nizhónígo háádíilyįh
The English phrase "good night" is expressed in Navajo as nizhónígo háádíilyįh. Wiktionary also lists nizhónígo niidoołkááł and yáʼátʼéehgo háádíilyįh.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Navajo |
|---|
| nizhónígo háádíilyįh |
| nizhónígo niidoołkááł |
| yáʼátʼéehgo háádíilyįh |
These phrases are used as a farewell when parting ways at night or when someone is going to bed.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase nizhónígo háádíilyįh literally means "beautifully sleep", while yáʼátʼéehgo háádíilyįh literally means "to sleep well" or "to sleep goodly".
Did you know?
- In Navajo culture, the concept of 'beauty' used in nizhónígo is central to the philosophy of Hózhó, which represents a state of total wellness and order.
- Navajo uses nasalized vowels and glottal stops, marked by the apostrophe in yáʼátʼéehgo, which create distinct sounds not found in English.
- Navajo is an agglutinative language, meaning it builds complex words like nizhónígo by adding suffixes to a root instead of using separate words.
Example sentences for Navajo are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Kyle and Amanda are saying good night before going to sleep.
- KyleT'áá ákoodaan.I am tired.
- AmandaDóó, nizhónígo háádíilyįh.Yes, good night.
- KyleNizhónígo háádíilyįh, Amanda.Good night, Amanda.
- AmandaAhéhee', Kyle.Thank you, Kyle.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good night” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
