Vocabulary

The Na'vi language has 20 consonants, 7 vowels, 4 diphthongs, and 2 syllabic pseudovowels, rr and ll (LL). Since Na'vi isn't a written language, it is transcribed using the Latin letters. In order to make the usage of this vocabulary easier to most people, the letters are arranged here in a sequence, which mostly follows the original Latin alphabet. The letters for "special" sounds are positioned according to their resemblance to "normal" sounds. Thus the letter sequence used here is:

’ (apostrophe) . A . AW . AY . Ä . E . EW . EY . F . H . I . Ì . K . KX . L . LL . M . N . NG (= G) . O . P . PX . R . RR . S . T . TX . TS (= C) . U . V . W . Y . Z

The vocabulary includes 1. the Na'vi word (in bold letters), 2. the IPA transcription (in square brackets), 3. the part of speech (in italic letters and round brackets), 4. the English equivalent(s) and further information, 5. sourced example(s) after the symbol ►.

ad 1. Purple colour is used to indicate stressed syllables in words, where the stress is officially recognized.

ad 2. The IPA transcription includes dots (.) to indicate syllable breaks. If there aren't any dots between syllables, the syllable breaks are dubious.

ad 3. The abbreviations for the parts of speech are as follows:

Adj	adjective
Adp+	adposition causing lenitation
Adp–	adposition not causing lenitation
Adv	adverb
Inf 1	first-position verbal infix
Inf 2	second-position verbal infix
Idiom	idiomatic expression (e. g. interjections, fixed phrases, locutions)
Conj	conjunction
M+	marker causing lenitation
M–	marker not causing lenitation
N	noun
NP	proper noun (names of people, places etc.)
Num	numeral
Pron	pronoun
Vin	intransitive verb
Vtr	transitive verb

’ (Apostrophe) [Ɂ]

’ekong [Ɂɛkoŋ] (N) beat (rhythmic, e. g. heartbeat). ► ’ekong telanä "the beat of the hearts" (ASG, Weaving Song).

’eylan [ˈɁɛj.lan] (N) friend (short plural: eylan). ► ayeylanur oeyä sì eylanur lì’fyayä leNa’vi "to my friends and friends of the Na’vi language"; ’eylan ayngeyä, Pawl "your friend, Paul" (AMFP).

’ìheyu [Ɂɪ.hɛ.ju] (N) spiral. ► ’ìheyu sìreyä "the spiral of the lives" (ASG, Weaving Song).

A [a]

-a | a- [a] (M–) to attribute an adjective to a noun; the a is attached to the adjective, but always faces the noun. ► ngima kilvan (or) kilvan angim "long river" (LL).

a fì’u [a | fɪ.’u] (Conj) to nominalize a subordinate clause ("the fact, that …"). ► Tsun oe ngahu nìNa’vi pivängkxo a fì’u oeru prrte’ lu "It’s a pleasure to be able to chat with you in Na’vi" [= The fact, that I am able …, is a pleasure to me] (TO).

ay+ [aj] (M+) plural prefix. ► aysokx "bodies" (LL); ayzìsìt "years" (ASG, Weaving Song); ayoe "we" (ASG, Hunt Song).

‹ay› [a.j] (Inf 1) to indicate future tense <FUT>. ► tayaron "will hunt" (LL).

aynga [aj.ŋa] (Pron) you (2nd person plural). ► Terìran ayoe ayngane "We are walking your way" (ASG, Hunt Song).

1. ayngaru [aj.ŋa.ɾu] (Dative:) to you. ► Ayftozä lefpom ayngaru nìwotx! "Happy Holidays to You All!" (OoOA); ayngaru seiyi irayo "I thank you" (AMFP).

