nayiilé

Navajo

Etymology

na- (“downward”) + -y- (3rd person object prefix) + -hi- (seriative) + -∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier) + -lé (imperfective stem of root -LÁ, “to handle a slender flexible object”).

Verb

nayiilé

1. to pay a succession of payments: rent, salary, installments.

   Bichʼįʼ nahashłé. ― I pay him.

   Bikʼé nahashłé. ― I pay for it.

Conjugation

Paradigm: Momentaneous (∅/si).

IMPERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	nahashłé	nahiilyé	ndahiilyé
2nd person	nahílé	nahohłé	ndahohłé
3rd person	nayiilé		ndayiilé
4th person	njiilé		ndajiilé
Other forms
Unspecified person	Spatial person	Passive A	Passive B
—	—	nahalyé	—

PERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	nahálá	Nahaalyá	ndahaalyá
2nd person	nahínílá	nahisoolá	ndahisoolá
3rd person	nayiizlá		ndayiizlá
4th person	njiizlá		ndajiizlá

Notes:

1. D-effect in the 1st person duoplural results in ly- instead of the expected dl-.
2. The stem in the passive perfective is -laʼ instead of the expected -lá.