tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ
/tʰɑ́ː ʔîːjɪ̀síː ʔɑ̀hɛ́hèːʔ/
tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ is how you say thank you very much in Navajo. Wiktionary also lists tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ, nitsaago.
Meaning: greater gratitude than "thank you" (intj)
Ways to say it
| Navajo | IPA |
|---|---|
| tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ | /tʰɑ́ː ʔîːjɪ̀síː ʔɑ̀hɛ́hèːʔ/ |
| tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ, nitsaago |
This phrase is used to express a level of gratitude that is greater than the standard ahéheeʼ (thank you).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of tʼáá íiyisíí, which means 'really' or 'truly' and ahéheeʼ, which means 'thank you'.
Which one should you use?
The default form is tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ. You may also see the form tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ, nitsaago.
How do you pronounce it?
/tʰɑ́ː ʔîːjɪ̀síː ʔɑ̀hɛ́hèːʔ/
Did you know?
- In traditional Navajo culture, expressing gratitude through words like tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ was historically less common than maintaining 'Kʼé', a complex system of kinship and reciprocal obligations.
- Navajo is a tonal language, meaning that the pitch of your voice on the word ahéheeʼ can change the meaning of the word entirely.
- While English uses 'very' to modify 'much', Navajo uses 'really' (tʼáá íiyisíí) to modify the entire act of thanking, shifting the focus from the amount to the sincerity.
Examples in context
- Tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ, shá hwiiniłʼaʼígíí.Thank you very much for the add.This sentence shows how to use tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ to express gratitude for something added.
Example conversation
Brandon gives Michelle a thoughtful gift.
- MichelleTʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ, Brandon!Thank you very much, Brandon!
- BrandonÁádóó, Michelle.You're welcome, Michelle.
- MichelleSiʼááł tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ.I thank you very much for it.
- BrandonKʼad tʼáá ákóóh.It is nothing.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you very much” translations and entries tʼáá íiyisíí ahéheeʼ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
