chʼéʼaash

Navajo

Etymology

chʼí- (“out horizontally”) + -∅- (ni-modal 3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier) + -ʼaash (imperfective stem of root -ʼÁÁZH, “to go, to walk — 2 actors”).

Prefix chʼí- becomes chʼé- when in pre-stem position.

Verb

chʼéʼaash

1. they (2 actors) go out horizontally (as through a door), exit, leave.

Usage notes

The stem is used for going / walking in pairs. For individual movement, see chʼéghááh. For movement in groups of three or more, see chʼékááh.

Singular forms of this verb refer to one subject involved in a movement as a pair:

• Bił chʼíníshʼáázh — I went out with him.

Distributive plural forms refer to several people going in pairs independent one from another:

• Ch'ídaniitʼáázh — we went out in pairs.

Conjugation

Paradigm: Momentaneous (ni/ni), with partial da-shift

IMPERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	chʼíníshʼaash	chʼíniitʼaash	chʼídaniitʼaash
2nd person	chʼíníʼaash	chʼínóhʼaash	chʼídanohʼaash
3rd person	chʼéʼaash		chʼídaaʼaash
4th person	chʼíjíʼaash		chʼídajíʼaash

PERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	chʼíníʼáázh	chʼíniitʼáázh	chʼídaniitʼáázh
2nd person	chʼííníʼáázh	chʼínooʼáázh	chʼídanooʼáázh
3rd person	chʼíníʼáázh		chʼídaazhʼáázh
4th person	chʼízhníʼáázh		chʼídajizhʼáázh

FUTURE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	chʼídeeshʼash	chʼídiitʼash	chʼídadiitʼash
2nd person	chʼídííʼash	chʼídoohʼash	chʼídadoohʼash
3rd person	chʼídooʼash		chʼídadooʼash
4th person	chʼízhdooʼash		chʼídazhdooʼash