nohm bah

Here’s the next series of the Navajo number system.

Since you’re familiar with the base numbers 1-9, to create the “teen” numbers simply append “-ts’áadah” to the end of those numbers. Once you get to 20, as with any multiple of 10 up to 90, this attachment becomes “-diin”. See:

• 11 - ła’ts’áadah
• 12 - naakits’áadah
• 13 - táá’ts’áadah
• 14 - dį́į́’ts’áadah
• 15 - ashdla’ts’áadah
• 16 - hastą́ts’áadah
• 17 - tsost’idts’áadah
• 18 - tseebííts’áadah
• 19 - náhást’éíts’áadah
• 20 - naadiin

Notice how t’ááłá’í can be shortened to ła’. In some cases, you may also notice with numbers 15 and 16 that some people tend to leave out the “-ts’-” pronunciation.

Take the weekend to practice these and see how you similar they are to the base 10 numbers.