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

’Ahbínídą́ą́’ hashbį’go baa nídiisdzá ’ákondi t’áadoo ’áłtso da.

morning-past 1-clear.I-GO 3-for 1-start.P however but not-yet all NEG

’Ajótł’óół laanaa nissin ndi ’aghaa’ shee ’ádin.

4-weave.O hope 3-1-want.CI but wool 3-1-with.me 3-none.NI
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I wish to weave, but I don’t have any wool.

’ałdó’

’Ádihodideesht’ih sha’shin nisingo t’áadoo ’atah haasdzíi’ da.

RFLX-1-get.into.trouble.F perhaps 1-think.CI-GO NEG among 1-say.P NEG

-ghą́ą́h

-káá’

Bee’eldííldahsinil kintahdi sh ’oolwoł ńt’éé’ tsístł’ahazt’i’ léi’ góne’ sh ’o’oolwod.

Albuquerque town-at 1-with 3-run.Prog past deadend a areal-in 1-with 3-drive.P

bik’ídidiidis

3DO-1dpl-wrap.it.around.it.F

Bilagáana ła’ níhit’ááh dookah jiní.

Anglo some 1Pl-close.to 3-go.Pl.F 4-say.NI
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It is said that some white people will move in with us.

Ch’ééh jiyáán náánááshdą́ą́’.

watermelon again-1-eat.R
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I ate watermelon again.

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Na’nízhoozhídi kééhasht’į́ ńt’éé’.

formerly Gallup-at 1-live.I past
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I used to live in Gallup. I lived formerly in Gallup.                                                                                                                                                                        

Chidí kǫ́ǫ́ ndaajeehígíí t’áá ’ániidígo dahodeezlįįd.

car here 3-run.pl.I-COMP just recently pl-3-become.P
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These cars that run around here just recently came into existence, cars are a recent invention.

Dichin bik’ee doo bííchįįd da.

hunger 3-account neg 3-become.hopeless.P neg
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On account of famine conditions have become hopeless.

didazhdííłjéé’

pl-3DO-4dpl-start.fire.P

didiilyįh

3DO-1dpl-melt.it.F

didoołjéé’

3DO-2dpl-start.fire.P

diidiłjeeh

3DO-3-start.fire.I

Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi ndahonidzood yę́ędą́ą́’ Naatsis’áán hoolyégóó niha’áłchíní bił ’adahineet’į́į́’.

Navajo 3-land 3-on-at pl-areal-3-flee.pl.P past Navajo.Mountain areal-be.called.NI-to 1pl-children 3-with pl-1dpl-sneak.off.P

doolá dó’ --- da lá

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a frame with the meaning “it certainly is, wow, but it is”

díníłkaad

3DO-2-start.to.herd.them.(animals).I

dííłbish

3DO-2-boil.it.F

haniilchaad

3DO-1dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).I

Hái da shą’ tsinaa’eeł ’ájiilaa lá?

who DA Q boat 3-4-make.P DISC
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(I wonder) who made this boat?

jidoołbish

3DO-4-boil.it.F

Kintah góyaa yishááł ńt’éé’ béeso ńdiiłtsooz

areal-down 1-go.Prog past money 3-1-pick.FFO.P
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I was walking down the street when I found a dollar bill.

KinŁánídi ’ííníshta’ ńt’éé’ ’áádóó t’áá ’ániidígo ’áadi náánísdzáá ńtéé’ ’ééhosisya’ lá.

Flagstaff-in 1-study.P past and.then just recently there-at 1-return.P past 1-get.hazy.P disc
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I was young I went to school in Flagstaff but I returned there recently to find that I’m so hazy about things that I barely recognize the place.

Nichidí lá háadi nííníłbą́ą́z?

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

nidasoołkáá’

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

Nihimásání ha’át’íí lá yinízin?

1dpl-grandmother what LÁ 3-3-want.NI

nisiilyá

3DO-1dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.P

Nizhe’é ha’át’íísh yaa naaghá?

2-father what-Q 3-about 3-do.CI

Sha’áłchíní Toohgóó bił ’eesbąs.

1-children Shiprock-to 3-with 1-drive.Prog

Shichá si’ą́ągo ’iiłhaazh.

1-huddle 3-put-SPN-GO 1-sleep.P

Shicheii haastihgo łáháda ninálnish.

1-grandfather 3-become.old.P-GO seldom 3-work.R

Shidibé ’ąą’ dinót’į́į́ł laanaa ch’ééh nisin.

1-sheep expanse 3-increase.O wish in.vain 1-want.CI

Shikéédę́ę́’ naa hodoolzhish.

1-behind-from 2-passing become.F

Shilééchąą’í sitsijį’ yilwoł.

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

Shilééchąą’í yázhí táa’go tsásk’eh yiyaa ’ahííjéé’.

1-dog small three-comp bed 3-under 3-lie.pl.NP
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My three puppies are lying with part of their bodies extending under the bed.

Shilį́į́’ tł’aaká’ii dóó shilį́į́’ biyéél bił tsodizin ’íishłaa.

1-appaloosa and 1-horse 3-saddle 3-with prayer 3-1-make.P

Tooh ńlínígíí ha’naa shił ’adeezbą́ą́z ńt’éé’ tsinaabąąs nihits’ą́ą́’ k’é’éłtǫ’.

water river areal-across 1-with 3-drive.P past wagon 2dpl-away 3-break.P
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I started to ride across the river (by wagon) but it broke down on us.

Ts’aa’ t’áá nitsaaígíí bídin nishłį́.

basket just 3-large.NI-nom 3-lack 1-be.NI

Tsinaabąąs bee nida’abąąsgo shi’dizhchį́.

wagon 3-with pl-3-drive.I-GO 1-pass-born.P

Tsxį́įłgo łees’áán ádíílííł; nimásání nihaa yíghááh!

quickly tortilla 2-make.F 2.poss-mat.grandma-NOM 1.pl-to 3-come.F

woołhį́į́’

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

yiilyį́į́’

3DO-1dpl-melt.it.(snow).P

Yiską́ągo Na’nízhígóó deet’áazhgo haa’í lá ’adiidį́į́ł?

tomorrow Gallup-to 1dpl-go.du.F-GO where Q 1pdl-eat.F

yiyííshóó’

3DO-3-brush/comb.it.P

yóó’

away (disappearing, getting lost)

Łį́į́’ bik’i dah ’ashishnííł.

horse 3-on up 3-1-saddle.I