Ways of forming imperatives

There are no special imperative verb forms or imperative sentence structures in Navajo. Any sentence with a second or a fourth person subject can be understood as imperative as long as the meaning of the rest of the sentence allows it.

Navajo has sentences that can be used as commands or requests, formed with a second person subject, with the verb in certain modes. There also are less direct ways of making commands or requests that are formed with a fourth person subject. These sentences can be affirmative or negative. Below are examples of each of these:

Second Person Affirmation

(1)
Shíká ’anilyeed.
1-for 2-run.I
Help me. / You’re helping me. (lit. You’re running for me.)

Second Person Negation

Optative

(2)
Mósí ch’óółt’e’.
cat out-3-2-take.Opt
Don’t put the cat out! (YMM 1992:882) [[CHECK with speakers]]

Optative + lágo

(3)
Mósí ch’óółt’e’ lágo.
cat out-3-2-carry.O hope.not
Don’t put the cat out! / I hope you don’t put the cat out.

t’áadoo V-

(4)
T’áadoo ’anit’íní!
neg 2-do.NI-Í
Don’t do that!

Fourth Person Affirmative

(5)
Hatáaldi jigháahgo hozhdísin łeh.
ceremony-at 4-go.I-GO 4-respect.NI usually
One should be respectful when one goes to a ceremony.

Fourth Person Negation

(6)
Doo ’ájíníi da!
neg 4-say.NI -neg
One doesn’t say that!

The imperfective mode yields an immediate imperative (i.e., something that requires immediate action), and the future mode is more likely to be used for commands that are less immediate. The optative mode is often used with imperative negations. See also Reichard (1951:137), YM (1987:204), and YMM (1992:881f.). YM (1987:204-5) presents examples of imperatives in numerous aspects. We do not repeat this work here but refer the reader to these sources.

In Navajo, commands seem to be indirect, arising by implication and inference. Sentences with fourth person subjects are often general statements about what constitutes good behavior. The person spoken to is left to infer that the reason the speaker chose to utter the general statement is to affect the hearer’s behavior. Hence, there can be an implication of a command. Statements using the optative mode with lágo express the hopes of the speaker (‘I hope you don’t do this’ or ‘I hope that doesn’t happen’). The behavior in question is understood to be inconsistent with the speaker's desires. If the speaker is in a position of authority, the result is an indirect imperative.

Glossing conventions and a note on morphology are here [link].

An example search has returned 50 entries

ʼAdaʼniigeh, nihíká ʼadoohjah.

3pl-marry.F 1dpl-after 2dpl-run.pl.F
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We are having a wedding, we need everyone’s help.

’Ahwééh yishdlį́į́h ’áádóó naanishgóó yishááh.

coffee 3-1-drink.U and.then work-toward 3-1-go.U

’Ak’éégo ’éí chizh niléí keehaidi ninahdahiigééh nt’éé’.

autumn-GO that wood over.there winter.camp-at pl-3-1-unload.P past

Asdzání ní’jookąąhgo kintahdi nijighá.

woman-NOM Rep-3a-beg.I-GO town-at about-3a-walk.I

bik’ízhdeezdiz

3DO-4-wrap.it.around.it.P

dajiyą́

pl-3DO-4dpl-eat.it.I

daoohdlą́ą́’

pl-3DO-2dpl-drink.it.P

deiilzhóóh

pl-3DO-1dpl-brush/comb.it.I

didadidoołjah

pl-3DO-2dpl-start.fire.F

didazhdiłjeeh

pl-3DO-4dpl-start.fire.I

didííłhįh

3DO-2-melt.it.F

Doo ’áłah diidleeł da.

NEG together pl-1dpl-meet.pl.F NEG

Doo b bééhózin da ya’?

neg 3-with 3-know.CI neg Q

Dooládó’ shį́į́ ’adą́ą́dą́ą́’ shich’ohoos’ni’ da kintah góyaa yishááł ńt’éé’ béeso naadiinígíí ńdiiłtsooz.

wow probably yesterday 1-lucky.P town areal down 1-go.I Past money twenty-NOM 3-sit.FFO.P

Díí dibé yázhí yíłtééł.

