yáʼátʼéehgo iiníłhosh
yáʼátʼéehgo iiníłhosh is the Navajo way to say sleep well.
This phrase is used to wish someone a restful night of sleep.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of yáʼátʼéehgo, meaning in a good or pleasant way and iiníłhosh, meaning you will be or become restful or settled.
Did you know?
- In Navajo culture, the concept of 'good' expressed in yáʼátʼéehgo is deeply tied to the idea of harmony and balance, known as 'Hózhó'.
- Because Navajo is an agglutinative language, a single word like iiníłhosh can contain the subject, the action and the result all in one.
- Navajo is a verb-heavy language, so even a simple wish like 'sleep well' functions more like a description of a process than a static greeting.
Example conversation
Brandon and Jessica are saying goodnight before going to bed.
- BrandonYáʼátʼéehgo iiníłhosh, Jessica.Sleep well, Jessica.
- JessicaAhéheeh, Brandon.Thank you, Brandon.
- JessicaYáʼátʼéehgo iiníłhosh.Sleep well.
- BrandonÁáko.Tomorrow.
