16 Fall Words in Navajo that Kids will love learning!

Yá’át’ééh Ghaaji!

October (Ghaaji) means the beginning of fun holidays and festivities and the Fall season! And kids will be looking forward to all the holidays coming up. This means it’s a perfect opportunity to start teaching Navajo vocabulary! Which kid doesn’t love autumn, cooler weather, and dressing up for Halloween? (I’m not a kid anymore but I still love this season. I’m sure you do, too.)

So why not help your child build their Navajo language vocabulary through this fun season? Here are some fall-themed Navajo words you can learn together and teach your child while you enjoy the pumpkins, harvest, and family fun.

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Where to Start

Either introduce the words(listed below) to your child through books and pictures or as you encounter the opportunity. For example: visiting the pumpkin patch or making fall recipes (more fun examples below).

Then repeat the words often throughout your week. Like when you encounter a spider in your home. When you see a bat on T.V. or when your child makes a craft from school and brings it home to show you.

Just remember that saying them often through experiences and in real life will stick in your child’s memory.

You’d be surprised to hear them start saying the new Navajo vocabulary on their own even if you haven’t said them in a while. So let’s get to it!

Navajo Words for Harvest Time!

• Pumpkin – naayízí

• Squash – naayízí

• Apples – bilasaana

• Corn – naadą́ą́ ’

Fun ways to teach the Navajo words

• Go to the pumpkin patch.

• Do pumpkin carving or decorating.

• Look for pumpkins, corn, or squash on shopping trips.

• Help harvest with family and relatives.

• Make kneel-down bread or other corn recipes.

• Make candy or caramel apples.

Extra Credit: If you spot a very big pumpkin, you can call it “naayízí tsoh.” Tiny pumpkins – “naayízí yazhi”

Navajo Words for Halloween Fun!

• Spider / black widow – na’ashjé’ii / na’ashjé’ii diłhiłí     

• Spider web – na’ashjé’ii bitł’óól

• Bat – jaa’abaní

• Cat – mosí

• Candy – ‘ałk’esdisí

• Fun – baa honeeni

Fun ways to teach the Navajo words

• Kids love pointing out all the Halloween-themed items – a great opportunity for these words.

• Do Halloween themed activities – activity books, halloween bingo, read halloween books.

• Decorate the house with webs and spiders.

• Make Halloween themed crafts.

Navajo Words for Fall / Autumn

• October – Ghaaji (beginning of the year for our Diné people)

• Fall – dą́ą́ngo

• Cold – deesk’aaz

• Moccasins – késhjéé’

• Jacket – ‘éétsoh

• Sweater – ‘éé’ naats’ǫǫdii

• Pinons – Neeshch’íí’ 

Fun ways to teach the Navajo words

• Label items in the house – where the jackets, shoes, etc go

• Talk about the weather and season changes

• Show them the calendar and talk about the month and the things that happen in the month.

• Go pinon picking with the family.

Ready to teach Navajo this season?

This may not have every Navajo word for Fall or Halloween but it’s a great start for kids to learn while they do these fun activities. Just don’t forget to be consistent and make it enjoyable for your child(ren).

So let’s get out there and teach some fall-themed Diné Bizaad! 

October lends many activities and opportunities to teach Navajo words. Have fun!