometimes changes due to the sound that comes next (e.g. shi-ałchiní → sha’áłchíní; ni- ’asdzą́ą́ → ne’asdzą́ą́; bi- ’awéé’ → be’ewéé’ / be’awéé’).

An example search has returned 50 entries

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ shichidí tsé bik’ą́ą́h yíłbą́ą́z.

yesterday 1-car rock 3-against 3-run.P
listenloadingplaying

I ran my car against a rock yesterday.

’Ahbínídą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’ííyą́ą́’góó biniinaa wónáásdóó dichin shi’niiłhį́.

morning-past NEG 1-eat.P-NEG.GO because soon hunger 1-3-kill.P

’Atiin bąąhgóó béésh halne’é tsin bá ’adaaz’á.

road 3-along.side telephone pole 3-for 3Pl-stand.upright.SPN
listenloadingplaying

The telephones are upright along the road for the phone line.

’Atiingi chidí léi’ yiiłtsą́.

road-at car INDEF 3-1-see.P

’Áshįįh Bii’ Tóógóó náádísdzáago dziłghą́ą́’ hanáádeesh’nah.

Salt.Lake.City-toward again-1-go.F-GO mountain-back again-1-climb.R

’Éí lą́ą baa nitséskees nít’ę́ę́’.

that EMP 3-about 1-think.I past

’Ólta’di ’áłchíní binaashii sédáago ’ííníshta’.

school-at children 3-across.from 1-sit.SNP 3-read.NI

’Ólta’góó deínóhkááh.

school-toward pl-2dpl-go.pl.PROG

-aa

Ashkii tsé yikáá’ haaswod.

boy rock 3-on 3-up-walk.CI

The boy went up on the rock.

Chidí bitiin ’ałts’ą́ą́hjí ’ańt’i’.

car 3-road both-side fence
listenloadingplaying

There’s a fence on both sides of the highway.

Chidí daats’í bee hólǫ́ ’éí doodaii’ niísh chidí nee hólǫ́?

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

Dibé yázhí bitsį’ bíchą́ yídéeshni’.

lamb 3-meat 3-crave 3-addicted.NP
listenloadingplaying

I am craving lamb meat.

Dííshjį́į́góó shizhé’é łáháda bił ná’ahiistsééh.

nowadays 1-father seldom 3-with RECP-1-see.R

Doo ’áádę́ę́’ naagháa da nít’éé’ ’áłt’ąą nida’iilyéego ’índa níyá.

NEG there.from 3-go.about.I NEG past after.all pass.pay.I-go only.then 3-arrive.P

Doo kingóó diit’ash da.

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

Dziłgóó ’o’ooldee’ yę́ę ná’ooldah.

mountain-to 3-go.pl.P past 3-return.pl.I

Ha’át’éegishą’ nich’ah nííní’ą́?

where-at-Q 2-hat 3-2-set.down.SRO.P
listenloadingplaying

Where did you leave your hat? Where did you set your hat down?

Ha’át’íí́sh baa hane’?

What Q 3-for be.told.CI

Hastiin Nééz doo ’asht’é’égóó nihibéégashii yá doolnih.

Mr. Long extremely 1pl-cow 3-for 3-annoy.Prog

Háadish nichidí nííníłbą́ą́z?

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

Háí lá kintahgóó shił ’adoołbąs?

who-Q town-to 1-me 3-drive.F

Hoozdodę́ę́’ Łééchąąłgaii bee nááshdááłgo Kinłánídi da’jiyání góne’ sédáago shiyaa haalwod lá.

Phoenix-from greyhound.bus 3-with 1-return.Prog-GO Flagstaff-at cafe into 1-sit.SPN-GO 1-under 3-run.P DISC

Jį́į́dą́ą́’ t’óó k’asídą́ą́’ nihee nahóółtą́.

today just very.nearly 1dpl-with areal-rain.P
listenloadingplaying

It came awfully close to raining today, it very nearly rained today.

