Introduction to Conjunctions
This Saad Dílzin lexicon illustrates various conjunctions, words like dóó (and), doodaii (or), ndi (but), háálá (because), and others. The term we use for a word that holds constituents together is conjunction (zaatą’ii). Conjunctions combine two or more sentences, phrases, or words into a single sentence or phrase. Each conjunction has its own meaning.
This lexicon is mainly focused on coordination, but it includes other expressions that can connect two sentences (like yę́ędą́ą́’). It is sometimes difficult to distinguish conjunctions from adverbs.
Sometimes adverbs appear with conjunctions, and they influence or modify the meaning of the conjunction.
Joe and Louise are conjoined in the sentence below to make a single phrase:
The verb hataał, is intransitive, meaning that it can only have one argument:
| Joe | hataał. |
| Joe | 3-sing.CI |
| Joe is singing. | |
| *Joe | Louise | hataał. |
| Joe | Louise | 3-sing.CI |
| Joe Louise is singing. | ||
Example (3) is only grammatical if Joe Louise is the name of a particular person. If we take the two names to refer to two different people then we have to connect them with the conjunction dóó (and). This is what happens in (1). When dóó is in the middle you know there are two people.
In Navajo, more than two phrases can be conjoined, but the verb will have the plural marker da in it when three or more actors are involved in the event being described:
| Joe | dóó | Louise | dóó | Kii | dahataał. |
| Joe | and | Louise | and | Kii | pl-3-sing.CI |
| Joe, Louise, and Kii are singing. | |||||
The examples, (1) and (4), above include conjunctions of noun phrases. Other phrases can be conjoined in the same way. Here are examples with postpositional enclitic phrases:
| Tsé’áándę́ę́’ | dóó | tsédáajį’ | ninish’na’. |
| cave-from | and | cliff-to | 1-crawl.P |
| I crawled out of the cave and to the edge of the cliff. | |||
| Na’ná’á | biyaa | góne’ | dóó | báhátis | ’adiłt’oh. | |
| bridge | 3-under | below | and | 3-across | 3-3-shoot.P | |
| S/he shot them (e.g., arrows) over the bridge and under it. | ||||||
Sentences can also be coordinated, and several different conjunctions can be used:
| Kin | Łánídi | naashnish | háálá | ’áadi | shaghan. |
| Flagstaff | 1-work.I | because | there | 1-live.NI | |
| I work in Flagstaff because I live there. | |||||
| Kin | bighą́ą́’dę́ę́’ | hadah | ’adzííłhaal | ndi | t’áadoo | ’ádadénih | da. |
| house | 3-to-from | down | 1-tumble.P | but | NEG | RFLX-1-hurt.P | NEG |
| I tumbled off the housetop but I didn’t get hurt. | |||||||
The table below shows the expressions in this lexicon, except that the complementizer -go is listed in the Adverbs lexicon [link]. This list appears in Young & Morgan (1987:23-24).
| Navajo | English | Is the expression a coordinating conjunction? | categories that can be conjoined |
|---|---|---|---|
| dóó | ‘and’/‘and then’ | yes | clause, NP, PP, EP |
| ’áádóó | ‘and then’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko | ‘so, so that, so then’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko ’índa | ‘when, then’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko ndi | ‘even so, even then’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko shį́į́ | ‘then maybe/ then probably’ | yes | clause |
| ’áko shį́į́ ’índa | ‘then only’ | yes | clause |
| doodago | ‘or’ | yes | clause, NP, PP, EP? |
| doodaii’ | ‘or’ | yes | clause, NP, PP, EP? |
| -go | no | clause, NP | |
| háálá | ‘for, because’ | yes | clause |
| -ii’ | ‘and, and thereupon’ | yes | clause |
| ’índa | ‘and only then’ | no | clause |
| léi’ | ‘because’, ‘inasmuch as’ or ‘in view of the fact that’ | yes | clause |
| ndi | ‘but’ | yes | clause |
| ’azhą́…ndi | ‘even though, despite the fact that, notwithstanding’ | yes (or else ’azhą́ is an adverb and ndi is a conjunction) | clause |
| ńt’éé’ | past | maybe | clause |
| yę́ędą́ą́’ | past | no | clause |
- NP
- noun phrase
- PP
- postpositional phrase
- EP
- postpositional enclitic phrase
With coordination, two phrases have the same status. With subordination, one clause modifies the other. In this way, they are different. When there are two clauses and -go appears in the first, the two become one sentence. Then the first clause modifies the second.
