hózhǫ́
See also: hózhó
Navajo
Etymology
ho- (“space, area, things”) + -◌́- (ni-modal 3rd person subject prefix) + -Ø- (classifier) + -zhǫ́ (neuter imperfective stem of root -ZHǪǪD, “to be nice, peaceful, beautiful”).
The high-tone comes from the ni- deletion characteristic of the ni-imperfective. See niteel, nineez for similar examples.
Pronunciation
Audio (NV) (file)
Verb
hózhǫ́
- (impersonal) it is beautiful, peaceful, harmonious, nice
- Bił hózhǫ́.
- With him, things are beautiful. → He is happy.
- Baa shił hózhǫ́.
- About it, with me, things are beautiful. → I am happy about it (that it is done well in terms of quality).
Conjugation
Paradigm: Neuter imperfective (ni), third person only.
In other modes, hózhǫ́ is suppleted by the active verb hoozhǫǫh (momentaneous Ø/yi), reproduced here for reference.
| 3rd person singular | |
|---|---|
| IMPERFECTIVE | hoozhǫǫh |
| PERFECTIVE | hóózhǫǫd |
| FUTURE | hodoozhǫǫł |
| ITERATIVE | náhoojǫh |
| OPTATIVE | hózhǫh |
Noun
hózhǫ́
- (nominalization of the verb) beauty and harmony, peace, balance, happiness and contentment, wholeness, goodness
- Hózhǫ́ náhásdlį́į́ʼ
- it has become beauty again; beauty is restored.
Adverb
hózhǫ́
- well
- very, extremely
- very much
Synonyms
- wózhǫ́ (“well”)
Derived terms
- chʼilátah baa hózhónii (“flower”)
Related terms
- hózhóní
- hózhǫ́ǫgo
- hoozhǫǫh
- nizhóní