naaʼołí
In Navajo, the word for beans is naaʼołí.
naaʼołí refers to the edible seeds of various legume plants.
Did you know?
- Certain ceremonial foods in Navajo tradition may specifically require naaʼołí prepared in a traditional way to maintain spiritual balance.
- The word naaʼołí is actually a description of how the plant grows, derived from the verb naaʼoł which means 'it droops down'.
- Because Navajo is a verb-heavy language, the root of naaʼołí remains a functional action, meaning the word for 'beans' is essentially a frozen description of 'drooping'.
Examples in context
- Naaʼołí yáʼátʼéé.The beans are delicious.
Example conversation
Jessica and Brandon are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- JessicaNaaʼołí tʼáá ákótʼééh?How about beans?
- BrandonÁáʼí lą́ʼ.That sounds good.
- JessicaNaaʼołí nishłééh.I will prepare the beans.
- BrandonAhéheeʼ, Jessica.Thank you, Jessica.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry naaʼołí, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries naaʼołí, CC BY-SA 4.0.
