-ígíí

Navajo

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪ́kíː/

Suffix

-ígíí

1. nominalizer, the particular one(s) that
2. the particular...

   ‎tʼááłáʼí góneʼ (“first”) + ‎-ígíí → ‎tʼááłáʼí góneʼígíí (“the first (one)”)

   ‎naaki góneʼ (“second”) + ‎-ígíí → ‎naaki góneʼígíí (“the second (one)”)

Usage notes

Similar to the -ing suffix in English, the -ígíí suffix attached to a verb means "the particular one that does [verb]". In most cases, the enclitic -ígíí does not belong only to the word to which it is appended, it belongs to the entire phrase, so that naałniih yichʼą́ą́h naabaahígíí means "the particular one that fights to prevent disease" (immune system). Suffixed to a noun, it is often used like a definite article, indicating a particular one.

For example:

• ‎naaʼnaʼ (“he/she/it crawls about”) + ‎-ígíí → ‎naaʼnaʼígíí (“[the act of] crawling about”)

Derived terms

Navajo terms suffixed with -ígíí

See also

• -í