béénílniih
The English phrase 'remember' is translated into Navajo as béénílniih.
This phrase is used to express the act of recalling a piece of information or a past event from one's memory.
Did you know?
- Because Navajo is an agglutinative language, a single word like béénílniih can contain the subject, the object, and the action all bundled together.
- In many Navajo contexts, 'remembering' is not just a mental faculty but is tied to one's connection to ancestral-related knowledge and oral tradition.
- Many Navajo words for mental processes are built from roots that describe physical actions, reflecting a worldview where the mind and body are not separate.
Example conversation
Tyler and Amanda are discussing a planned meeting.
- TylerBéénílniih, kʼad tʼáá áłtʼááł náyééʼ.Remember, it is at six o'clock now.
- AmandaÁąą́, béénílniih.Yes, I remember.
- TylerTʼáá ááko béénílniih.Just remember it yourself.
- AmandaHózhóóh béénílniih, tʼáá ááko.I remember it well, on my own.
