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
’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ ’íítseedgo bee na’anishí hasht’enáshdlééh.
yesterday 1-pound.P-GO tool 3-1-put.back.I’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ shá bíighah ’atah ’adishdiłgo ’i’íí’ą́.
yesterday 1-for 3-passing down 1-play.stick.dice.RI evening’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ísh tł’óo’di nanilnishgo nee ’ałní’ní’ą́?
yesterday-Q outside-at 2-work.CI-GO 2-with noonYesterday were you working outside up to noon?
bookmark- -ísh enclitic for yes/no questionsfind in Navajo Questions Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- naashnish workfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- ałní’ní’ą́ noon
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- instrumental
’Ahbínídą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’ííyą́ą́’góó biniinaa wónáásdóó dichin shi’niiłhį́.
morning-past neg 1-eat.P-GO.NEG 3-because soon hunger 1-3-kill.II did not eat this morning, so I am hungry now.
bookmark- ’ahbínídą́ą́’ this morning
- t’áadoo not
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashą́ eatfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -niinaa because of, on account offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- wónáásdóó soon, finally
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- sisxé killfind in Navajo Verb Modes
’Anishkeed, t’áá ká nóólk’oł.
2-3-photograph.I neg 2-blink.O’Ashiiké yázhí ła’ chidí yikáá’dę́ę́’ ’adah ’adoogoh.
boys little INDEF car 3-on-from down 3-fall.F’Ałk’idą́ą́’ Naayéé’ Neizghání ha’a’aahjigo ’atsiniltł’ish bił dah yizdéél jiní.
long.ago Monster Slayer east-to lightning 3-with up 3-move.SFO.P 4-say’Ałní’ní’ą́ągo tó háálínídi ’ahéédidiit’ash.
noon-GO spring-at refl-1du-meet.F’Ííshją́ą́ ’at’ééd yázhí hooghandę́ę́’ ch’idoogááł.
certainly girl little house-from out-3-walk.F’Íídeeshwosh daats’í doodaii’ saad naalkaah bindeeshnish.
1-sleep.F maybe or word research 3-1-work.FBéégashii báháchxį’go bik’ee neeshchééł.
cattle 3-become.angry.I-GO 3-on.account.of 1-flee.ProgCh’ééh jiyáání hooghangóó dah dii’ą́ągo shee nahóółtą́.
watermelon home-toward up 3-1-move.SRO.P 1-with area-rain.PChidí kǫ́ǫ́ ndaajeehígíí t’áá ’ániidígo dahodeezlįįd.
car here 3-run.pl.I-COMP just recently pl-3-become.PChidí 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.PI did everything possible to get my car out of the mud.
bookmarkChidí bitooʼ ʼásdįįdgo doo diitsʼį́į da dooleeł.
truck 3-gas 3-exhaust.NP-GO NEG 3-start.I NEG 3-become.Fde, deg
Deenásts’aa’ shił naaldloosh ńt’éé’ shimá siiłtsą́, yiniinaa násineestsxas.
ram 1-with 3-trot.CI past 1-mother 1-3-see.P 3-because 1-3-whip.PDiné ła’ nizhónígo kéédahojit’į́ danihó’ní, ’áko ndi doo ’ákót’ée da.
people some 3-nice.NI-GO pl-4-3-reside.NI 3-Pl. so but NEG 4-think.CI NEGDíí yiską́ągo ’íídííłtah.
this tomorrow 3-2-read.Fdoo ’asht’é’égóó
doo chohoo’į́į́góó
Doo nídahiyoołnaah da.
neg pl-3-2dpl-resuscitate.I negDooshą’ gah t’áá gééd náshdááh lá.
ensure rabbit just without 1-return.I DISCdó’
Haahláyéé ch’íjíghááh.
don’t.dare out-4-come.IHak’az ’ayóo bich’į’ sidziil.
cold really 3-towards 1-strengthHodíínáá’ágo bááh dootł’izhí ła’ deeshį́į́ł.
after.a.while-GO bread blue some 1-eat.FHooghan bikáá’ dah si’áánígíí biyah danii’áago ’ádíílį́į́ł ’áko hooghan doo ałhiinídoołdas 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, holding
- 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 enclitic
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áko so, so that, so thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrases
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.PLąʼí Náhóółtáago hodookʼááłígíí yaa kódzaa dooleeł
much 3-rain-GO.O 3-fire.I-IGII 3-down to.happen.NI 3-become.FNa’nízhoozhígóó chídí doo nił dah didoolwoł da.
Gallup-to car NEG 2-with up start-3.drive.F NEGYou will not go to Gallup with the car. (YM 1987: 319)
bookmark- Command, negativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Futurefind in Navajo Imperatives
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrases
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- dah up at an elevation, off, static, holding
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’oolwoł drivefind in Navajo Verb Modes
Nanise’ígíí ch’iiyáán daohsą́ ’áko bee nihits’íís bitah ya’ádahoot’ééh dooleeł.
plant-ÍGÍÍ food pl-2-eat.I so 3-with 2pl-body 3-among pl-3-good.NI futureNibéézh bee hane’é doo ndi naalnish da.
2-cellphone NEG but 3-work.P NEGńt’éé’
Sha’ałchíní ayóó niłch’í naalkídi deineł’į́ ’áko ndi shí éí shináá bąą adin.
1-children very air 3-move.I 3-3.look.I however I 1-eyes 3-on doesn’t exist.Sha’áłchíní béeso ’ashladiin baa nínil ńt’éé’ t’ááła’ajį́ ’ałtso yibadooskai.
1-children money 50 3-for 2-put.PlO.P past at-once all 3-3-exhaust.PShikee’ ’ániidígo biniinaa shikee’ bąąh tó’diisool.
1-shoe recently because 1-foot 3-on 3-blister.form.PShimá 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 pastWe used to shear sheep and goats with my mom and dad in the past.
bookmark- dóó and, and thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- dóó and, and thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- tá’dishgéésh shear itfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- ńt’éé’ pastfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- ńt’éé’ relates to past time
Shį́įhgo, doo haigo sin hadidii’áał da.
summer-GO, NEG winter-GO song start-2.sing.F NEGT’áá ’ákwíízhíní tó dah siyínígóó ’ałnánáshdááh.
every summer lake-toward again-1-go.RT’áá hazhóó’ógo yisháałgo biniinaa shaa ’adiildee’.
just carefully 1-walk.Prog-GO 3-because 1-for PASS-left.behind.PT’áá ká ’ooshháásh.
neg 1-go.to.sleep.Ot’óó
Tó lą’ígo nidlą́ ’áko bee nitah yá’áh’hoot’ééh dooleeł.
water many 3-2-drink.DI so 3-with 2-among pl-3-good.NI futureDrink lots of water so that you can be healthy.
bookmark- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áko so, so that, so thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -tah, -taa-, -ta- among, mixingfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- dooleeł future
- dooleeł future