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 b 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’ sh ’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

’At’ééd ’éí ch’iyáán ’ál’į́įgi łá’í nidi doo bił bééhózin da.

girl TOP food 3-make.NI-at one but 3-with 3-know.CI NEG

’Aadę́ę́’ hoołtį́į́ł.

there-from 3s-rain.Prog

’Adeesdíilgo dibé sits’ą́ą́’ dah diijéé’.

3-thunder.P-GO sheep 1-away.from start-3-run.Pl.P
listenloadingplaying

When thunder rumbled the sheep stampeded on me, ran away from me.

’Eii mósí tsásk’eh bik’i dah síłteeh.

that cat bed 3-on up 3-2-AO.CI

Put the cat up on the bed.

-ba’

-deená

-na’

beside, at one’s side, in place of, waiting for

-ni

listenloadingplaying

in, during

-t’ááh

Ayóó biká ’anáshwo’.

often 3-for 1-help.R

Béeso bá hooghan góne’ shił ha’ashch’ą́ą́l dóó ’azéé’ííł’íní bił yah ’ííyá.

money 3-for building inside 1-with 3-go.up.as.elevator.P and doctor 3-with into 1-GO.P

Béégashii yáázh ła’ shibee’í’diidłííd bik’i niní’ą́.

calf one 1-cattle.brand 3-on 3-1-put.NP
listenloadingplaying

I put my cattlebrand on a calf.

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Bilagáanaa Bizaad doo diists’a’ da. K’ad ’éí t’áá shxǫǫ t’áá bee yáshti’.

formerly English neg 1-understand.I neg. Now TOP good.thing barely 3.with 1.speak-I

Chidí sits’ą́ą́’ hashtł’ish yiih yilwodgo t’áá ch’į́į́góó ch’ééh ’ííł’įįd.

car 1-away mud 3-into 3-go.P-GO just fail in.vain 3-1-act.P

Chidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodago ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?

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

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ dziłghą́ą́’dę́ę́’ shádí dóó ba’áłchíní bił ’adaashkai.

sunday past-time mountain top.of-from 1-elder.sister and 3-children 3-with downward-1-go.Pl.P
listenloadingplaying

Last Sunday I accompanied my older sister and her family down from the mountaintop.

Díí na’ach’ąą’ígíí ’éí Diné bee ’iiná shį́į́ wolyé.

TOP 3-picture.I-ÍGÍÍ Navajo 3-by.means.of living perhaps 3-name.NI
listenloadingplaying

I think this picture is about how Navajos live.

Díí yihahígíí biyi’, háísh tówónaanígóó ch’aa deeyá?

this year.IGII within who overseas.GOO travel 3-going.F-Q

Doo chosh shijooł’į́į́’ léi’gi’ ’át’éégóó sh hóyéé’.

NEG 3-1-make.use.O proof.against-NEG 1-with lazy.NI

Dził bíchį́į́shk’ą́ą́h gódeg hoołtį́į́ł.

mountain 3-nose-against areal-up areal-rain.Prog
listenloadingplaying

It’s raining up on the point of the mountain.

Díí séí dóó tsé yázhí ’ałtahígíí łeezh bikáa’gi naasaas ’áko shį́į́ doo hashtł’ish da doołeeł.

this sand and stone little mixed.together-NOM dirt 3-on-at 3-1-sprinkle.Prog then maybe NEG mud NEG future

Gah bikéé’ yishwoł.

rabbit 3-following 1-run.Prog

Gohwééh t’áá bizhání ’éí doodaii’ ’abe’ bgo daats’í nínízin?

coffee only TOP or milk 3-with-GO perhaps 3-2-want.NI

Ha’a’aahdę́ę́sh naaghan ’éí doodago e’e’aahdę́ę́sh naaghan?

east-from-Q 2-home TOP or west-from-Q 2 home

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

winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.I past neg 1-with area-good.N neg

Hádą́ą́’sh Mary ’ólta’dę́ę́’ nádzá?

