naaghá

Navajo

Etymology

na- (atelic, circuital) + -∅- (3rd person subject prefix) +

• ∅- (classifier) + -á (continuative imperfective stem of root -YÁ, “to go, to walk — 1 actor”)
• ∅- (classifier) + -ʼaash (continuative imperfective stem of root -ʼÁÁZH, “to go, to walk — 2 actors”)
• d- (classifier) + -kai (continuative imperfective stem of root -KAI, “to go, to walk — 3 actors”)

Verb

naaghá

1. he/she is going around, walking about
2. he/she goes and returns

   Marianne hádą́ą́ʼ Ahééhéshį́į́hgóó naayá? ― When did Marianne go to Phoenix?

   Áłchíní daʼółtaʼígíí naaki nídeezidídą́ą́ʼ Wááshindoongóó naaskai. ― The school children went to Washington two months ago.

3. (with -di or an adverb of place) he/she is at/in

   Mary dóó Kii bimá sání yighandi naaʼaash. ― Mary and Kee are at their grandmother’s house.

   Ashiiké ółtaʼígíí kǫ́ǫ́ naaʼaash. ― The two boys who are students, are around here.

4. (with -dę́ę́ʼ) he/she comes from

   Hastiin Hall Ohio hoolyéédę́ę́ʼ naaghá. ― Mr. Hall hails from a place called Ohio.

   Díí kweʼé atah daʼółtaʼígíí háádę́ę́ʼ ndaakai? ― Where do these students come from?

5. (with baa) he/she is busy with; he/she is doing it

   Diné bizaad bóhooshʼaahgo baa naashá. ― I’m busy learning Navajo.

   Áłchíní haʼátʼíí yaa naakai? ― What are the children doing?

6. (with chʼaa) he/she is on trip

   Chʼaa naashá ńtʼééʼ. ― I was on trip.

7. (with yínííł “with mind”) he/she is sad/blue/worried

   Yínííł naaghá. ― He is sad.

8. (with ká) he/she is sickly/invalid

   Ká naashá. ― I am sickly.

9. buddy, friend (used by males, the 3rd-person dual can be used in this way to refer to male cousins)

   shił naaʼaash ― my clan brother; my buddy; my cousin ("father’s sister’s son" or "mother’s brother’s son")

Usage notes

Like all go-verbs, this verb uses three different roots for 1 subject going alone, 2 subjects going in a pair, and 3+ subjects going in a group. All three roots can be conjugated in all 3 numbers (singular, duoplural, distributive plural), with practical different meanings. See chʼéghááh, chʼéʼaash, chʼékááh for further details.

Conjugation

Paradigm: Continuative (∅/si).

IMPERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	naashá	neiitʼaash	neiikai
2nd person	naniná	naahʼaash	naahkai
3rd person	naaghá	naaʼaash	naakai
4th person	nijighá	nijiʼaash	nidajikai

PERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	niséyá	nishiitʼáázh	nisiikai
2nd person	nisíníyá	nishooʼáázh	nisoohkai
3rd person	naayá	naazhʼáázh	naaskai
4th person	nijiyá	nijizhʼáázh	nijiskai

FUTURE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	nideeshaał	nidiitʼash	niikah
2nd person	nidíínaał	nidoohʼash	nidoohkah
3rd person	nidoogaał	nidooʼash	nidookah
4th person	nizhdoogaał	nizhdooʼash	nizhdookah

ITERATIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	nináshdaah	ninéiitʼash	ninéiikah
2nd person	ninánídaah	nináhʼash	nináhkah
3rd person	ninádaah	nináʼash	ninákah
4th person	ninájídaah	ninájíʼash	ninájíkah

OPTATIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	naooshaʼ	naootʼaash	naookááh
2nd person	naóóyaʼ	naoohʼaash	naoohkááh
3rd person	naooyaʼ	naooʼaash	naookááh
4th person	njóyaʼ	njóʼaash	njókááh

Related terms

• chʼéghááh
• dighááh
• yíghááh