kin shijaaʼ
The Navajo word for town is kin shijaaʼ. Wiktionary also lists kin łání and kin.
Meaning: settlement (noun)
Ways to say it
| Navajo | IPA |
|---|---|
| kin shijaaʼ | |
| kin łání | |
| kin | /kʰɪ̀n/ |
The terms in this pack refer to a settlement or town.
Which one should you use?
While kin shijaaʼ is the default form, kin łání is used when you want to refer to a specific town or speak about the town in a definite sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form kin łání is used to refer to a specific town or the town in a more general or definite sense.
Did you know?
- Navajo tradition historically focused on dispersed kinship dwellings rather than centralized urban towns.
- In Navajo, the idea of a town is defined by a specific verb stem, -jaaʼ, which describes the act of handling a large number of items.
Example sentences for Navajo are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Justin and Amanda are planning a trip.
- JustinKin shijaaʼ yááʼ.Let's go to town.
- AmandaDááʼááʼ, tʼáá áání kin shijaaʼ.Okay, it is a very small town.
- JustinTʼáá áání, áádááʼ tʼáá łééhoʼ.It is small, but it is very convenient.
- AmandaÁádááʼ, tʼáá íiyisííʼ.That's true, it really is.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “town” translations and entries kin shijaaʼ, kin łání, kin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kin, kin shijaaʼ, kin łání, shijaaʼ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
