yáłtiʼ

Navajo

Etymology

yá- (thematic) + -∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -ł- (classifier) + -tiʼ (durative imperfective stem of root -TIʼ, “to talk”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (NV)

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Verb

yáłtiʼ

1. he/she is speaking, talking

   Naʼáłchíní hólǫ́ǫgo éí nizaad bee bichʼįʼ yáníłtiʼ. Nihimá dóó nihizhéʼé Bilagáana bizaad bił nantłʼah ndi Bilagáanají nihichʼįʼ yádááłtiʼ ńtʼééʼ.

   If you have children, talk to them in your language. Our mothers and fathers spoke to many of us in the white man’s language even though it was difficult for them.

   Daʼ Diné bizaadísh beeyáníłtiʼ? ― Do you speak Navajo?

Conjugation

Paradigm: Durative (∅/yi).

IMPERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	yáshtiʼ	yéiiltiʼ	yádeiiltiʼ
2nd person	yáníłtiʼ	yáłtiʼ	yádaałtiʼ
3rd person	yáłtiʼ		yádaałtiʼ
4th person	yájíłtiʼ		yádajiłtiʼ

PERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	yááłtiʼ	yéiiltiʼ	yádeiiltiʼ
2nd person	yéíníłtiʼ	yáoołtiʼ	yádaoołtiʼ
3rd person	yááłtiʼ		yádááłtiʼ
4th person	yájííłtiʼ		yádajííłtiʼ

FUTURE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	yádeeshtih	yádiiltih	yádadiiltih
2nd person	yádííłtih	yádoołtih	yádadoołtih
3rd person	yádoołtih		yádadoołtih
4th person	yázhdoołtih		yádazhdoołtih

Derived terms

• tsídii yáłtiʼí (“parrot”)

Verbal stems

• IMPERFECTIVE: -tiʼ
• PERFECTIVE: -tiʼ
• FUTURE: -tih
• ITERATIVE: -tih
• OPTATIVE: -tiʼ