Ä [æ]

-ä [æ] (M) genitive suffix (in case of the word ending on a consonant, diphthong or pseudo-vocal) [allomorph: -yä ]. ► ayzìsìtä kato "the rhythm of the years" (ASG, Weaving Song); tìftia kifkeyä "the study of the physical world" (SciMag); [kato] trrä sì txonä "[the rhythm] of night and day [lit.: day and night]" (ASG, Weaving Song).

‹äng› [æŋ] (Inf 2) to indicate negative feelings <PEJ>. ► längu "is-NEG-ATTIDUDE"; tayarängon "will hunt (and the speaker feels negative about it)" (LL).

E [ɛ]

ean [ɛ.an] (N/Adj?) blue. ► Katot taftxu oel nìean nìrim "I weave the rhythm in yellow and blue [lit.: blue and yellow]" (ASG, Weaving Song).

‹ei› [ɛ.i] (Inf 2) to indicate positive feelings <APPROB>. ► tayareion "will hunt (and the speaker feels positive about it)" (LL); Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO).

‹er› [ɛ.r] (Inf 1) to indicate imperfective aspect <IPFV>. ► teraron "be hunting" (LL); Neytiri herahaw "Neytiri is sleeping" (MSNBC).

Eywa [ej.wa] (NP) Eywa, 'the Great Mother' (the deity of the Na’vi). ► Kìyevame ulte Eywa ngahu "See you again, and may Eywa be with you" (FL).

F [f]

fahew [fa.hɛw] (N) smell. ► fahew "smell" (LL).

fì- [fɪ] (M–) proximal demonstrative prefix (singular): this (… here). ► fìskxawng(ìri) "this moron" (TO).

fìtsenge [fɪ.ʦɛŋɛ] (Adv) here. ► Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì "These demons are forbidden here" (TO).

fpom [fpom] (N) well-being. ► Ngaru lu fpom srak? "Do you have a sense of well-being?" (VF).

ftozä [fto.zæ] (N) holiday. ► Ayftozä lefpom ayngaru nìwotx! "Happy Holidays to You All!" (OoOA).

ftxey [ftʼɛj] (Vtr) choose. ► ftxey awpot [< ’awpot?] (…) ayngal "choose one" (ASG, Hunt Song).

H [h]

hahaw [ha.haw] (Vin) sleep. ► Neytiri herahaw "Neytiri is sleeping" (MSNBC).

horen ↑ koren.

hu [hu] (M[+/–?]) with (together with somebody). ► hu nga (or) ngahu "with you" (LL).

I [i]

ikran [ik.ɾan] (N) Ikran, banshee. ► ikran "banshee" (LL).

irayo si [iɾa.jo ǀ si] (Vin + dative) to thank (someone). ► ayngaru seiyi irayo "I thank you" (AMFP).

-it [it] (M) accusative suffix (in case of the word ending on a consonant) [allomorphs: -t, -ti ]. ► Neytiril yerikit tolaron "Neytiri hunted a hexapede" (MSNBC).

‹iv› [iv] (Inf 1) to indicate subjunctive mood <SJV>.

1. as optative <OPT> to indicate a wish or hope. ► oeyä txe’lan livu ngay "let my heart be true" (ASG, Hunt Song).
2. as iussive <JUS> to indicate encouragement. ► spivaw oeti rutxe "please believe me" (AMFP).
3. accompanying the verbs new (want), tsun (be able) and zene (must). ► Txo new nga rivey, oehu! "Come with me, if you want to live!" (UGO); fmawn a tsun oe ayngaru tivìng "news to give you" [= news, which I am able to give you] (AMFP); livu win sì txur oe zene "I must be fast and strong" (ASG, Hunt Song).
4. in hypothetical conditional sentences (potentialis [and irrealis?]). ► pxan livu txo nì’aw oe ngari, tsakrr … "only if I am worthy of you, [then] …" (ASG, Hunt Song).

Ì [ɪ]

‹ìm› [ɪ.m] (Inf 1) to indicate recent past tense <REC>. ► tìmaron "just now hunted" (LL).