Jooł ’ahííłhan ’áádóó ’atiin dóó ’anít’i’ báhátis ’eelts’id.

ball 3-1-throw.P and.then road and fence 3-over 3-move.SRO.P

Jooł yee ndaanéhé Jóhonaa’éí daashin daolyée ni’.

ball 3-by.means.of pl-3-player.CI-NMLZ Sun(s) wasn’t.it pl-3-name.NI remember

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 NEG

Kǫ’ ’ayóigo bee n’deezdíín ndi doo shiníłdoi da.

fire very 3-with 3-sheds.light.P but NEG 1-3-warm.SPN NEG
listenloadingplaying

The fire gives lots of light, but it doesn’t warm me.

Mósí yázhí bimá yits’ą́ą́’ yóó’ííyá.

kitten 2-mother 3-from away-3-go.P
listenloadingplaying

The kitten got lost from its mother.

Mósí yázhí chizhtah yiyah yilwod.

kitten woodpile.among 3-under 3-run.P
listenloadingplaying

The kitten ran under the woodpile.

Na’nízhoozhídi Naasht’éshí ’Atsá’jí yee nááda’alzhish.

gallup.at Zuni.people eagle-way 3-with again-pl-3-dance.R

Na’nízhoozhídi yíníyáago t’áá ká ła’ bił ’ahóókááh lágo.

Gallup-at 2-go.P-GO see.to.it some 3-with 3pl-meet.O NEG

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

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

Naat’áanii bich’į’ yáshti’.

leader 3-to1-talk.I
listenloadingplaying

I’m talking to the leader.

Nástł’ahdi shikeehai.

cove-at 1-winter.camp
listenloadingplaying

My winter camp is in the cove (in the rock wall).

Nicheii nida’iiníísh góne’é kingóó ’ałnánádáah łeh.

2-grandfather Friday on store-to 3-go.R usually

Nichídísh háájí?

2-car-Q where

Nida’iishnishgo hooghangóó nídésdzáa lą́ą.

1-after.work.P-GO home-to 1-go.F EMP

Nimá yázhí bighangóó díílwoł dóó ’áájí ’awéé’ baa ’áhólyą́ą dooleeł.

your aunt 3-house-to 2-run-and that-side baby 3-for 2-care.CI FUT

Ńléí dziłtsį́į́góó diit’ash.

there mountain-base-toward start-1du-go.du.I

Shighandóó ha’a’aahjígo ’ahidiildzis dóó ’ákóyaa bida’atiin.

1-house-from east-side-GO join-together-canyons and there-down 3-off-road
listenloadingplaying

Eastward from my place the canyons converge, there’s a trail down there.

Shilééchąą yázhí shikéé’ yildlosh ńt’éé’ hashtł’ish yiih yildloozh.

1-dog little 1-behind 3-walk.Prog past mud 3-into 3-walk.P
listenloadingplaying

My puppy went into the mud as he trotted along behind me.

Shimá bighangóó shíni’ ńt’éé’ ch’ééh déyáago shił náhoogéé’.

1-mother 3-home-to 1-desire.to.go past in.vain 1-go.P-GO 1-with ho-become.lazy.X

T’ah ’ałk’idídą́ą́’ ’éí Diné tát’áá góyaa kéédahat’íinii t’éiyá díí tábąąhgóó bidáda’ak’eh naaznil ńt’éé’.

still quite.long.ago the people water-near areal-down pl-3-reside.NI-NOM only this water-edge-toward farm 3-lie.about.SPN past
listenloadingplaying

Not too long ago only the Navajos living down along the river had farms along these shores.

T’áadoo hosh biih dadoołtaałí.

neg cactus 3-in pl-2dpl-step.O-Í

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

truth 1-with 3-tell.O 3-against 3-1-question. I
listenloadingplaying

I’m asking questions (against him) to get him to tell the truth.

T’áá ’ałkéé’ ’azee’ííł’íní bił yah ’adahaadzá.

just one-behind-another doctor 3-with 3-in 1Dist-4-go.I

T’áá kwe’é shiba’ sínídáa doleeł.

just right.here 1-waiting.for 2-sit.SPN FUT

T’áá shǫǫ da la’ da’adą́ądi diné bich’iiyą’ hólǫ́ǫ́ lá.

at.least such.as some restaurant-at Navajo 3-food 3-exist.NI DISC

Tóbąąhgóó yishtł’ééł.

river-toward 1-run.Prog