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’.
| 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:
| 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:
| 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:
| 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’Ahbínídą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’ííyą́ą́’góó biniinaa wónáásdóó dichin shi’niiłhį́.
morning-past NEG 1-eat.P-NEG.GO because soon hunger 1-3-kill.PBecause I did not eat this morning I am hungry now.
bookmark- ’ahbínídą́ą́’ this morningfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- t’áadoo notfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashą́ eatfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -niinaa because of, on account of
- wónáásdóó soon, finallyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- sisxé killfind in Navajo Verb Modes
’Atiin bąąhgóó béésh halne’é tsin bá ’adaaz’á.
road 3-along.side telephone pole 3-for 3Pl-stand.upright.SPN’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.PROGAshkii tsé yikáá’ haaswod.
boy rock 3-on 3-up-walk.CIChidí bitiin ’ałts’ą́ą́hjí ’ańt’i’.
car 3-road both-side fenceChidí 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.NIDibé yázhí bitsį’ bíchą́ yídéeshni’.
lamb 3-meat 3-crave 3-addicted.NPDííshjį́į́góó shizhé’é łáháda bił ná’ahiistsééh.
nowadays 1-father seldom 3-with RECP-1-see.RDoo ’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.PHe never used to come, suddenly he’s here since it’s payday.
bookmark- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -dę́ę́’ from a general location or point in space or time, also out of, off of
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- ’áłt’ąą after all, in spite of unfortunatelyfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- ’índa and only thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
Dziłgóó ’o’ooldee’ yę́ę ná’ooldah.
mountain-to 3-go.pl.P past 3-return.pl.IHa’át’éegishą’ nich’ah nííní’ą́?
where-at-Q 2-hat 3-2-set.down.SRO.PHa’át’íí́sh baa hane’?
What Q 3-for be.told.CIHastiin Nééz doo ’asht’é’égóó nihibéégashii yá doolnih.
Mr. Long extremely 1pl-cow 3-for 3-annoy.ProgHáadish nichidí nííníłbą́ą́z?
where-at-Q 2-car 3-2-.park.PHáí lá kintahgóó shił ’adoołbąs?
who-Q town-to 1-me 3-drive.FHoozdodę́ę́’ 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 DISCComing back from Phoenix by Greyhound bus I got left behind in the restaurant in Flagstaff.
bookmark- -dę́ę́’ from a general location or point in space or time, also out of, off of
- location
- -ee by means of
- instrumental
- -di at
- location
- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- góne’ insidefind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- Si-Perfective Neuter (SPN)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- sédá sitfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -yaa under, beneath, down
- location
Jį́į́dą́ą́’ t’óó k’asídą́ą́’ nihee nahóółtą́.
today just very.nearly 1dpl-with areal-rain.PJooł ’ahííłhan ’áádóó ’atiin dóó ’anít’i’ báhátis ’eelts’id.
ball 3-1-throw.P and.then road and fence 3-over 3-move.SRO.PJooł 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 rememberK’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 date
- goal
- -dą́ą́’ past time
- time
- yę́ędą́ą́’ pastfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
Kǫ’ ’ayóigo bee n’deezdíín ndi doo shiníłdoi da.
fire very 3-with 3-sheds.light.P but NEG 1-3-warm.SPN NEGMósí yázhí bimá yits’ą́ą́’ yóó’ííyá.
kitten 2-mother 3-from away-3-go.PMósí yázhí chizhtah yiyah yilwod.
kitten woodpile.among 3-under 3-run.PNa’nízhoozhídi Naasht’éshí ’Atsá’jí yee nááda’alzhish.
gallup.at Zuni.people eagle-way 3-with again-pl-3-dance.RNa’nízhoozhídi yíníyáago t’áá ká ła’ bił ’ahóókááh lágo.
Gallup-at 2-go.P-GO see.to.it some 3-with 3pl-meet.O NEGNaadą́ą́’ lá haa néelą́ą́’ nida’ak’eh biyi’ góne’?
corn Q how 3.much.N 2-cornfield 3-in thereNaat’áanii bich’į’ yáshti’.
leader 3-to1-talk.INástł’ahdi shikeehai.
cove-at 1-winter.campNicheii nida’iiníísh góne’é kingóó ’ałnánádáah łeh.
2-grandfather Friday on store-to 3-go.R usuallyNichídísh háájí?
2-car-Q whereNida’iishnishgo hooghangóó nídésdzáa lą́ą.
1-after.work.P-GO home-to 1-go.F EMPNimá 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 FUTGo to your aunt’s house and take care of the baby over there.
bookmark- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yishwoł run alongfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -jí on the side of, in the direction of, in the manner of
- goal
- -aa to
- benefactive
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áháshyą́ carefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- dooleeł futurefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
Ńléí dziłtsį́į́góó diit’ash.
there mountain-base-toward start-1du-go.du.IShighandóó ha’a’aahjígo ’ahidiildzis dóó ’ákóyaa bida’atiin.
1-house-from east-side-GO join-together-canyons and there-down 3-off-roadShilééchąą yázhí shikéé’ yildlosh ńt’éé’ hashtł’ish yiih yildloozh.
1-dog little 1-behind 3-walk.Prog past mud 3-into 3-walk.PShimá 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.XI wanted to go to my mother’s house however I was tired and became lazy.
bookmark- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a date
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ńt’éé’ pastfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- ch’ééh in vain, futilely, tryfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- déyá gofind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -ił with
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes




