Greetings and politeness in Navajo
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the eleven openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Navajo words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Navajo phrases in this lesson
- Yá'át'ééhyah-AHT-eh
- Hello
- Yá'át'ééh abíníyah-AHT-eh ah-BIN-ih
- Good morning
- Yá'át'ééh i'íí'ą́yah-AHT-eh ih-EE-ahn
- Good evening
- Hágoónee'HAH-goh-neh
- Goodbye
- Hágoónee', shik'ishah-GOH-neh shih-KIS
- See you
- T'áá shǫǫdítah shon-DIH
- Please
- Ahéhee'ah-HEH-heh
- Thank you
- You're welcomeyoor WEL-kum
- You're welcome
- Shooháshoh-HAH
- Sorry
- Excuse meek-SKYOOZ mee
- Excuse me
- Nizhónígo ałhééhosiilzįįdnih-ZHOH-nih-goh ahl-HEH-hoh-seel-zeend
- Nice to meet you
Literally "it is good". The greeting at any hour, often with a light handshake rather than a firm grip.
Literally "good, morning".
Literally "good, evening".
Literally "go on then". Navajo has no word for a final goodbye.
The familiar farewell with my friend added. Shik'is (shih-KIS) traditionally addresses a friend of the same gender.
Used for requests. It also carries "pity me", so it sounds earnest.
The everyday thank you.
Navajo has no set reply. People answer with a nod or say ahéhee' back.
An apology, said when something goes wrong.
Said in English. To pass, people simply wait or move quietly around.
Literally "we have met each other in a beautiful way".