| Shilééchąą’í | bił | na’nishkaadgo | jooł | bá | ’abíńjíshhałgo | yikéé’ | náádiilwo’. |
| 1-dog | 3-with | 1-herd.CI | ball | 3-for | 3-1-bat.R-GO | 3-after | 3-run.R |
| When I’m out herding with my dog I bat fly balls for him and he chases them. | |||||||
The first clause modifies the second by describing its reference time. A range of interpretations for -go is possible. In the following example, the -go clause is understood as describing the cause for the main clause:
| ’Ádihodideesht’ih | sha’shin | nisingo | t’áadoo | ’atah | haasdzíi’ | da. |
| Joe | dóó | Louise | dóó | Kii | dahataał. | |
| I didn’t say anything because I thought I might get myself into trouble. | ||||||
Examples of clauses subordinated using -go can be found in the Adverbs lexicon [link].
Some observations
Our understanding is that -go is a complementizer, sometimes called subordinating conjunction in traditional grammar (we follow Schauber 1975 [link] in concluding this).
When clauses are coordinated, a conjunction appears in place of -go. Ńt’éé’ can also take the place of -go. We take it that it can be either a conjunction or a complementizer. (Occasionally, it can appear along with -go, suggesting that it could be an adverb as well!)
Some of the expressions in this lexicon can only appear when -go appears on the first clause. These expressions are likely to be adverbs.
Concerning ’azhą́…ndi, we have already concluded that ndi is a conjunction. We could analyze ’azhą́ as an adverb, or we could consider ’azhą́…ndi to be a two-part conjunction, similar to either…or.
An example search has returned 50 entries
’Ach’ą́ nisin ndi shidíbé nído’ahígíí ’ádin.
meat.hunger 1-want.NI but 1-sheep 4-butcher.F 3-1.none.NI’Ahwééh yishdlį́į́h ’áádóó naanishgóó yishááh.
coffee 3-1-drink.U and.then work-toward 3-1-go.U’Azhą́ ts’aa’ nízhóní ndi ’áłts’íísí.
even.though basket 3-be.pretty.NI even.though 3-be.small.NI’Azhé’é chízh ’éí nííni’yį́ ’áádóó hastiin bíká ’eelwod.
INDEF.father wood TOP 3-3.haul.complete.LPB.P AND man 3-after 3-run.F’Áádóó éí haa daadzaa?
and.then TOP what pl-3-do.P’Áádóó shą’?
and.then Q’Áłtsé baa nitsídadiikos ’áko shį́į́ ’índa bik’i nidadii’nił.
first about 3-3.think.F then only 3-3pl.record.I’Áłtsé nééł’į́į́’ ’áko ’índa ’ííyą́ą́’.
first 1-look.P after.that 1.eat.P’Ííyą́ą́’ dóó bik’ijį’ tsinyaagi nétį́į́ dóó ’iiłhaazh.
1-eat.P and 3-after tree-under-at.spec 1-lie.down.P and 1-sleep.P’Ólta’góó daats’í deeshááł doodaii’ jooł bee nideeshneeł.
school-toward maybe 1-walk.F or ball 3-with 1-play.F’Ániid ’iiyą́ą́ ’áko ndi t’ah dichin nisin.
Recently 1-eat.P even then still 3-hungry 1-want.NIAhwééh yishdlį́į́ ’áko ’índa ch’éénásdzíd.
coffee 3-1.drink.P when 3-1.wake.up.PBibee’eldǫǫh haiyííłhan’ii’ ’bįįh yił ’adeesdǫǫh.
gun 3-jerk.out.P-and deer 3-shot.PBichidí yichǫ’ yę́ędą́ą́’ ’ashkii t’áani’ nálwod.
3-vehicle 3-P-ruin past boy on.foot 3-P-returnCh’ééh déyá léi’ t’óó hanáshyį́į́h.
try 1.go.P since just 1.rest.ICh’iyáán t’óó ’ahayóí ndi tó ’ádin.
food lots but water 3-none.NIChidí ’anáshdlééh, háálá doo naalnish da.
car 3-1-repair.I because NEG 3-work.I NEGChidí bitoo’ hadi’dííłbį́į́łgo ’índa Na’azhǫǫshgóó diikah.
car 3-fuel 3.fill.up-GO.P only.then casino-GOO 3pl.go.FDamóogo ’áłah ’aleeh ’áko ’áadi nihaadíínááł.
