How to Say “Scary” in Navajo

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yéego ayóo átʼéē doo
The Navajo word for scary is yéego ayóo átʼéē doo.
This phrase is used as an adjective to describe something that is causing fear or anxiety.
Meaning: causing fear or anxiety (adj)

Did you know?

  • The 'd' in the fragment doo originates from the inceptive or inchoative verb prefix di-, which marks the beginning of an action.
  • The phrase yéego ayóo átʼéē doo describes the state of being that an object produces rather than a quality of the object itself.
  • The term ayóó in the phrase functions as an intensifier that is structurally 'baked into' the description, making the fear feel extreme by default.

Example conversation

Amanda and Justin are talking about a dark forest.

  1. Amanda

    Tʼáá áákeʼ, yéego ayóo átʼéē doo.
    It is very scary over there.
  2. Justin

    Doolʼį́, tʼáá ákótʼééʼ.
    Yes, it is just like that.
  3. Amanda

    Yééʼ dínééʼ hólǫ́?
    Are there ghosts here?
  4. Justin

    Ánííł, tʼáá ákótʼééʼ.
    No, it is just the wind.

Sources

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Dianne Suzanne
Dianne SuzanneHelp 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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