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

Hoghaandi nánisdzáago tʼáá shǫǫ ’ííyą́ą́ʼ.

home-at again-1-came.back.P T’ÁÁ SHǪǪ 1-eat.P
listenloadingplaying

When I got home, I finally ate.

Hoozdo hoolyéedi deesdoi sha’shin. ’Áyaańda (’áyąą) diné bi’éétsoh t’áá gééd ndaakai.

Phoenix areal-called-at hot possibly no.wonder person 3-coat without pl-3-go.pl.P
listenloadingplaying

I guess it’s warm in Phoenix. No wonder people go around without coats.

K’aa’ísh tsénaa ’aní’á biyaa doodago daats’í báhátis ’ayiist’oh?

arrow-Q bridge 3-under or perhaps 3-over 3-3-shot.P

Naaltsoos ’ásaayázhí bikáá’ dah síłtsóós.

paper bowl 3-on up 3-FFO.CI

Put a sheet of paper on the bowl.

Nichidí lá háadi nííníłbą́ą́z?

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

Sam Diné yitah naalnish.

Sam Navajo 3-among 3-work.I

Shicheii t’áá ’íiyisíí hastihgo biniinaa kónááhoot’éhí doo na’ádódlíi da.

1-grandfather very 3-old.N-GO because next.year NEG 3-expect.live.NP NEG 

listenloadingplayingSpeaker: Bernadine M. CodylistenloadingplayingSpeaker: Bernadine M. Cody

Since my grandfather is very old he doesn’t expect to be alive next year at this time.

Shighandóó ndáá’góó ’ada’iisdee’go nihí ’éí t’áá yiike’.

1-home-from war.ceremony-to 3-go.away.P we.du.pl TOP just 1du-remain.behind.P

Shilééchąą’í sitsijį’ yilwoł.

1-dog 1-ahead-to 3-run.I

Shiye’ éí naaki béeso yideená chidí yésį́.

1-son TOP two money 3-exchange.for car 3-stand.SPN
listenloadingplaying

My son is standing, guarding the car for two dollars.

Shíká ’anánílwo’ doodago’ t’áadoo shaa nánít’į́ní!

1-after indef-help.R or just-neg 1-about 1-2-bother.NI-neg

Shínaaí shikétł’á ’iiyilgo łį́į́’ bikáá’ hasis’na’.

1-older.brother 1-foot-bottom 3-3-boost.P-GO horse 3-top up-1-crawl.P

listenloadingplayingSpeaker: Wallace DalelistenloadingplayingSpeaker: Wallace Dale

My older brother boosted me and I got up on the horse’s back.

T’áadoo hosh biih dadoołtaałí.

neg cactus 3-in pl-2dpl-step.O-Í

T’áá ’ákódí na’ach’ąą’ígíí bee nihił hweeshne’.

just here.at 3-picture.I-ÍGÍÍ 3-by.means.of 2du-with 1-tell.P
listenloadingplaying

That is all I have to say about the picture.

Tó háálínídi ’ahéédidiit’ashałní’ní’ą́ągo.

spring-at refl-1du-meet.F noon-GO
listenloadingplaying

Let’s meet at the spring at noon.

Tó tsíídkáá’ dididííkááł.

water charcoal-on start-3-2-put.OC.F

Tózis biníká dínísh’į́į́’.

bottle 3-through 1-look.X
listenloadingplaying

I’m looking through the glass bottle.

Tsinaabąąs bikáá’dę́ę́’ t’áá ’ałkéé’ ’adahaago’ ndeii’néego.

wagon 3-top-from just one-after-another down-1Pl-fall.P 3Pl-play.CI-GO.CI

Yiską́ągo naaltsoos naa deesh’ááł.

tomorrow book 2-for 1-move.SRO.F

Yiską́ągo Na’nízhoozhídi, háádish ’adeeshį́į́ł ninízin?

tomorrow Gallup-at where-Q 2-eat.F 2-want.CI

Yiską́ągo níléí Tóhajiileehgóó shigáál deizt’i’.

tomorrow.GO over.there Tóhajiileeh-toward 1-physical.being pl-3-path.extend.P

ʼAtʼééd doo bzhǫ́ǫ da dooleeł.

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