naʼanish

Navajo

Etymology

na- (atelic, circuital) + -ʼa- (unspecified person subject prefix) + -∅- (3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier) + -nish (continuative imperfective stem of root -NISH, “to work”).

Replacing the unspecified subject prefix -ʼa- with the null third-person prefix -∅- and the null classifier with -l- produces the related verb naalnish.

Verb

naʼanish

work is going on, work is happening

Usage notes

This verb is limited to expression in the unspecified person. For expression involving given persons, see naalnish.

Conjugation

Paradigm: Continuative (∅/si), third person only.

	3rd person singular
IMPERFECTIVE	naʼanish
PERFECTIVE	naʼazhnish
FUTURE	nʼdoonish

Related terms