Numbers in Navajo



Learn numbers in Navajo

Knowing numbers in Navajo is probably one of the most useful things you can learn to say, write and understand in Navajo. Learning to count in Navajo may appeal to you just as a simple curiosity or be something you really need. Perhaps you have planned a trip to a country where Navajo is the most widely spoken language, and you want to be able to shop and even bargain with a good knowledge of numbers in Navajo.

It's also useful for guiding you through street numbers. You'll be able to better understand the directions to places and everything expressed in numbers, such as the times when public transportation leaves. Can you think of more reasons to learn numbers in Navajo?

Navajo (diné bizaad) is an Athabaskan language of the Dené-Yeniseian family spoken by the Navajo people in the south-western United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado) and in Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora), with roughly 150,000 speakers.

List of numbers in Navajo

Here is a list of numbers in Navajo. We have made for you a list with all the numbers in Navajo from 1 to 20. We have also included the tens up to the number 100, so that you know how to count up to 100 in Navajo. We also close the list by showing you what the number 1000 looks like in Navajo.

• 1) tʼááłáʼí
• 2) naaki
• 3) tááʼ
• 4) dį́į́ʼ
• 5) ashdlaʼ
• 6) hastą́ą́
• 7) tsostsʼid
• 8) tseebíí
• 9) náhástʼéí
• 10) neeznáá
• 11) łáʼtsʼáadah
• 12) naakitsʼáadah
• 13) tááʼtsʼáadah
• 14) dį́į́ʼtsʼáadah
• 15) ashdlaʼáadah
• 16) hastą́ʼáadah
• 17) tsostsʼidtsʼáadah
• 18) tseebíítsʼáadah
• 19) náhástʼéítsʼáadah
• 20) naadiin
• 30) tádiin
• 40) dízdiin
• 50) ashdladiin
• 60) hastą́diin
• 70) tsostsʼidiin
• 80) tseebídiin
• 90) náhástʼédiin
• 100) tʼááłáhádí neeznádiin
• 1,000) tʼááłáhádí mííl
• one million) tʼááłáhádí mííltsoh

Numbers in Navajo: Navajo numbering rules

Each culture has specific peculiarities that are expressed in its language and its way of counting. The Navajo is no exception. If you want to learn numbers in Navajo you will have to learn a series of rules that we will explain below. If you apply these rules you will soon find that you will be able to count in Navajo with ease.

The way numbers are formed in Navajo is easy to understand if you follow the rules explained here. Surprise everyone by counting in Navajo. Also, learning how to number in Navajo yourself from these simple rules is very beneficial for your brain, as it forces it to work and stay in shape. Working with numbers and a foreign language like Navajo at the same time is one of the best ways to train our little gray cells, so let's see what rules you need to apply to number in Navajo

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Numbers from one to ten are specific words, namely tʼááłáʼí [1], naaki [2], tááʼ [3], dį́į́ʼ [4], ashdlaʼ [5], hastą́ą́ [6], tsostsʼid [7], tseebíí [8], náhástʼéí [9], and neeznáá [10].

Numbers from eleven to nineteen are formed by adding the additive suffix -tsʼáadah (plus ten) to the matching digit: łáʼtsʼáadah [11], naakitsʼáadah [12], tááʼtsʼáadah [13], dį́į́ʼtsʼáadah [14], ashdlaʼáadah [15] (the suffix loses its initial tsʼ becoming -áadah when added to five, ashdlaʼ), hastą́ʼáadah [16], tsostsʼidtsʼáadah [17], tseebíítsʼáadah [18], and náhástʼéítsʼáadah [19].

Tens are formed by adding the multiplicative suffix -diin (times ten) to the matching digit: naadiin [20], tádiin [30], dízdiin [40], ashdladiin [50], hastą́diin [60], tsostsʼidiin [70], tseebídiin [80], and náhástʼédiin [90]. We can see a loss of the final consonant or a reduction in vowel length in the multiplier digit when adding the -diin suffix: naaki becomes naa-, tááʼ > tá-, dį́į́ʼ > díz-, ashdlaʼ > ashdla-, hastą́ą́ > hastą́-, tsostsʼid > tsostsʼi-, tseebíí > tseebí-, náhástʼéí > náhástʼé-, neeznáá > neezná-.

In compound numerals, the combining forms of the digits have irregular vowel and consonants changes. One is either łáaʼii (digit one), -łá’- (as in łáʼ-tsʼáadah [11]), or tʼááłáʼí (used in larger numbers and with a distributive plural prefix, like 100, 1,000, i.e. the powers of ten bigger than ten itself).

The compound numbers based on twenty and forty (21-29, 41-49) are formed by suffixing the unit digit to the ten digit (e.g.: naadįįnaaki [22], made of naadiin [20] and naaki [2], dízdįįłaʼ [41], made of dízdiin [40] and -łaʼ [1]). The -diin suffix appears in the combining form -dįį-.

The other compound numbers are formed by putting dóó baʼąą (meaning and in addition to it) between the ten and the unit (e.g.: tádiin dóó baʼąą ashdlaʼ [35], hastą́diin dóó baʼąą tseebíí [68]).

The word hundred (neeznádiin) is formed the same way as the tens, i.e. by adding the multiplicative suffix -diin (times 10) to ten itself. The hundreds are formed by adding the multiplicative enclitic -di to the matching digit multiplier, then a space and the word hundred: tʼááłáhádí neeznádiin [100], naakidi neeznádiin [200], táadi neeznádiin [300], dį́įʼdi neeznádiin [400], ashdladi neeznádiin [500], hastą́ądi neeznádiin [600], tsostsʼidi neeznádiin [700], tseebíidi neeznádiin [800], and náhástʼéidi neeznádiin [900].

The word thousand (mííl) comes from the Spanish mil. Thousands are formed the same way as hundreds: tʼááłáhádí mííl [1,000], naakidi mííl [2,000], táadi mííl [3,000], dį́įʼdi mííl [4,000]…

The word million (mííltsoh) is made by adding the morphem -tsoh (big) to mííl. Millions are formed the same way as hundreds and thousands: tʼááłáhádí mííltsoh [1 million], naakidi mííltsoh [2 million]…