adáʼí
Uncle in Navajo is adáʼí for your mother's brother. On your father's side, abízhí and azhéʼé yázhí are used. If unsure, use adáʼí.
Meaning: brother (or brother-in-law) of someone’s parent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Navajo | IPA |
|---|---|
| adáʼí | |
| abízhí | /ʔɑ̀pɪ́ʒɪ́/ |
| azhéʼé yázhí |
Navajo uses different words for uncles depending on which parent they are related to. adáʼí is the maternal uncle.
What does it mean word for word?
azhéʼé yázhí is made of azhéʼé, father and yázhí, little, so it is literally little father, used for the father's brother.
Which one should you use?
adáʼí is the mother's brother. abízhí is a relative on the father's side and, as the example shows, can mean an aunt as well as an uncle. azhéʼé yázhí is the father's brother.
How does it change in a sentence?
Kinship words usually carry a possessive prefix. With shi for my, abízhí becomes shibízhí.
Did you know?
- In Navajo culture, the maternal uncle adáʼí often holds a distinct and influential role in a child's upbringing, separate from the role of the father.
- The kinship system reflects a 'classifier' logic where the father's brother azhéʼé yázhí is categorized as a type of father rather than a separate category of relative.
- The word yázhí in the phrase azhéʼé yázhí does not denote that the uncle is small in stature or even young in age.
Examples in context
- shibízhí shichʼįʼ bił hózhǫ́My uncle/aunt is nice to meshibízhí means my uncle or my aunt on the father's side.
- Adáʼí yinʼí.He is my uncle.
Example conversation
Justin and Amanda are looking at old family photographs.
- JustinKéyééʼ shish adáʼí yinááʼ.This is my uncle here.
- AmandaÁádáʼí tʼáá ííyááʼ.He looks very young.
- JustinÁąą́ʼ shish adáʼí bee łóʼó.He is a friend of my uncle.
- AmandaHózhǫ́ shichʼįʼ bił.He is nice to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations and entries adáʼí, abízhí, azhéʼé yázhí, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
