How do you say I love you grandma in Navajo?

Answer 1

In Navajo there are different words for maternal and paternal grandfather. Also, in Navajo this is one of a group of words that can only be in the possessive. My grandfather, your grandfather etc.

shicheii is "my maternal grandfather"

shinálí is "my paternal grandfather" (the marks above are high tone marks not accent. Tone changes meaning in Navajo.

some examples:

nicheii- your maternal grandfather

hacheii -

acheii -- someone's m. grandfather

nihicheii -- our or your (two people)

bicheii -- his/her/its'

danihicheii --your mat. grandfathers

ahicheii -- each other's

and so on....

Answer 2

Shimá sání ayói 'óosh'ní

or

Shimá sání ayóó ánííníshní

or

Shimá sání ayóó ánóshní (some say this is slang, some don't)

Shimá sání means "my (maternal) grandmother"

My paternal grandmother is : shinálí

In Navajo, the verb conjugates to show who is doing the action so you don't need the word "I" in this sentence. You love me is: Ayói 'áshííní'ní. "We love you" is : Ayói 'ádanííníi'ní.

"My father and mother love me" is : Shizhé'é dóó shimá 'ayóí 'áshó'ní

"Grandmother" is one of the sort of words that in Navajo always must be put in the possessive form. It must be my, your, theirs, his/her/it's, someone's, one's and other marks of belonging. You can't just say "grandma". It is also a different word for your mother's or father's mother.

Note on pronouncing: the marks above vowels are high tone marks. They are not stress or accent marks. Navajo is tonal, have right tone changes meaning.

A mark above and between is a glottal stop consonant.

O is said as in Spanish "poco". Two oo is the same but held longer.

i is as in "bit". Two ii is as in "bee".

oi is as in Yiddish "oy"

zh is as in the middle of "pleasure"

Answer 3

That is not a straightforward question to answer, since Navajo kinship terms are extremely complex and unlike those used in English.

The element -chai (never used alone) refers both to a grandfather and to a grandson born to a man's daughter:

shichai "my grandfather/grandson", bichai"her/his/their grandfather/grandson".

Answer 4

Ayóó'ánííníshní -----is "I love you".

You might add shiyázhí after this. This means "my little one".

If you want to say "my grandchild" or "your grandma" how you say it depends on if you are paternal or maternal grandma and the gender of the grandchild.

nimá sání means "your maternal grandma"

ninálí asdzą́ą́ is "your paternal grandma"

The ni in front makes it "your", if you put shi in front it means "my".

In Navajo words that refer to relatives or body parts and some others things are words that must have a possessive attached to it. You can't say just "grandma", you must say "my grandma", "your grandma", "their grandma" etc. It shows a different idea about relatives built into the language, they must belong and can not be an abstract idea in the same way as they can be in English.

Notes on pronunciation: The marks over vowels mean it is high tone, try to make your voice a higher note. This is as important as changing the vowel is in English like bed and bad.

The marks under the A mean it is nasalized, like in the O in the French word bon. Try and imagine a N at the end.

Two vowels in a row mean it is held for longer.

The mark after the O in the first word is a consonant called a glottal stop. We use it in English in "uh oh" between the two sounds.

The website Navajo Word of the Day has recordings of proper prounciations.

Answer 5

Two possible answer. Depending on the maternal grandfather or paternal. If maternal, it would be pronouonced shi' cheii& if paternal it would be pronounced shi'nali.

Answer 6

My Mom's Dad = Shicheii

My Dad's Dad = Shinálí Hastiin

Answer 7

The answer would be, "análí" (a-NA-lee). Mother of my father.

Answer 8

shichai

Answer 9

Ayoo ninshni masani