ni
/nɪ̀/
The Navajo word for the subject pronoun "you" is ni.
ni is used as a subject pronoun to refer to the person being addressed.
Meaning: subject pronoun: the person being addressed (pron)
How do you pronounce it?
/nɪ̀/
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, the word for 'you' shifts to reflect a 'dual' form, specifically used when addressing exactly two people, which is a distinct category from singular and plural.
- Navajo is a polysynthetic language, meaning that ni often disappears as a standalone word and instead becomes a small prefix attached to a much longer verb string.
- Navajo grammar often allows the speaker to omit ni entirely if it is obvious who is being addressed, as the verb itself often encodes who is doing the action.
Examples in context
- Shí dóó ni ayóo ałk’is niidlį́.You and I are really good friends.This sentence is useful for showing how to use ni to mean "you" in a sentence about friendship.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Justin and Sarah are talking about who will cook.
- JustinNi nishłééh.You are the one.
- SarahT'áá áání?Really?
- JustinÁáí.Yes.
- SarahT'áá ádaahá.Alright then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries ni, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
