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’.

(1)
Sha’áłchíní b 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:

(2)
Chidí k’asdą́ą́’ sh ’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:

(3)
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:

(4)
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

’Ashkii ’éí łį́į́’ bił naaldloosh łá’í nidi doo yiyiichįįh da.

boy TOP horse 3-with 3-ride.I one but 3-3-know.NP NEG

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ ’íítseedgo bee na’anishí hasht’enáshdlééh.

yesterday 1-pound.P-GO tool 3-1-put.back.I

’Ayóo deesk’aazgo beeldléí ditánígíí biih násh’nah.

very cold-GO blanket 3-thick.NI-ÍGÍÍ 3-into 1-crawl.R

’Ayóo łį́į́’ sh naalgeed diní, ’ííshją́ą́shį́į́ díí łį́į́chogii bikáá’ dah ńdaah.

very horse 1-with 3-buck.CI 3-2-say.NI lets.see this stallion 3-on up 2-sit.I
listenloadingplaying

You said you’re good at riding broncos; let’s see you get on this stallion!

’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

’Áshįįh Bii’ Tóógóó náádísdzáago dziłghą́ą́’ hanáádeesh’nah.

Salt.Lake.City-toward again-1-go.F-GO mountain-back again-1-climb.R

’Ííshją́ą́ díí ’atoo’ béésh bii’ kǫ’í bikáá’ dah séką́.

don’t forget this stew stove 3-top up 1-put.P.OC
listenloadingplaying

Don’t forget that I put the stew on the stove.

’Ólta’góó deínóhkááh.

school-toward pl-2dpl-go.pl.PROG

’Ólta’dóó ’azee’ ’al’íníjį’ t’áá ná’ahanaad.

school-from hospital-to just long.time.pass.I

-’oh

listenloadingplaying

less than, short of, too little

-á

-de

-góó

to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a date

Ashkii tsé yikáá’ haaswod.

boy rock 3-on 3-up-walk.CI

The boy went up on the rock.

Beehaz’áanii bik’ehgo baa hwiiníst’įįd.

laws 3-according-to-GO 3-about 3-discuss.P
listenloadingplaying

He was tried according to the law.

Béeso bá hooghan góne’ shił ha’ashch’ą́ą́l dóó ’azéé’ííł’íní bił yah ’ííyá.

money 3-for building inside 1-with 3-go.up.as.elevator.P and doctor 3-with into 1-GO.P

Béégashii yáázh bichá ninish’aah.

calf 3-bunch 3-1-put.I.SRO

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Diné Bizaad naalkaah doo sh bééhózin da. K’ad éí t’áá shxǫǫd sh báá hózin.

formerly Navajo language research NEG 1-with 3-of ho-know.CI NEG | now TOP luckily 1-with 3-about-ho-know.CI

Chidí naat’a’í ’íinilaaígíí háajį’ ninít’a’?

airplane 3-2-make.P-ÍGÍÍ where-up.to 3-fly.P
listenloadingplaying

How far did the airplane that you built go when it flew?

Chidí sits’ą́ą́’ hashtł’ish yiih yilwodgo t’áá ch’į́į́góó ch’ééh ’ííł’įįd.

car 1-from mud 3-into 3-go.P-GO failure in.vain 1-act.P

Dibéésh nee hólǫ́?

sheep-Q 2-with 4-exist.NI

Díí yihahígíí biyi’, háísh tówónaanígóó ch’aa deeyá?

this year.IGII within who overseas.GOO travel 3-going.F-Q

Doo deighánígóó łeeyi’ ’azhnígeed.

NEG far ground-inside 3-4-dig.P

Ha’ąądi dibé bighan.

areal-other.side sheep 3-corral
listenloadingplaying

The sheep corral is on the other side (of the hill).

Háadi niyaa hazlį́į́’?

where-at 2-under area-grow.P
listenloadingplaying

Where did you grow up?

K’ad hooghangóó nááshdááł dooleeł.

now hogan-toward 1-go.Prog FUT

Mary yíká hoolne’.

Mary 3-for 3-call.P
listenloadingplaying

S/he called for Mary.

Na’níle’dii kingóó nisé, naaltsoos t’áadoo niigį́į da.

dismay store-to 1-go.P mail NEG 3-pass-deliver.LPB.P NEG

Na’nízhoozhígóósh díníyá?

Gallup-to-Q 2-go.SP

Naʼahóóhai baa nídiikai ʼakó ʼakʼidahiʼniłí bee shí ʼadíílwoł.

rodeo 3-about 1pl-do.pl.F so saddle.blanket 3-with 1-after 2-help.F

Naʼazhǫǫshgóó dooʼáazhgo nihikééʼ ʼiih deeshwoł.

casino-GÓÓ 2du-go.F-GO 2pl-behind 3-into 1-run.F

Nédáá dóó bikáá’adání bik’i ndinís’eez.

1-sit and table 3-on 1-place-1-foot.P
listenloadingplaying

I sat down and put my feet on the table.

Nichxǫ’ t’áadoo baa nánít’íní.

stop NEG 3-about 2-bother.I-Í

Sháahsita’gi yihę́ęsgo tsin-ts’ósí bee yích’id.

1-point.between.shoulder.blades 3-itch.I-GO stick 3-with 3-1-scratch.P
listenloadingplaying

When I got an itch between my shoulder blades, I scratched it with a stick.

Shi’éé’ kin bikáá’dóó hadah (or bidah, ’adah) ’ahé’ah.

1-clothes house 3-on-from areal-downward 3-1-toss.FFO.P

Shikee’ ’ániidígo biniinaa shikee’ bąąh tó’diisool.

1-shoe recently because 1-foot 3-on 3-blister.form.P
listenloadingplaying

Because my shoes are new, they made a water blister on my foot.

Shikéédę́ę́’ naa hodoolzhish.

1-behind-from 2-passing become.F

Shimá 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 past

Shimá sání Mary níigo yee ’ádójí.

1-grandmother Mary 3-say.I-GO 3-by reflexive-3-call.NI
listenloadingplaying

My grandmother calls herself Mary.

Shí ’éí t’áá naanishdóó kingóó déyá.

I TOP just work-from town-to 1-go.I

Shínaaí chidí b dah diilwodgo bizánághah góne’ łeezh ’adzíísi’.

older.brother car 3-with up 3-run.I-GO 3-around areal-in dust 3-trail.P
listenloadingplaying

When my older brother started off in the car he left a trail of dust around the corner.

Shį́į́dą́ą́’ łé’é yázhí shee hazlį́į́’.

summer-past pony 1-with 3-become.P
listenloadingplaying

I got a pony last summer, I acquired a pony last summer.

T’áá hazhóó’ógo yisháałgo biniinaa shaa ’adiildee’.

just carefully 1-walk.Prog-GO 3-because 1-for PASS-left.behind.P
listenloadingplaying

I was just left behind because I was walking too slowly.

T’ááłáhádi neeznádiin dóó ba’aan táá’

one hundred and 3-beyond three

Tsékooh góyaa tł’óół bee ’adanásh’nah.

canyon areal-down 3-with 1-climb.down.R
listenloadingplaying

I climb down into the canyon with a rope.

Tł’éédą́ą́’ ni’shéłhaazh.

night-past 1-rest.P

Yiską́ągo shicheii nihaa deeshááł ní.

tomorrow 1-grandfather 1pl-to 1-walk.F 3-say.NI

Ła’ nídeezid yę́ędą́ą́’ ’áajigo niséyá.

one month past that-way-GO 1.go.P

Łį́į́’ bik’i na’ashnííł.

horse 3-on 3-1-unsaddle.I