The Navajo course
Learn Navajo ten words at a time
Diné bizaad
Ten games of ten words: the hundred most useful Navajo words and expressions you could live on for years, from greetings and ordering food to numbers, small talk and getting around. Play a lesson in the box beside its words, and the next one starts itself.
Navajo challenge
Do you know the essentials? 25 quick questions from across the course. Score high and you are ready for the trip.
Navajo · Lesson 1 of 10
Greetings and politeness
Hello, thanks, please: the ten openers everything else builds on.
- Yá'át'ééhyah-AHT-ay
- Hello
- Yá'át'ééhyah-AHT-ay
- Hi
- Yá'át'ééh abíníyah-AHT-ay ah-BEE-nee
- Good morning
- Yá'át'ééh hiiłchi'į'yah-AHT-ay heel-CHEE-ih
- Good night
- Ahéhee' nizhóníah-HEH-hey nee-ZHOH-nee
- Thank you very much
- Ahéhee'ah-HEH-hey
- Thanks
- Hózhó nahasdlíí'HOH-zhoh nah-hahs-DLEE
- You're welcome
- T'áá shoodíTAH shoo-DEE
- Please
- Shił nitsídikeessheel nit-SEE-dee-kees
- Excuse me
- Hágoónee'HAH-goh-nay
- Goodbye
Navajo · Lesson 2 of 10
Order anything by pointing
One beer please, one of these please, the bill: survive any menu.
- Asdzą́ą́ bąąh, t'áá shoodíahs-DZO bo, TAH shoo-DEE
- One beer, please
- Díí, t'áá shoodíTHEE, TAH shoo-DEE
- One of these, please
- Añáásyǫ́ yich'į́ asdzą́ą́ bąąh, t'áá shoodíahn-AHS-yuh YIHCH-ih ahs-DZO bah, TAH shoo-DEE
- One coffee, please
- Naaki, t'áá shoodínah-AH-kee, TAH shoo-DEE
- Two, please
- Asdzą́ą́ bąąh bilá, t'áá shoodíahs-DZO bah bee-LAH, TAH shoo-DEE
- One more, please
- Dá łáh daalchíní?dah lah DAHL-chee-nee
- How much is it?
- Dá háí adaalkaad dóó náhoołnish, t'áá shoodídah high ah-DAHL-kahd doh nah-HOHL-nish, TAH shoo-DEE
- The bill, please
- Yiską́ dó...?yis-KAH doh
- May I...?
- (No traditional Navajo equivalent)(spoken in English)
- Cheers!
- (No traditional Navajo equivalent)(no standard response)
- Bless you
Navajo · Lesson 3 of 10
Yes, no and the essentials
The tiny words that carry half of every conversation.
- Aoo'AH-ooh
- Yes
- Doodadoh-OH-dah
- No
- Ayóo' anáhóót'ǐ'ah-YOH ah-nah-HOOT-ih
- Okay
- Doo t'óó' wó' áhíní dadoh TOH woh ah-HEE-nee dah
- Sure, no problem
- Doo yáníishta'ígíí dadoh yah-NEE-shtah-EE-gee dah
- I don't know
- Doo yáníiz'á dadoh yah-NEE-zah dah
- I don't understand
- Nish Dine'eh?nish dee-NAY-eh
- Do you speak English?
- Kóó'KOH-oh
- A little
- Áhéhee' nileiah-HEH-hey nee-LAY
- Of course
- Nizhóní dooleelnee-ZHOH-nee doh-LAY
- Everything is fine
Navajo · Lesson 4 of 10
Numbers and money
Counting, prices, paying by card or cash.
- Asdzą́ą́ahs-DZO
- One
- Naakinah-AH-kee
- Two
- Táá'TAH-ah
- Three
- Nihonkehnee-HOHN-kay
- Ten
- Naadínnah-AH-deen
- Twenty
- Nída'nee-DAH
- One hundred
- BéesoBAY-soh
- Dollar
- Yéago daalchíníyah-AH-goh dahl-CHEE-nee
- By card
- Béeso t'óó'ízéBAY-soh TOH-ee-zay
- In cash
- Deeshní'day-SHEE-nee
- Change
Navajo · Lesson 5 of 10
At the supermarket
Bread, milk, a bag, nothing else thanks: the checkout routine.
- Asdzą́ą́ bitsiahs-DZO BIT-see
- Bread
- Asdzą́ą́ yich'į́ahs-DZO YIH-chih
- Milk
- Dibé yich'į́dee-BAY YIH-chih
- Mutton
- Tótoh
- Water
- Asdzą́ą́ al'ats'i?ahs-DZO ahl-AHT-see
- A bag?
- Háí nínígíí...?high nee-NEE-gee
- Do you have...?
- Hádi...?HAH-dee
- Where is...?
- DííTHEE
- This one
- Aoo' dooda doo ná'ałchí daAH-ooh doh-OH-dah doh NAH-ahl-chee dah
- Nothing else
- Yá'át'ééh, nizhóní dooleelyah-AHT-ay, nee-ZHOH-nee doh-LAY
- Have a nice day
Navajo · Lesson 6 of 10
Cafe and restaurant
A table, the menu, a compliment to the kitchen.
