tsídii
/t͡sʰɪ́tìː/
The Navajo word for bird is tsídii.
tsídii is a noun used to refer to the animal category of birds.
Meaning: animal (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/tsʰɪ́tìː/
Did you know?
- The word tsídii is not just a label, but an imitation of the sounds birds make. It is an onomatopoeic term built by combining a bird-like sound with a grammatical marker.
- In Navajo culture, birds are often viewed as messengers between the human world and the spiritual realm.
- In many Navajo-speaking communities, describing a bird by the specific sound it makes is often more common than using a single general category name.
Examples in context
- Díí tsídii éí.This is a bird.
Example conversation
Jessica and Brandon are looking at a tree in the yard.
- JessicaTsídii yáá.A bird is flying.
- BrandonÁá', tsídii tʼáá áánítsí.Yes, it is a small bird.
- JessicaTsídii tʼáá ááko.The bird is over there.
- BrandonHózhǫ́ą́áá.It is beautiful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bird” translations and entries tsídii, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tsídii, CC BY-SA 4.0.
