niʼii-
Navajo
Etymology
Depending on the verb, from ni- (terminative) + -ʼa- (unspecified person subject prefix) + -hi- (seriative) or from na- (atelic, circuital) + -ʼa- (unspecified person subject prefix) + -hi- (seriative) .
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /nɪ̀ʔìː-/
Prefix
niʼii-
- one after another, one time after another
- niʼii- + -tłʼiid + niʼii- → niʼiitłʼiid (“to go around farting, to be flatulent”)
Conjugation
| imperfective | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | niʼiish- | niʼiyii- | ndaʼiyii- |
| 2nd person | niʼiyí- | niʼiyoh- | ndaʼiyoh- |
| 3rd person | niʼii- | ndaʼii- | |
| 4th person | niʼjii- | ndaʼjii- | |
| perfective | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | niʼiiyé- | niʼiyee- | ndaʼiyee- |
| 2nd person | niʼiyíní- | niʼiyoo- | ndaʼiyoo- |
| 3rd person | niʼiiz- | ndaʼiiz- | |
| 4th person | niʼjiiz- | ndaʼjiiz- | |
| future | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | ndiʼyeesh- | ndiʼyii- | ndandiʼyii- |
| 2nd person | ndiʼyíí- | ndiʼyooh- | ndadiʼyooh- |
| 3rd person | ndiʼyoo- | ndadiʼyoo- | |
| 4th person | nizhdiʼyoo- | ndazhdiʼyoo- | |
| iterative | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | nináʼiish- | nináʼiyii- | ninádaʼiyii- |
| 2nd person | nináʼiyí- | nináʼiyoh- | ninádaʼiyoh- |
| 3rd person | nináʼii- | ninádaʼii- | |
| 4th person | nináʼjii- | ninádaʼjii- | |
| optative | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | niʼiyósh- | niʼiyoo- | ndaʼiʼyoo- |
| 2nd person | niʼiyóó- | niʼiyooh- | ndadiʼyooh- |
| 3rd person | niʼiyó- | ndaʼiyó- | |
| 4th person | niʼjiyó- | ndaʼjiyó- | |
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, pages 639-40.