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Note:
The following information is being reproduced from the Navajo Times, printed Thursday, September 18, 2008, without permission for educational purposes to teach the Navajo (Diné) language.
 
Ti̜’ Diné Bizaad bee yádeilti’ dooleeł!
Let’s go speak Navajo!
 
 
Saad Bee Ál’íní (Alphabets)
A, B, Ch, Ch’, D, Dl, Dz, E, G, Gh, H, Hw, I, J, K, K’, Kw, L, Ł,
M, N, O, S, Sh, T, T’, Tł, Ts, Ts’, W, X, Y, Z, Zh, ’ (glottal stop)
 
Yá’át’ééh Marilyn Dempsey dashijní. Kiiyaa’áanii nishłí̜. Tó Dích’íi’nii báshíshchíín. Dibéłzhíní éí dashicheii. Hónágháahnii éí dashinálí. Kót’éego asdzá̜á̜ nishłí̜.

The Diné Bizaad page’s purpose is to provide an introduction to our indigenous language. Our language has been spoken by our people throughout time to communicate with one another, to sing, to pray, to express thoughts, and to think, plan, live, and reflect on our lives. Our great grandfather and leader, Chief Manuelito was quoted, “Shikéí, shidine’é, ałtah háási̜i̜łgóó… háadida léi’ nihizaad, nihisodizin, ádóone’é niidlínígíí dóó nihe’á’ál’í̜ nihił ch’aa wóle’ sha’áłchíní, hosídoolí̜i̜ji̜’, sidoołdee’ji̜’…” His words should not be forgotten and left by the wayside. So, it is up to each one of us to revitalize and maintain our dying language.

Indigenous languages have been utilized in wars of the United States. Our Diné language was used to win a war for this country. Just as the Code Talkers used our language as a weapon, we too must use our language as a weapon to protect our Diné Culture and values.

Diné Bizaad is one of the few indigenous languages left. We have not lost it all yet. Out of hundreds of indigenous languages pre-Columbus, there are less than 100 indigenous languages left that are spoken today.

Language is essential to the survival of a culture. Language and culture is essential to one’s self-identity, self-esteem, foundation, and success in life.


Damóo Ná’oodleeł dóó Yiził / Náhidizídí dóó Wólta’ígíí
Damóo Ná’oodleeł
(Days of the Week)
Damóo Sunday
Damóo biiskání Monday
Damóo doo naaki jí̜ Tuesday
Damóo doo tágí jí̜ Wednesday
Damóo doo dí̜’í jí̜ Thursday
Nida’iiníísh Friday
Damóo yázhí
(or Yiská̜ damóo)
  		Saturday
Yiził/Náhidizídí
(Months/Calendar)
Yas Niłt’ees January
Atsá Biyáázh February
Wóózhch’í̜í̜d March
T’á̜á̜ch’il April
T’á̜á̜tsoh May
Ya’iishjááshchilí June
Ya’iishjáástsoh July
Bini’anit’á̜á̜ts’ósí August
Bini’anit’á̜á̜tsoh September
Gha̜a̜ji̜’ October
Níłch’its’ósí November
Níłch’itsoh December
Wólta’ígíí
(Numbers)
Názba̜s 0 Ashdla’áadah 15
T’ááłá’í 1 Hast’á̜á̜ts’áadah 16
Naaki 2 Tsoosts’idts’áadah 17
Táá’ 3 Tseebííts’áadah 18
Dí̜í̜’ 4 Náhást’éíts’áadah 19
Ashdla' 5 Naadiin 20
Hastá̜á̜ 6 Tádiin 30
Tsosts'id 7 Dízdiin 40
Tseebíí 8 Ashdladiin 50
Náhást’éí 9 Hastá̜diin 60
Neeznáá 10 Tsosts'idiin 70
Ła’ts’áadah 11 Tseebídiin 80
Naakits’áadah 12 Náhást’édiin 90
Táá’ts’áadah 13 Neeznádiin 100
Dí̜í̜’ts’áadah 14 Mííl yázhí 1,000

Nabínítaah (practice)

Practice using the days of the week, months, and numbers. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate information for yourself.

EXAMPLE:

Díí jí̜ éí Ya’iishjáástoh, Damóo dóó naaki jí̜, naadiin náhást’éígóó yoołkááł, Naakidi mííl yázhí dóó bi’aan tseebíígóó yihah.

(Today is July, Tuesday 29, 2008.)


1. Díí jí̜ éí ________, ________, ________ góó yoołkááł, ________góó yihah.
 
Insert -
month
day of the week
date
 
year
 
EXAMPLE: YOUR TURN:
2. Wóózhch’í̜í̜d biyi’ shi’dizchí̜.
(I was born in March.) 		________ biyi’ shi’dizchí̜.
3. Díí jí̜ éí tseebíígóó yoołkááł.
(Today’s date is the 8th.) 		Díí jí̜ éí ________góó yoołkááł.
4. Neeznáá shinááhai.
(I am 10 years old). 		________ shinááhai.
5. T’á̜á̜chil, naadiin náhást’éí góne’ shi’dizchí̜.
(I was born on April 29th.) 		________ góne’ shi’dizchí̜.
6. Bini’anit’á̜á̜ts’osígóó yiził.
(The month is August.) 		________góó yiził.
7. Naakidi mííl yázhí dóó bi’aan tseebíígóó yihah. (The year is 2008.) ________góó yihah.
Za’áán (vowels)

There are four vowels (a, e, i , o) and 32 consonants in the Diné alphabets. Some information you need to know to speak and read the indigenous language.

Short vowels are a, e, i, o. The vowel sounds are short in duration as in the alphabet listed above.

Long vowels are aa, ee, ii, oo. The vowel sounds are long in duration.

Short vowels

  a abe’ (milk)
  e ké (shoe)
  i shí (me, I)
  o tó (water)

Long vowels

  aa saad (language)
  ee éé’ (clothes)
  ii kwii (right here, vomit)
  oo dóó (and)

Diacritical Marks – are written with the vowels to create emphasis of a specific sound of a word.

High tone – makes the sound of a vowel rise slightly when pronouncing.

  á as in yáti’ (to speak)
  é as in ké (shoe)
  í as in shí (me, I)
  ó as in tó (water)

Glottal stop – makes the sound of a vowel shorter or stops the sound when pronouncing.

  aa’ as in k’aa’ (arrow)
  e’ as in e’e’aah (west, sunrise)
  i’ as in dzi’izí (bike)
  oo’ as in yoo’ (necklace, bead)

Nasal tone – makes the sound of the vowel come through the nose. Pronounce the vowel sounds while holding the nostrils close to make the nasal tone.

  a̜ as in ashá̜ (I am eating)
  é̜é̜ as in kindé̜é̜’ (from the store)
  i̜i̜ as in áshi̜i̜h (salt)
  o̜o̜ as in kó̜ó̜ (here it is)

Dipthongs – are two or three vowels together making one sound.

  ai, aii as in say – hai (winter)
  ao as in sour – taonih (you knead)
  ei, eii as in eight – shicheii (my maternal grandfather)
  oi, oii, ooi as in chewy – t’óó ahayóí (many)
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