tʼóó ahayóí
/tʼóː ʔɑ̀hɑ̀jóɪ́/
The Navajo phrase for "a lot" is tʼóó ahayóí.
tʼóó ahayóí is used as an adverb to mean "very much."
Meaning: very much (adv)
How do you pronounce it?
/tʼóː ʔɑ̀hɑ̀jóɪ́/
Did you know?
- In Navajo, the concept of 'a lot' is often tied to the idea of 'extension' in space, reflecting a worldview where quantity is perceived through volume or area rather than just a count.
- Because Navajo is a tonal language, changing the pitch of the vowels in tʼóó ahayóí can change the meaning or render the phrase unintelligible.
- The component -yóí in tʼóó ahayóí is a special grammatical marker used only for things that are inanimate or neuter, such as 'many' pieces of alfalfa rather than 'many' people.
Examples in context
- Tłʼoh waaʼí tʼóó ahayóíThere’s a lot of alfalfaThis sentence is useful for showing how to quantify the presence of alfalfa using tʼóó ahayóí.
Example conversation
Sarah and Tyler are talking about a delicious meal.
- SarahTʼóó ahayóí shíyááʼI like it a lot.
- TylerDááʼ tʼáá ííshą́ąʼ?Do you want more?
- SarahÁą́ą́Yes.
- TylerHózhóThat is good.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tʼóó ahayóí, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ahayóí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
