łibá
See also: liba
Navajo
Etymology
łi- (adjectival) + -Ø- (ni-modal 3rd person subject prefix) + -Ø- (classifier) + -bá (neuter imperfective stem of root -BAʼ, “to be gray”).
The łi- prefix appears to have originated historically from the -ł- classifier. When this prefix appears immediately in pre-stem position, it takes the shape of a -l- classifier.
Verb
łibá
- it is gray
- Biyázhí neiyéhé łibá ― The (one or two) opossum is gray.
- Biyázhí neiyéhé daalbá ― The (three or more) opossums are gray.
Usage notes
This is a neuter verb. As such, it has only the imperfective stem.
Conjugation
Paradigm: Neuter imperfective (ni).
| IMPERFECTIVE | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | łinishbá | łiniibá | dałiniibá |
| 2nd person | łiníbá | łinohbá | dałinohbá |
| 3rd person | łibá | daalbá, dałibá | |
| 4th person | jilbá | dajilbá | |
Derived terms
- dinilbá (“light gray, light brown”)
Related terms
- deesbá
- diibááh
- dinilbá
- dzíbá
- haabá
- haasbá
- kʼídzíbá
- naabá
- naasbá
- násbá
- yiibááh
- yiyiiłbááh
See also
| Colors in Navajo · nidaashchʼąąʼígíí (layout · text) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| łigai | łibá (dark gray: dinilzhin) | łizhin | ||
| łichííʼ | łichxíʼí (light orange: diniltsxo) ; dibéłchíʼí, yishtłizh (dark brown: dinilzhin) | łitso (light yellow: diniltso) ; dinilgai | ||
| dinooltłʼizh, chʼilgo dootłʼizh | ||||
| dootłʼizhii | yágo dootłʼizh | dootłʼizh | ||
| diłhiłgo dootłʼizh | tsédídéehgo dootłʼizh | dinilchííʼ | ||