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.

An example search has returned 50 entries

’adah

listenloadingplaying

downward from a height

’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.F

’Ííshją́ą́ ’at’ééd yázhí hooghandę́ę́’ ch’idoogááł.

certainly girl little house-from out-3-walk.F

-k’i

-ta’

-yah

Asdzą́ą́ yázhí bichidí doondó’ ndi naalnish da.

woman little 3-car not.even but 3-work.P NEG

Át’ah ’índa shaa náádíídááł.

later 1-to again-2-come.F

ch’ééh

listenloadingplaying

in vain, futilely, try, try in vain

Ch’ééh jiyáán náshdį́į́h ’áádóó tó náshdlį́į́h.

watermelon again-1-eat.R then water again-1-drink.R

Ch’iyáán bá hooghandi béeso bideená naashnish.

food.store-at money 3-in-exchange.for 1-work.CI

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

Da’ ’ałní’ní’ą́ąjį’ tł’óo’di nishínílnish?

Q noon-until outside-at 2-work.P

Da’ dibé nee hólǫ́?

Q sheep 2-with 3-exist.NI

Da’ shééhonísin?

Q 1-2-know.NI

dajííłhį́į́’

pl-3DO-4dpl-melt.it.(snow).P

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

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ Yootóógóó niséyá.

Sunday past Santa.Fe-to 1-go.P

daohsą́

pl-3DO-2dpl-eat.it.I

daoohdlą́ą́’

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

daoohgish

pl-3DO-2dpl-make.one.cut.in.it.I

daoołhį́į́’

pl-3DO-2dpl-melt.it.(snow).P

dazhdiłhį́į́h

pl-3DO-4dpl-melt.it.I

deididoołhįh

pl-3DO-3dpl-melt.it.F

Díkwíí shą’ ninááhai?

how.many-Q 2-winter.NI

Haa’íshą’ neezgai?

where-Q 3-hurt.N

hadínóołchał

3DO-2dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).F

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

winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.I past neg 1-with 3-good.N neg

háajį’go

Háidíígíísh neidiyoołnih nínízin?

which.one-ÍGÍÍ-Q 3-3-buy.F 2-think.NI

Háísh tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?

who-Q boat 3-3-make.P

Háíshą’ tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?

who-Q boat 3-3-make.P

Kii łį́į́’ yizloh léi’ yí’diiłííd.

Kii horse 3-3-rope.SP CONJ 3-3-brand.I

naa

listenloadingplaying

across, crosswise on

Naakaii Bito’gi béégashii bee łá’í ’ídlínígíí bee ’anishtah.

mexican water-at cow 3-with one-unify.P-COMP 3-with 1-among.NI
listenloadingplaying

I’m a member of the Mexican Springs Cattle Association.

nanilé

3DO-2-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.I

Nisneez sélį́į’go shicheii nahałáhági ’át’éego nahashłáa doo nisin.

1-tall.NI 1-become.P-GO 1-grandfather 3-perform.ceremony.CI-similar.to 1-perform.ceremony.CI future 3-want.NI
listenloadingplaying

When I get big I want to conduct ceremonies just like my grandfather.

Nił hǫ́zhǫ́ǫ́sh doodaii’ doósh nił hózhǫ́ǫ da?

2-with-happy.NI-Q or neg-Q 2-with happy.NI neg

Shá bíighah na’ashkǫ́ǫ́’.

sun proportionate 1-swim.CI

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
listenloadingplaying

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

Shidá’í dóola yilááh ’ábóodziil jiní.

1-Uncle bull 3-greater 3-strong.NI 4-say.P
listenloadingplaying

It is said that my uncle is stronger than a bull.

Shizhé’é mósí néidiiłts’in ńt’éé’ biyaa haalwodgo ná’ádoolts’in.

1-father cat 3-3-act.with.fist.P past 3-under 3-go.P-GO REFL-3-act.with.fist.P
listenloadingplaying

My father was going to hit the cat with his fist but it ran out from under him and he hit himself.

Shizhé’éésh łį́į́’ yiyííshǫǫdę́ę ’ayóó ’eelwod?

1-father horse-Q 3-3-tame.P-COMP.past really 3-run.away.P

Tóbąąhgóó yishtł’ééł.

river-toward 1-run.Prog

Tsékooh biniit’aají łįį’hoł sizį́į́go binísá.

canyon 3-barring.to.a.point horse 4-with 3-stand.SPN.GO 3-1-caught-up.P
listenloadingplaying

I caught up with him sitting on his horse at the canyon.

Tsxį́įłgo łees’áán ’ánílééh; nimásání nihaa níyá!

quickly tortilla 2-make.I 2-mat.grandma 1.pl-to 3-came.P

Tł’éédą́ą́’ ńléí dził bine’jí ’adildííl yiits’a’ ni’.

night-past there mountain 3-behind-way thunder 3-sound.P recall

wohsą́

3DO-2dpl-eat.it.I

wooshjį́į́h

Optative Mode: 1-become.black.O
listenloadingplaying

I hope to become black, get sunburned

Yéego ’ííníłta’, shi’awéé’, ’áko nizhónígo ni’dííłtah.

really 2-study.NI 1-baby so well 2-graduate.F