TOP sheep little 3-2-carry.AnO.Prog

Gohwééh ’áłdó’ nahideeshnih nisinée beesénah lá.

coffee also 3-1-buy.F 1-want.NI-past 3-1-forget.P DISC

hadeiniłchaad

pl-3DO-3dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).I

hadoołbįįd

3DO-2dpl-fill.something.up.with.it.P

Haidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ nishishnish ńt’éé’ --- doo sh yá’áhoot’éeh da.

winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.P past neg 1-with 3-good.N neg

haiilgizh

3DO-1dpl-cut.it.out.P

haiilgéésh

3DO-1dpl-cut.it.out.I

hajiłgéésh

3DO-4-cut.it.out.I

haniilchaad

3DO-1dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).I

Hazhóʼí síní. Tʼáadoo naaní’dííldisí.

careful 2-sit.I NEG again-2-wander.Prog-í

Háidíígíísh neidiyoołnih nínízin?

which.one-ÍGÍÍ-Q 3-3-buy.F 2-think.NI

Hodíínáá’ágo bááh dootł’izhí ła’ deeshį́į́ł.

after.a.while-GO bread blue some 1-eat.F

K’idadeelyáá nit’éé’ t’óó daazgan, háálá doo nahałtin da.

1pl-plant.P past just 3pl-dry.SPN, because NEG 3-rain.CI NEG

neidooleeł

3DO-3-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.F

Ni'dózhoł.

term-3-sprinkle.O
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I wish for it to sprinkle.

Nichxǫ' doo ájíníi da.

stop NEG 4-say.thus.NI NEG
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Stop, don’t say it!

Nichxǫ' doo ájít’į́į da.

stop NEG 4-act.thus.I NEG
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Stop, don’t do it!

nisínílá

3DO-2-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.P

Níwe, doo hastóí baa níjít’į́į da!

stop NEG men 3-with 3-4-bother.I NEG
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Stop, one does not bother men!

Sha’áłchíní Toohgóó bił ’eesbąs.

1-children Shiprock-to 3-with 1-drive.Prog

Shichidí t’ahdii yá’át’ééh, ’át’ah ’índa ła’ ninááhideeshnih.

1-car still 3-good.N later one again-3-1-buy.F

Shilį́į́’ doo dah didíłdąsh da.

1-horse NEG up start-3-2.jerk.F NEG

Sohodizingo t’áá ká nídoó’nééh lágo.

prayer-GO neg 2-get.up.O LÁGO

T’áadoo hadahooł’áhí.

neg pl-3s-2dpl-make.noise.NP-Í

T’áá hooshch’į’ déshnish.

suddenly 1-start.work.P

T’áadoo hooyání łį́į́’ shidáagi ch’éltáál.

suddenly horse 1-front-at 3-bolt.P
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All of a sudden the horse ran right in front of me.

italic highlight particle_0" aria-label="particle">T’áadoo tá’dishgéshí nizaagóó dah ’adii’ą́.

before 1-sheer.(I)NEG far-GOO up 3-sun.rise(P).
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Before I could start sheering, the sun is high up in the sky.

T’áá ’aaí ’aníigo t’éiyá doo bikee’ saad si’ą́ą da.

truly 3-say.I-GO only NEG 3-behind word 3-sit.SPN NEG

Tó háálínídi ’ahéédidiit’ashałní’ní’ą́ągo.

spring-at refl-1du-meet.F noon-GO
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Let’s meet at the spring at noon.

Tsxį́įłgo ni’éé’ biih ni’nééh.

hurry 2-clothes 3-into 2-crawl.I
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Hurry and get dressed.

Tł’éédą́ą́ łééchąą’í léi’ nihił ’yaííyá’ii’ neeztį́.

last.night dog strange 1dpl-with 3-come.inside.P-and lie.down.SNP

yiishjį́į́h

Usitative Mode: 1-become.black.U

Yiską́ągo shicheii nihaa deeshááł ní.

tomorrow 1-grandfather 1pl-to 1-walk.F 3-say.NI

Ła’ nídeezid yę́ędą́ą́’ ’áajigo niséyá.

one month past that-way-GO 1.go.P

Łį́į́’ bik’i na’ashnííł.

horse 3-on 3-1-unsaddle.I

“Sh naa’aash ’ałgháádidiit’ash”, ní ma’ii jiní.

1-with cousin 1du-race.F 3-say.P coyote 4-say.P
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“My cousin, letʼs have a race”, Coyote said to the skunk, they said.