báʼóltaʼí

Navajo

Etymology

bá (“for him/her”) + óltaʼ (“reading is done”) + -í (nominalizer)

Noun

báʼóltaʼí

1. teacher

   Báʼóltaʼí shíká análwoʼ. ― The teacher helps me.

   Báʼóltaʼí nishłį́. ― I am a teacher.

   báʼííníshtaʼí ― my teacher

   báʼííníłtaʼí ― your (singular) teacher

   yáʼółtaʼí ― his/her/their teacher

   báʼííníiltaʼí ― our teacher

   báʼíínółtaʼí ― your (plural) teacher

Usage notes

Although this is a noun, it is a nominalized verb (the one for whom reading is done), and to get the possessed forms one must conjugate it like a verb (the one for whom I read, the one for whom you read, and so on).

Conjugation

IMPERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	báʼííníshtaʼí	báʼííníiltaʼí	bádaʼííníiltaʼí
2nd person	báʼííníłtaʼí	báʼíínółtaʼí	bádaʼíínółtaʼí
3rd person	yáʼółtaʼí		yádaʼółtaʼí
4th person	báʼájółtaʼí		bádaʼjółtaʼí

PERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	báʼííłtaʼí	báʼíiltaʼí	bádaʼíiltaʼí
2nd person	báʼííníłtaʼí	báʼóołtaʼí	bádaʼóołtaʼí
3rd person	yáʼííłtaʼí		yádaʼííłtaʼí
4th person	báʼájííłtaʼí		bádaʼjííłtaʼí

FUTURE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	báʼíídéeshtahí	báʼíídíiltahí	bádaʼíídíiltahí
2nd person	báʼíídííłtahí	báʼíídóołtahí	bádaʼíídóołtahí
3rd person	yáʼíídóołtahí		yádaʼíídóołtahí
4th person	báʼíízhdóołtahí		bádaʼíízhdóołtahí

Related terms

• óltaʼ
• ółtaʼ
• ółtaʼí