Sunday 3-gather 3-be so there-at 1-Pl-to-2-arrive.FDibé bitsį’ doodago béégashii bitsį’ daats’í nínízin?
sheep 3-meat or cow 3-meat possibly 3-2-want.NIDichinísh doodaii’ dibáá’ísh dzinízin?
hunger-Q or thirst-Q 3-4-want.NIDiné bikéyah bikáa’gi ndahonidzood yę́ędą́ą́’ Naatsis’áán hoolyéégóó 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.PAt the time people were on the run in Navajoland, fleeing in small groups, we sneaked away with our children one group after another, to Navajo Mountain.
bookmark- -káá’ on, on top offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
- -gi atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yę́ędą́ą́’ past
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- accompaniment
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
Diné 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 tł’éé’ ’índa hazhó’óó ’iideeshwosh.
this night only.then uninterrupted 1-sleep.FDoo ’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 offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- 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 then
Díí jį́ Nida’iiníísh ’áko shį́į́ nihich’į’ nida’iilyé, ya’?
today Friday then.maybe 1pl-toward 1pl-payment.I QHííłch’į’go ’índa ta’iideeshnih.
evening.GO until 1-mix.dough.FHooghan ’adeeshłííł ndi tsineheeshjíí’ shee ’ádin.
hogan 1-build.F but lumber 1-with 3-none.NIKii łį́į́’ yizloh léi’ yí’diiłííd.
Kii horse 3-3-rope.SP CONJ 3-3-brand.IKin Łánídi naashnish háálá ’áadi shaghan.
Flagstaff 1-work.I because there 1-live.NIMósí dóó łeechą́ą́’ii’ baniłts’ood’ii’, bił hózhǫ́.
cat dog 3-1-feed.P-and 3-with 3-happy.NINanise’ígíí ch’iyáán daohsą́ ’áko bee nihits’íís bitah yá’ádahoot’ééh dooleeł.
plant-ÍGÍÍ food pl-2-eat.I so 3-with 2pl-body 3-among pl-3-good.NI futureShi’dizhchį́į́ yęędą́ą́’ ’éí tsinaabąąs dahólǫ́ nt’éé.
1-pass-born.P past TOP wagon 3-with pl-3-drive.I pl-be.NI pastShich’ahashkéé léi’ doo bíká ’iishyeed da.
1-3-upset.I since NEG 3-for 1-help.I NEGShileechąą’í halǫ́ǫ́ ńt’éé’ są biisxé.
1-dog have past old.age 3-die.of.PShimá sání dah díníilghaazh ’ayiila’ii’, nihí yaa néíni’ką́.
1-grandmother frybread 3-3-make.P-and 1.dpl under 3-3-place.PMy grandmother made frybread, and placed it in front of us.
bookmark- -ii’ and, and thereupon
- yaa down, downwardfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashłééh makefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- baa’nishkah place it, put itfind in Navajo Verb Modes
Shimá tanaashgiizh ’áyiilaago ’áádóó deiilts’ee’.
1-mother pudding 3-make.P-GO and.then pl-3-1dpl-eat.MM.PShitsili tsin ła’ nieidiitą́ii’ łeechą́ą́’ii’ łéi néídiiłhaal.
1-little.brother stick 3-3-pick.up.P-and dog INDEF 3-3-hit.PShíká ’anánílwo’ doodago’ t’áadoo shaa nánít’į́ní!
1-after indef-help.R or just-neg 1-about 1-2-bother.NI-negShí Kinłánígóó shił ’ayóó ’ánízáád ’áko ndi sitsóí ’éí bił ’áyídí.
I Denver to 1-with 3-far.NI but 1-grandsongranddaughter 3-with nearbyDenver is too far with me but to my grandson, it is close or nearby.
bookmark- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’ayóigo very, extremelyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -á for, for the benefit offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -á for, for the benefit offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’áko ndi even so, even then
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
Yéego nihee nahóółtą́ągo yá’át’ééh doo yę́ę ’áko shį́į́ naadą́ą́’ dadinóosééł.
hard.GO 1pl-on 3-rain.P.GO 3-good future wish then maybe corn 3pl-grow.FŁa’ damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ dah ’iyétł’ónée, k’ad ’ałníí’góó ’eeshtł’óół.
one Sunday past up 3-1-set.P-past now middle-toward 1-weave.ProgLast week I set up a loom, and now I am halfway finished with weaving (a rug).
bookmark- -dą́ą́’ past timefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- yę́ędą́ą́’ past
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’iishtł’ǫ́ set up a loomfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- k’ad nowfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Progressive (Prog)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’ashtł’ó weavefind in Navajo Verb Modes




