łibá

See also: liba

Navajo

Etymology

łi- (adjectival) + -∅- (ni-modal 3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier) + -bá (neuter imperfective stem of root -BAʼ, “to be gray”).

The łi- prefix appears to have originated historically from the -ł- classifier. When this prefix appears immediately in pre-stem position, it takes the shape of a -l- classifier.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɬɪ̀pɑ́/

Verb

łibá

1. it is gray

   Biyázhí neiyéhé łibá ― The (one or two) opossum is gray.

   Biyázhí neiyéhé daalbá ― The (three or more) opossums are gray.

Usage notes

This is a neuter verb. As such, it has only the imperfective stem.

Conjugation

Paradigm: Neuter imperfective (ni).

IMPERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	łinishbá	łiniibá	dałiniibá
2nd person	łiníbá	łinohbá	dałinohbá
3rd person	łibá		daalbá, dałibá
4th person	jilbá		dajilbá

Derived terms

• dinilbá (“light gray, light brown”)
• gałbáhí (“cottontail”)

Related terms

• deesbá
• diibááh
• dinilbá
• dzíbá
• haabá
• haasbá
• kʼídzíbá
• naabá
• naasbá
• násbá
• yiibááh
• yiyiiłbááh

See also

Colors in Navajo · nidaashchʼąąʼígíí (layout · text)

łigai	łibá (dark gray: dinilzhin)	łizhin
łichííʼ	łichxíʼí (light orange: diniltsxo); dibéłchíʼí, yishtłizh (dark brown: dinilzhin)	łitso (light yellow: diniltso); dinilgai
	dinooltłʼizh, chʼilgo dootłʼizh
dootłʼizhii	yágo dootłʼizh	dootłʼizh
diłhiłgo dootłʼizh	tsédídéehgo dootłʼizh	dinilchííʼ