How to Say “Bison” in Navajo

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ayání
The Navajo word for "bison" is ayání.
The term ayání refers to the American bison (Bison bison). The specific term łééchąą'í is also used to signify a bison.
Meaning: American bison, Bison bison (noun)

Did you know?

  • The word ayání might be understood by a native speaker as 'the eater', potentially referring to the animal's voracious appetite for grasses.
  • Navajo has two distinct words for bison, ayání and łééchąą'í. The latter specifically refers to the animal's physical characteristics, such as its 'shaggy hair'.
  • The term ayání utilizes a 'nominalizer' suffix -í. This is a grammatical tool in Navajo that turns a verb or a description into a noun, like turning 'eating' into 'the eater'.

Example sentences for Navajo are not verified yet.

Example conversation

Kyle and Sarah are visiting a wildlife preserve.

  1. Kyle

    Sarah, ayání yáá.
    Sarah, look, a bison!
  2. Sarah

    Ayání t'áá áání.
    The bison is huge.
  3. Kyle

    Ayání bee t'áá łóh.
    The bison is all alone.
  4. Sarah

    Ayání t'áá ííní.
    The bison is very big.

Sources

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Georgia Leonie
Georgia LeonieHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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