- Ahidi naaki atsijį' t'áá shoodíah-HEE-dee nah-AH-kee aht-see-JIH TAH shoo-DEE
- A table for two
- Dibe' ałhosh, t'áá shoodídee-BAY ahl-HOSH, TAH shoo-DEE
- The menu, please
- Añáásyǫ́ yich'į́, t'áá shoodíahn-AHS-yuh YIH-chih, TAH shoo-DEE
- Coffee, please
- Asdzą́ą́ łich'í, t'áá shoodíahs-DZO LICH-ee, TAH shoo-DEE
- Frybread, please
- Yałt'ó altsoyahl-TOH AHL-tso
- With honey
- Tó asdzą́ą́ bitsitoh ahs-DZO BIT-see
- A glass of water
- Dá chíl łeh?dah cheel LEH
- Is it spicy?
- Ahéhee', nizhóní ayóo' bikáá dooleelah-HEH-hey, nee-ZHOH-nee ah-YOH bee-KAH doh-LAY
- It's delicious
- Doo chíl dadoh cheel dah
- Without spice
- Deeshní' nileiday-SHEE-nee nee-LAY
- Keep the change
Navajo · Lesson 7 of 10
Small talk and neighbors
How are you, nice day, see you soon: superficial and proud of it.
- Yiniłdis?yee-nil-DIS
- How are you? (polite)
- Yáa' át'éé' jíní?YAH-ah AHT-ay JEE-nee
- How are you? (casual)
- Nizhóní dooleelnee-ZHOH-nee doh-LAY
- I'm fine
- Yinílísh?yee-NEEL-ish
- And you?
- Dá háí dooleel?dah high doh-LAY
- What's new?
- Óyate nizhóníOH-yah-tay nee-ZHOH-nee
- Nice weather
- Nizhóní hahoołnishnee-ZHOH-nee hah-HOHL-nish
- See you soon
- T'áí'alchíní nizhóní dooleelTHAI-ahl-CHEE-nee nee-ZHOH-nee doh-LAY
- Have a nice evening
- Níma nima nileiNEE-mah NEE-mah nee-LAY
- Take care of yourself
- Nizhóní dooleel, yá'át'ééhnee-ZHOH-nee doh-LAY, yah-AHT-ay
- All the best
Navajo · Lesson 8 of 10
Getting around
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.
- Hádi asdzą́ą́ t'óó'ízé?HAH-dee ahs-DZO TOH-ee-zay
- Where is the toilet?
- Nókaadnoh-KAH
- Left
- Átiidaah-TEE-dah
- Right
- Atódihah-TOH-dee
- Straight ahead
- T'áhtah
- Here
- Akwé' daatsjiahk-WAY DAH-tsee
- There
- Aadi bik'í (or English "bus")AH-dee bik-EE
- Bus
- AadiAH-dee
- Car
- Asdzą́ą́ béeso, t'áá shoodíahs-DZO BAY-soh, TAH shoo-DEE
- One ticket, please
- T'áh nitsin, t'áá shoodítah NIT-sin, TAH shoo-DEE
- Stop here, please
Navajo · Lesson 9 of 10
Time and days
Today, tomorrow, later, the weekend.
- T'áá'íiyisígiTAH-ih-yee-SEE-gee
- Today
- Mañanámahn-YAH-nah
- Tomorrow
- Í'íiyisígiEE-ee-yee-SEE-gee
- Yesterday
- T'áá' alahíTAH ah-lah-HEE
- Now
- Ako' ázhiah-KOH AH-zhee
- Later
- Háadi t'óó'ízé?HAH-dee TOH-ee-zay
- What time is it?
- Abíníah-BEE-nee
- Morning
- T'áí'alchíníTHAI-ahl-CHEE-nee
- Afternoon
- Hiiłchi'į'heel-CHEE-ih
- Evening
- Gabi' gah-BEE
- Night
Navajo · Lesson 10 of 10
Help and emergencies
The words you hope to never need.
- Azhe'é!ah-ZHAY-ay
- Help!
- Asdzą́ą́ jidh a'í naat'a'i, t'áá shoodíahs-DZO jee NAAT-ah-ee, TAH shoo-DEE
- Call a doctor
- Asdzą́ą́ jidh niłjiłdǐ' (or English "police")ahs-DZO jee nil-JIL-dee
- Police
- Asdzą́ą́ ałch'í'ahs-DZO AHL-chee
- Pharmacy
- Asdzą́ą́ ałch'í' hoganahs-DZO AHL-chee HOH-gahn
- Hospital
- Doo yáníiz'á da, hádi t'óó'ízédoh yah-NEE-zah dah, HAH-dee TOH-ee-zay
- I'm lost
- Doo áyóó d'íit dadoh ah-YOH dee-EET dah
- I don't feel well
- Shi awéé' yéagoshee ah-WAY YEH-ah-goh
- My phone
- Doo yáníiz'á, t'óó' ní'a'i, doodadoh yah-NEE-zah, TOH nee-AH-ee, doh-OH-dah
- It was stolen
- Ayóo' bik'ízh dooleelah-YOH bik-EEZ doh-LAY
- It's urgent
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