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
’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
’Ashkii tó nílinígíi yiih dzółhaał.
boy water 3-be.NI-ÍGÍÍ 3-in 3-fall.O’Atsį’ t’éiyá nahidoonih lágo naalyéhé bá hooghangóó ’o’oolwod nít’éé’ da’deelkaal lá.
meat only 3-buy.F DISC-GO trading post-toward 3-drive.P past 3-close.P DISCThey drove to the trading post to buy only meat but it was closed.
bookmark- t’éiyá onlyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nahashniih buy, sellfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- lá + go discovery + adverbializerfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a date
- Progressive (Prog)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’oolwoł drivefind in Navajo Verb Modes
- lá I discoveredfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
’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’Ałk’idídą́ą́’ kin ’áshłaa ńt’éé’ ’éí t’ahdii bii’ shighan.
quite.long.ago house 3-1-make.P past it still 3-in 1-home’Áłah ’aleehdi hastiin léi’ t’óó yááłtih yiits’a’.
meeting-at man INDEF just 3-talk.Prog 3-be.heard.I’Hágoónee’, béeso shaa ní’aah.
well money 1-for 2-give.SRO.I’Ííshją́ą́ díí ’atoo’ béésh bii’ kǫ’í bikáá’ dah séką́.
don’t forget this stew stove 3-top up 1-put.P.OC-ááłk’iis
-dááh
-ii’, yi’
inside of, within, at the interior of a solid object
bookmark-jí + -k’ehgo
-káá’
Bá’ólta’ísh Jáan ’éí doodaii’ Mary daats’í yich’į’ haadzíí’?
teacher-Q John TOP or Mary perhaps 3-to 3-talk.PBeehaz’áanii bik’ehgo baa hwiiníst’įįd.
laws 3-according-to-GO 3-about 3-discuss.PBéégashii yáázh ła’ shibee’í’diidłííd bik’i niní’ą́.
calf one 1-cattle.brand 3-on 3-1-put.NPBéésh náábał dóó haa nízahdi nighan?
windmill and how 3-long.N-at 2-homeCasinogóó déyá haashą’ ’át’é.
casino-to 1-go.F of courseCh’ééh jiyáán hooghangóó dah dii’ą́ągo shee nikihoníłtą́.
watermelon home-toward up 3-1-move.SRO.P 1-with area-start-rain.PCh’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Na’nízhoozhídi kééhasht’į́ ńt’éé’.
formerly Gallup-at 1-live.I pastChidí 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.NIDa’ ’áájí ’ałdó’ ’áłah ’azlį́į́’?
Q that-side also meeting 1-happen.PDíí tł’óół tsin bik’ídísdis.
this rope stick 3-on-3-1-wrap.IDoo ’atiin bąąhgóó ch’il ’ahwééh ’áłah ’ájíléeh da.
NEG road 3-beside-along plant coffee together 3-4-gather.SFO.I NEGDon’t gather tea along the roadside.
bookmark- Indirect command with negationfind in Navajo Imperatives
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- 4th person admonition, negative, Imperfectivefind in Navajo Imperatives
- -ąąh on, beside
- location
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a date
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
Doo ’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
Doo yéé shaa yáníłti’go ndiséts’ą́’į́.
NEG fear 1-to 2-talk.DI-GO 2-1-hear.PGohwééh t’áá bizhání ’éí doodaii’ ’abe’ biłgo daats’í nínízin?
coffee only TOP or milk perhaps 3-with 3-2-want.NIHa’át’íí biniiyé ’ákǫ́ǫ́ díníyá?
what 3-for.purpose there 2-start.go.PHatáaldi ’iikááh ’atah ’ajóle’.
ceremony-at sandpainting among 4-make.OHáádę́ę’shą’ díí ch’ah nizhóní léi’ naa yílts’id?
where-from-Q DEM hat 3-beautiful.NI INDEF 2-to 3-move.air.SRO.PK’os jóhonaa’éí yich’ą́ą́h ’i’ííjool.
cloud sun 3-protect 3-drift.PLą́ʼąą’, hágoóneeʼ nibééso łaʼ shaa níʼaah.
okay well 2-money some 1-for 3-2-give.SRO.IMary bimá sání yá ’ata’ halne’.
Mary 3-grandmother 3-for indef-between 3-talk.DINaakaii Bito’gi béégashii bee łá’í ’ídlínígíí bee ’anishtah.
mexican water-at cow 3-with one-unify.P-COMP 3-with 1-among.NINTUdi yee’ da’íídóółtah yéeni’ háajį́’goshį́į́ da daįįnóołta’.
NTU-at really pl-2dpl-attend.school.R contrary.to.assumption somewhere such.as pl-2dpl-study.PShighandóó ndáá’góó ’ada’iisdee’go nihí ’éí t’áá yiike’.
1-home-from war.ceremony-to 3-go.away.P we.du.pl TOP just 1du-remain.behind.PShilééchąą’í yázhí táa’go tsásk’eh yiyaa ’ahííjéé’.
1-dog small three-comp bed 3-under 3-lie.pl.NPShiníbaal doo tó biníkáogeeh le’ ’át’éégóó ’íishłaa.
1-tent NEG water 3-through-3-flow.O proof.against-NEG 3-1-make.PShiye’ éí naaki béeso yideená chidí yésį́.
1-son TOP two money 3-exchange.for car 3-stand.SPNShił naa’aash shį́į́! T’áá shǫǫdí shaná’níłtsóód!
1-with 3-go.dl.CI maybe please 1-to-back-3-2-feed.IOh, my cousin! Please give me (some of) the food back!
bookmark- Request, affirmativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Imperfectivefind in Navajo Imperatives
- -ił with
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yish’aash go as a pair (with)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- shį́į́ perhaps, probably, possiblyfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ba’nistsóód feed itfind in Navajo Verb Modes
Shí hanii t’éiyá Naasht’ézhí bizaad shił bééhózin.
I contrary only English 3-language 1-with 3-know.PT’áá ’ałkéé’ ’azee’ííł’íní bił yah ’adahaadzá.
just one-behind-another doctor 3-with into 1Dist-4-go.ITáá’ daats’í shinááhaigo Hwéeldi hoolyéégóó shił dah ’adiiná níigo halne’ łeh shicheii.
three maybe 1-year.P-GO Fort.Sumner-at areal-be.called-toward 1-with start.off 3-migrate.P 3-say.NI-GO 4-tell. usually 1-grandfatherTó lą’ígo nidlą́ ’áko bee nitah yá’áhoot’ééh dooleeł.
water many 3-2-drink.DI so 3-with 2-among pl-3-good.NI futureTsékooh góyaa tł’óół bee ’adanásh’nah.
canyon areal-down 3-with 1-climb.down.RTsinaabąąs bee nida’abąąs yę́ędą́ą́’ shi’dizhchį́.
wagon 3-with pl-3-drive.I past 1-pass-born.PTł’ízí ’éí tsé si’ání yikáa’di naaghá.
goat TOP rock SRO 3-on-at 3-walk.CIŁa’ nááhai yę́ędą́ą́’ Tóta’di daashin niiłtsą́ą ni’.
one year prior Farmington-at wasn’t.it 2-1-see.P rememberI might have seen you last year at Farmington.
bookmark