-ìri [ɪɾi] (M) topic suffix (in case of the word ending on a consonant) [allomorph: -ri ]. ► Fìskxawngìri tsapʼalute sengi [< sängi?] oe "I apologize for this moron" (TO).

‹ìrm› [ɪɾ.m] (Inf 1) to indicate both, recent past tense and imperfective aspect <REC.IPFV>. ► tìrmaron "was just now hunting" (LL).

K [k]

'kaltxì [kal.tʼɪ] (Idiom) Hello! Greetings! ► Kaltxì! "Greetings! Hello!" (VF).

kame' [ˈka.mɛ] (Vtr) see (spiritual sense), acknowledge. ► Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO).

kato [kato] (N) rhythm. ► Tompayä kato, tsawkeyä kato "The rhythm of rain and sun" (ASG, Weaving Song); Katot täftxu oel "I weave the rhythm" (ASG, Weaving Song).

kewong [kɛ.w.oŋ] (Adj) alien. ► fahew akewong "alien smell" (LL).

kifkey [ki.fkɛj] (N) the (physical) world. ► tìftia kifkeyä "the study of the physical world ['science']" (SciMag).

kilvan [kil.van] (N) river. ► ngima kilvan (or) kilvan angim "long river" (LL).

kìyevame [kɪ.yɛ.vamɛ] (Idiom) See you again! Good-bye! ► kìyevame "see you again" (FL).

koren [ko.ˈɾɛn] (N) rule. ► aylì’ut horentisì lì’fyayä leNa’vi "the words and the rules of Na’vi" (AMFP).

KX [kʼ]

kxanì [kʼanɪ] (Adj) forbidden. ► Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì "These demons are forbidden here" (TO).

L [l]

-l [l] (M) ergativ suffix (in case of the word ending on a vocal). ► Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO); Neytiril yerikit tolaron "Neytiri hunted a hexapede" (MSNBC).

le [lɛ] (M[+/–?]) to turn a noun into an adjective. ► lefpom "happy" (OoOA); aylì’ut horentisì lì’fyayä leNa’vi "the words and the rules of Na’vi" (AMFP).

lefpom [lɛ.fpom] (Adj) happy. ► Ayftozä lefpom ayngaru nìwotx! "Happy Holidays to You All!" (OoOA).

lì’fya [lɪɁ.fja] (N) language. ► eylanur lì’fyayä leNa’vi nìwotx "to all friends of the Na’vi language" (AMFP).

lor [loɾ] (Adj) beautiful, pleasant to the senses. ► lor "beautiful, pleasant to the senses" [in contrast to ↑ sevin] (LL).

lu [lu] (Vin) be.

1. be (am, are, is; the copula). ► Oeri ta peyä fahew (…) ontu teya längu. "My nose is full of his smell" (LL).
2. in combination with a dative to indicate possession (have). ► Ngaru lu fpom srak? "Do you have a sense of well-being?" (VF); layu oeru ye’rin sìltsana fmawn "I well soon have good news" (AMFP).

M [m]

ma [ma] (M–) vocative particel in front of the belonging noun. ► Tewti, ma Prrton! "Wow, Prrton!" (LL); Oel ayngati kameie, ma oeyä eylan "I see you, my friends" (AMFP).

mì [mɪ] (Adp+) in. ► mì sokx "in the body" (or) "in the bodies" (LL).

N [n]

Na’vi [naɁ.vi] (NP) the Na’vi, the People. ► kato te’lanä le-Na’vi "the rhythm of the hearts of the people" (ASG, Weaving Song); awpot [< ’awpot?] a Na’viru yomtìyìng "[choose] one, who will feed the People" (ASG, Hunt Song).

