chʼéghááh

Navajo

Etymology

chʼí- (“out horizontally”) + -∅- (ni-modal 3rd person subject prefix) + -∅- (classifier) + -ááh (imperfective stem of root -YÁ, “to go, to walk —1 actor”).

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

Verb

chʼéghááh

1. he/she goes out horizontally (as through a door), exits, leaves.

Usage notes

This stem is used for going / walking individually. For movement in pairs, see chʼéʼaash. For movement in groups of three or more, see chʼékááh.

Plural forms of this verb refer to several people going independently one from another:

• Chʼíniidzá — each of us went out.
• Nihí łaʼ chʼínooyá — one of you went out.
• Chʼídahaadzá (seriative aspect) — we went out one at a time, one after another.

Conjugation

Paradigm: Momentaneous (ni/ni), with some irregularities

IMPERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	chʼíníshááh	chʼíniidááh	chʼídaniidááh
2nd person	chʼínínááh	chʼínóhhááh	chʼídanohhááh
3rd person	chʼéghááh		chʼídaaghááh
4th person	chʼíjíghááh		chʼídajighááh

PERFECTIVE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	chʼíníyá	chʼíniidzá	chʼídaniidzá
2nd person	chʼííníyá	chʼínooyá	chʼídanooyá
3rd person	chʼíníyá		—
4th person	chʼízhníyá		—

FUTURE	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	chʼídeeshááł	chʼídiidááł	chʼídadiidááł
2nd person	chʼídíínááł	chʼídoodááł	chʼídadoodááł
3rd person	chʼídoogááł		chʼídadoogááł
4th person	chʼízhdoogááł		chʼídazhdoogááł