dih koh s

The Navajo word dikos refers to a cough.

In some cases when the speaker is talking of themselves, the word may be diskos (I cough).

If you were to contract a cold, you could say dikos shidoolna’, which means approximately “I have a cough.” Dikos idoolna’ is a way of speaking about a cold more or less as a noun.

Cough medicine: dikos azee’.

sidh

The Navajo word sid is a noun that refers to a scar.

In some medical terms it is also used to refer to scarring, like scarring of the lungs.

In other cases, it may describe something that has healed over and left a permanent mark.

Its pronunciation is straightforward, like “acid” without the leading ‘a.’

ch ill bill lut tah nih zhon nih

Yá’át’ééh!

Today’s Navajo word, ch’il bíláhtah nizhóní, refers to a flower.

This is a descriptive phrase, meaning that it can change depending on how one chooses to describe a flower.

The first part of the word, ch’il evokes the image of greenery, but not the type that grows larger and larger year after year. It’s more a seasonal greenery.

The next part, bíláhtah, means “on top of it” (as opposed to bitah, which can mean “among it”).

The final part is one of the more well-known words – nizhóní. This means it is beautiful, pretty, or pleasing.

bin knee nah

The Navajo word biniinaa functions in the language as a conjunction. In English, it is understood to mean “for that reason” or “because of.”

In usage, this conjunction is used in a statement when it follows a structure of cause followed by effect.

Here’s a demonstration that adapts an earlier example:

• I just got out of the swimming pool, for that reason I took a shower.
• I have classes across school campus, for that reason I bought a bike.
• I have final exams next, for that reason I am studying now.
• Michael does not need to stay around any longer, for that reason he will travel home after final exams.
• Jerry cannot go forward, because you are in his way.
• Mary will not buy meat, because I have meat.

Navajo speakers also use bąą in place of biniinaa when it fits the flow of the statement.

Related post: Háálá is another way to say “because,” but is used in cases when the effect is followed by the cause.

dah moh doh nah kih jih

In keeping pace with the days of the week, your Navajo word today means ‘Tuesday.’

The idea behind the phrase is “Sunday and then two days.”

There is also another way of saying Tuesday, and that’s naakijį́ nda’anish meaning “the second day of work.”