1. nìNa’vi [nɪ.naɁ.vi] (Adv) in the manner of the Na’vi. ► ngahu nìNa’vi pivängkxo "to chat with you in Na’vi" [= like the Na’vi] (TO).
2. leNa’vi [lɛ.naɁ.vi] (Adj) Na’vi (as an attribute), 'Na’viean'. ► eylanur lì’fyayä leNa’vi "to the friends of the Na’vi language" (AMFP).

new [nɛw] (Vin + subjunctive) want. ► Txo new nga rivey, oehu! "Come with me, if you want to live." (UGO).

nì [nɪ] (M–) turns a noun, adjective or numeral into an adverb of modal sense ("in the manner of", "like a", "à la"). ► ngahu nìNa’vi pivängkxo "to chat with you in Na’vi" [= like the Na’vi] (TO); Katot taftxu oel nìean nìrim "I weave the rhythm in yellow and blue [lit.: blue and yellow]" (ASG, Weaving Song); nì’aw "only" [ADV-one] (ASG, Hunt Song).

nì’aw [nɪ.Ɂaw] (Adv) only. ► ha nì’aw, pxan livu txo nì’aw oe ngari … "So only, only if I am worthy of you …" (ASG, Hunt Song).

nìltsan [nɪl.ʦan] (Adv) well. ► Plltxe nga nìltsan! "You speak well!" (LL).

nìwotx [nɪ.wotʼ] (Adv) all (of), completely, in toto. ► Ayftozä lefpom ayngaru nìwotx! "Happy Holidays to You All!" (OoOA); Ayeylanur oeyä sì eylanur lì’fyayä leNa’vi nìwotx "To all my friends and friends of the Na’vi language" (AMFP).

NG (= G) [ŋ]

nga [ŋa] (Pron) you (2st person singluar). ► hu nga (or) ngahu "with you"; Plltxe nga nìltsan! "You speak well!" (LL); Eywa ngahu "Eywa be with you" (FL).

1. ngeyä [ŋɛ.jæ] (Genitive:) your. ► ngeyä fahew akewong "your alien smell" (TO); tawskìp ngeyä "your ship [= space ship]" (UGO).
2. ngaru [ŋa.ɾu] (Dative:) to you. ► Ngaru lu fpom srak? "Do you have a sense of well-being?" (VF).
3. ngati [ŋa.ti] (Accusative:) you. ► Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO).

ngim [ŋim] (Adv) long (about space). ► ngima kilvan (or) kilvan angim "long river" (LL).

O [o]

oe [o.ɛ] (Pron) I (1st person singular). ► livu win sì txur oe zene "I must be fast and strong" (ASG, Hunt Song).

1. oel [o.ɛl] (Ergative:) I. ► Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO); Katot täftxu oel "I weave the rhythm" (ASG, Weaving Song).
2. oeru [o.ɛ.ɾu] (or) oer [o.ɛɾ] (Dative:) to me. ► layu oeru ye’rin sìltsana fmawn "I will soon have good news" (AMFP); ayngal oer (…) ’upxaret stolawm oel "I have heard the message you sent me" (AMFP).
3. oeri [o.ɛ.ɾi] (Topic:) I, as for me. ► oeri "I-TOP" (LL).

‹ol› [o.l] (Inf 1) to indicate perfective aspect <PFV>. ► tolaron "have hunted" (LL); Neytiril yerikit tolaron "Neytiri hunted a hexapede" (MSNBC).

ontu [on.tu] (N) nose. ► ontu "nose" (LL).

P [p]

peyä [pɛjæ] (Pron) his (, her?) (3st person singular). ► peyä "his" (LL).

plltxe [pl̩ː.tʼɛ] (V[in/tr?]) speak. ► Plltxe nga nìltsan! "You speak well!" (LL).

PX [pʼ]

pxasik [pʼa.sik] (Idiom) Screw that! (vulgar). ► pxasik "screw that!" (UGO).

R [ɾ]

rey [ɾɛj] (Vin) live. ► Txo new nga rivey, oehu! "Come with me, if you want to live!" (UGO).

