awééʼ
/ʔɑ̀wéːʔ/
The English phrase baby is translated into Navajo as awééʼ.
awééʼ refers to a very young human being.
Meaning: very young human being (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔɑ̀wéːʔ/
Did you know?
- Navajo uses a highly complex system of 'classifier' verbs, meaning the way you describe a baby moving or acting changes depending on the baby's physical shape or texture.
- In Navajo culture, many parents avoid using the actual name of a child or the word awééʼ directly to avoid attracting negative attention from spirits.
- Navajo is an athabascan language, meaning it shares a distant ancestral root with languages spoken in Alaska and Canada rather than neighboring Pueblo languages.
Examples in context
- Nizhónígo sheʼawééʼ naaghá!Beautifully my baby walks about!This sentence is useful for seeing the word awééʼ used in a description of a baby walking.
Example conversation
Brandon and Michelle are looking at a photo.
- BrandonTʼáá ákótʼééʼ awééʼ!What a cute baby!
- MichelleHaʼatʼiʼígíí bee áshį́į́ʼ.It is the one I'm holding.
- BrandonNizhónígo awééʼ naaghá.The baby is growing beautifully.
- MichelleAáá, tʼáá áłó.Yes, very small.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “baby” translations and entries awééʼ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
