yahs / zahs

Navajo has several words that differ between regions. Such is the case with _snow.

Since the creation of state lines, the word yas has generally been used by people who live on the western side of the Arizona/New Mexico border. On the eastern side, zas is employed more commonly.

Using either word can give a conversational partner or group some context as to the general area one comes from. This is a reliable distinction because most people use a particular word form throughout their life.

For me, it’s yas.