-ri [ɾi] (M) topic suffix (in case of the word ending on a vocal) [allomorph: -ìri ]. ► oeri "I-TOP" (LL).

rim [ɾim] (N/Adj?) yellow. ► Katot taftxu oel nìean nìrim "I weave the rhythm in yellow and blue [lit.: blue and yellow]" (ASG, Weaving Song).

-ru [ɾu] (M) dative suffix (in case of the word ending on a vocal) [allomorph: -ur ]. ► layu oeru ye’rin sìltsana fmawn "I will soon have good news" (AMFP); ayngaru seiyi irayo "I thank you" (AMFP).

S [s]

sawtute ↑ tawtute.

sevin [sɛ.vin] (Adj) pretty (used only for people, Na’vi or humans). ► sevin "pretty" [in contrast to ↑ lor] (LL).

sì [sɪ] (Conj) and (not to connect sentences, ↑ ulte). ► [kato] trrä sì txonä, sì ayzìsìtä kato, sì ’ekong te’lanä … "[the rhythm] of night and day, the rhythm of the years, and the beat of the hearts …" (ASG, Weaving Song); Lu nga win sì txur "You are fast and strong" (ASG, Hunt Song); Ayeylanur oeyä sì eylanur lì’fyayä leNa’vi nìwotx "To all my friends and friends of the Na’vi language" (AMFP).

sìrey [sɪɾɛj] ↑ tìrey.

skxawng [skʼawŋ] (N) moron. ► skxawng "moron" (UGO).

sngeltseng [sŋɛl.ʦɛŋ] (N) garbage dump. ► "Sngeltseng means garbage dump." (UGO).

sokx ↑ tokx.

srak [sɾak] (M) to indicate a yes-no-question. ► Ngaru lu fpom srak? "Do you have a sense of well-being?" (VF).

T [t]

-t [t] (M) accusative suffix (in case of the word ending on a vocal) [allomorphs: -ti, -it ]. ► Katot täftxu oel "I weave the rhythm" (ASG, Weaving Song).

ta [ta] (Adp–) from (different usages). ► oeri ta peyä fahew ontu teya l(äng)u "my nose is full from his smell"; Markusì ta Ngalwey "Markus from Galway" (AMFP).

taron [ˈta.ɾon] (Vtr) hunt. ► taron "hunt" (LL); Neytiril yerikit tolaron "Neytiri hunted a hexapede" (MSNBC).

taw [taw] (N) sky. ► "Tawsìp is actually 'sky ship'" (UGO); "a single human is known among the Na’vi as a Sky Person, or tawtute" (MSNBC).

tawsìp [taw.sɪp] (N) spaceship. ► "Tawsìp is actually 'sky ship', the term they would use for a space vehicle." (UGO).

tawtute [taw.tu.tɛ] (N) human (lit.: 'sky person'; short plural: sawtute). ► "a single human is known among the Na’vi as a Sky Person, or tawtute, while the plural (Sky People) is aysawtute or simply sawtute" (MSNBC).

täftxu [tæ.ftʼu] (Vtr) weave. ► Katot täftxu oel "I weave the rhythm" (ASG, Weaving Song).

te’lan ↑ txe’lan.

tewti [tɛwti] (Idiom) expression of (pleasant) surprise: Wow!. ► Tewti, ma Prrton! "Wow, Prrton!" (LL).

teya [tɛja] (Adj) full (ta … – of …). ► Oeri ta peyä fahew (…) ontu teya längu. "My nose is full of his smell" (LL).

teya si [t.ɛ.j.a | si] (Vin + dative) fill, make full. ► [kato] oeru teya si "[the rhythm] fills me" (ASG, Weaving Song).

