nijeeh

Navajo

Etymology

ni- (terminative) + ∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier) + -jeeh (imperfective stem of root -JÉÉʼ, “to lie — 3+ actors”).

Verb

nijeeh

1. 3+ people are lie down
2. to lie down with (3+ people)

Usage notes

This stem is used for lying in groups of three or more subjects. For individual lying, see niteeh. For lying in pairs, see niteesh.

Singular forms of this verb refer to one subject lying with more than 2 additional subjects as a group:

• Nihił nishjeeh — I'm reclining with you (pl.).

Conjugation

Paradigm: Momentaneous (∅/si).

imperfective	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	nishjeeh	niijeeh	daniijeeh
2nd person	níjeeh	nohjeeh	danohjeeh
3rd person	nijeeh		danijeeh
4th person	jinijeeh		dazhnijeeh

perfective	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	néjééʼ	neejééʼ	daneejééʼ
2nd person	níníjééʼ	shinoojééʼ	dashinoojééʼ
3rd person	neezhjééʼ		daneezhjééʼ
4th person	jineezhjééʼ		dazhneezhjééʼ

future	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	dínéeshjah	díníijah	dadíníijah
2nd person	dínííjah	dínóohjah	dadínóohjah
3rd person	dínóojah		dadínóojah
4th person	dízhnóojah		dazhdínóojah

Related terms

• shijééʼ (“they are in the lying position”)
• naazhjééʼ

See also

• niteeh (1), niteesh (2), nijeeh (3+) (“to lie down”)
• nidaah (1), nikeeh (2), dinibįįh (3+) (“to sit down”)

Verb

nijeeh

1. second-person singular imperfective of yijeeh

References

• Robert W. Young and William Morgan, Sr. (1987) The Navajo Language. A Grammar and Colloquial Dictionary, Albuquerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press, page 658.