atʼééd nizhóní
/ʔɑ̀tʼéːt nɪ̀ʒónɪ́/word by word
The English phrase "beautiful girl" is translated into Navajo as atʼééd nizhóní.
This phrase is used to describe a young woman or girl who is physically attractive.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔɑ̀tʼéːt nɪ̀ʒónɪ́/
Did you know?
- The root of nizhóní is related to the core Navajo philosophy of 'Hózhó', which is a state of holistic beauty, health and spiritual peace.
- In Navajo culture, calling someone nizhóní can be a way of acknowledging their moral character and kindness rather than their face.
- The word nizhóní is built from a complex system of prefixes and suffixes that track the subject and the nature of the beauty itself, rather than just being a standalone descriptor.
Example conversation
Kyle and Sarah are talking about a person they saw.
- KyleAtʼééd nizhóní hóyóóʼ.A beautiful girl came here.
- SarahÁáʼááh, tʼáá nizhóní.Yes, she is very beautiful.
- KyleAtʼééd nizhóní ayóó łééʼ.The beautiful girl is very fast.
- SarahTʼáá ákótʼé.That is true.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (atʼééd, nizhóní) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries atʼééd, nizhóní, CC BY-SA 4.0.