-ti [ɾi] (M) accusative suffix (in case of the word ending on a vocal) [allomorphs: -t, -it ]. ► Oel ngati kameie "I See you" (UGO).

tì- [tɪ] (M–) to turn adjectives or verbs into abstract nouns. ► tìftia "the study" (SciMag).

tìftia [tɪ.fti.a] (N) study. ► tìftia kifkeyä "the study of the physical world ['science']" (SciMag).

tìkangkem [tɪ.ˈkaŋ.kɛm] (N) work. ► Used in the verb tìkangkem si: zene oe ’awsiteng tìkangkem sivi fohu "I must work together with them" (AMFP).

tìrey [tɪ.ɾ.ɛj] (N) life. ► ’ìheyu sìreyä "the spiral of the lives" (ASG, Weaving Song).

tìyawn [tɪ.ˈjawn] (N) love. ► Lì’fyari leNa’vi oel ’efu ayngeyä tìyawnit "I feel your love for the Na’vi language" (AMFP).

tokx [tokʼ] (N) body (short plural: sokx). ► tokx "body"; sokx "bodies" (LL).

tompa [tom.pa] (N) rain. ► Tompayä kato, tsawkeyä kato … "The rhythm of rain and sun …" (ASG, Weaving Song).

trr [tr̩ː] (N) day. ► [kato] trrä sì txonä "[the rhythm] of night and day [lit.: day and night]" (ASG, Weaving Song).

tute [ˈtu.tɛ] (N) person. ► tute "person" (LL).

tute [tu.ˈtɛ] (N) female person. ► tute "female person" (LL).

TX [tʼ]

txe’lan [tʼɛɁ.lan] (N) heart. ► sì ’ekong te’lanä, te’lanä le-Na’vi … "and the beat of the hearts, hearts of the people" (ASG, Weaving Song).

txo [tʼo] (Conj) if (… tsakrr – … then). ► In case of factual conditions (realis) the predicate of the conditional sentence is in the indicative mood: Txo new nga rivey, oehu! "Come with me, if you want to live!" (UGO); in case of hypothetical conditions (potentialis [and irrealis?]) the predicate of the conditional sentence is in the subjunctive mood: pxan livu txo nì’aw oe ngari, tsakrr … "only if I am worthy of you, [then] …" (ASG, Hunt Song).

txon [tʼon] (N) night. ► [kato] trrä sì txonä "[the rhythm] of night and day [lit.: day and night]" (ASG, Weaving Song).

TS (= C) [ʦ]

tsawke [ʦawkɛ] (N) sun. ► Tompayä kato, tsawkeyä kato … "The rhythm of rain and sun …" (ASG, Weaving Song).

tsun [ʦun] (Vin + subjunctive) be able, can. ► Tsun oe ngahu nìNa’vi pivängkxo a fì’u oeru prrte’ lu "It’s a pleasure to be able to chat with you in Na’vi" (TO).

U [u]

ulte [ul.tɛ] (Conj) and (to connect sentences; in contrast to ↑ sì) ► Kìyevame ulte Eywa ngahu "See you again, and may Eywa be with you" (FL); Oel ayngati kameie, ma oeyä eylan, ulte ayngaru seiyi irayo "I see you, my friends, and I thank you" (AMFP).

Y [j]

-yä [jæ] (M) genitive suffix (in case of the word ending on a vocal) [allomorph: -ä ]. ► Tompayä kato, tsawkeyä kato … "The rhythm of rain and sun …" (ASG, Weaving Song); eylanur lì’fyayä leNa’vi "to [all] friends of the Na’vi language" (AMFP).

yerik [yeɾik] (N) Yerik, Hexapede (zool.) [Sexcruscervus caeruleus (blue six-legged deer); up to 1.5 meters long, 2 meters in height; one of the animals hunted by the Na'vi (ASG, p. 84–86]. ► "If Neytiri hunted a hexapede (yerik), you would say Neytiril yerikit tolaron [= Neytiri hunted a hexapede]" (MSNBC).

Z [z]

zìsìt [zɪ.sɪt] (N) year. ► ayzìsìtä kato "the rhyhtm of the years" (ASG, Weaving Song).