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
Shíká | ’anilyeed. |
1-for | 2-run.I |
Help me. / You’re helping me. (lit. You’re running for me.) |
Second Person Negation
Optative
Mósí | ch’óółt’e’. |
cat | out-3-2-take.Opt |
Don’t put the cat out! (YMM 1992:882) [[CHECK with speakers]] |
Optative + lágo
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-í
T’áadoo | ’anit’íní! |
neg | 2-do.NI-Í |
Don’t do that! |
Fourth Person Affirmative
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
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
ʼAshiiké ’éí ʼatsʼos bee ʼazhish biniiyé chahashʼoh ʼádeidoolííł.
boy-pl TOP feather 3-means-of dance 3-reason shade-house 3-3-pl-build.F’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ísh tł’óo’di nanilnishgo nee ’ałní’ní’ą́?
yesterday-Q outside-at 2-work.CI-GO 2-with noonYesterday were you working outside up to noon?
bookmark- -ísh enclitic for yes/no questionsfind in Navajo Questions
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- naashnish workfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- ałní’ní’ą́ noonfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- instrumental
’At’ééd t’áá ’áhánídi ’ółta’ ’éí biniinaa doo hah dah nídiidáah da.
girl just far-at school TOP 3-cause NEG quickly up start-3-go.I NEGIt’s not far to school so the girl takes her time starting off.
bookmark- t’áá ’áhánídi near, nearbyfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’éí topicfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- -niinaa because of, on account offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- doo expresses negationfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- haa quicklyfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- dah upfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- da expresses negationfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
’Ałk’ésdisí naháłnii’go sitsilí dóó shideezhí ’aheełt’éego bá ’ahá níjaa’.
candy 3-1-buy.P-GO 1-little.brother and 1-little.sister RECP-equal-GO 3-for RECP-for 3-lie.aligned.PlO.NP’Áádę́ę́’ nánísdzáago łį́į́’ bá nida’deeshjoł.
from.there 1-return.P-GO horse 3-for pl-1-set.out.NCM.FWhen I come back from there, I am going to feed the horses.
bookmark- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- náníshdááh returnfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ndaashjooł set piles outfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -dę́ę́’ from a general location or point in space or time, also out of, off offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
’Áde’óóyą́ą́’ lágo.
self-2-eat.O don’t’Ániid ’iiyą́ą́’ ’áko ndi t’ah dichin nisin.
recently 1-eat.P even then still 3-hungry 1-want.NII recently ate even then I am still hungry.
bookmark- ’ániidígo recently, not long agofind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áko ndi even so, even thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -t’ah in a recess, pocket or enclosed space, undercoverfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nisin think, wantfind in Navajo Verb Modes
’Áłah ’aleehgo ch’iyáán ’ádadiilnííł ’áko shį́į́ ’índa diné ndahidookah.
meeting-Comp food 3-1-Pl-make.F CONJ people 3-Pl.will-arrive.FAsdzą́ą́ yázhí bichidí doondó’ ndi naalnish da.
woman little 3-car not.even but 3-work.P NEGCh’il t’áadoo yishnizhí t’óó 'ahayóí hanáánáájéé’.
plant NEG 3-1-rip.P-NEG just many 3-again.return.PCh’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Bilagáanaa Bizaad doo diists’a’ da. K’ad ’éí t’áá shxǫǫ t’áá bee yáshti’.
formerly English neg 1-understand.I neg. Now TOP good.thing barely 3.with 1.speak-IBefore, I didn’t understand English. Now, thankfully, I can speak some.
bookmark- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- diists’a hear, understandfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yáshti’ speakfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ formerly, originallyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- instrumental
Da’diidį́į́ł.
pl-1dpl-eat-pl.Fdadidoołhįh
pl-3DO-2dpl-melt.it.Fdajííłhį́į́’
pl-3DO-4dpl-melt.it.(snow).Pdazhdidoołhįh
pl-3DO-4dpl-melt.it.Fdeiyííyą́ą́’
pl-3DO-3dpl-eat.it.PDibé dził binaashii nanishkaad.
sheep hill 3-across.from 3-1-herd.CIdideidiłjeeh
pl-3DO-3dpl-start.fire.Ididiilyįh
3DO-1dpl-melt.it.FDíkwíí jį́ shą’ nanilnish?
how.many Q days 2-work.IDoo t'áá k'ad nimasii yiyą́ą́ da.
do.not.want.to potatoes 1-eat.P NEGHaa'íyee' shinááł Diné bizaad bíhwiidííł'aał.
lets.see 2-1-watch.Prog Navajo language 3-2-learn.Fhadajizgeed
pl-3DO-4dpl-dig.it.out.Phadééłbįįd
3DO-1-fill.something.up.with.it.PHáágóó lá Bíl doogááł nízin Jáan?
where-toward Q Bill 3-go.sg.F 3-want.CI Johnjididoołhįh
3DO-4-melt.it.Fjidiłhį́į́h
3DO-4-melt.it.IK’ad shicheii bíká ’iishyeed.
now 1-grandfather 3-for 1-run.INaaltsoos yiníshta’go shíni’ shaa ’áyiilaa.
book 3-1-read.I-GO 1-mind 1-for 3-3-make.Pnideilé
pl-3DO-3dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.Inidiilyeeł
3DO-1dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.Fnisiilkáá’
3DO-1dpl-investigate.it.Pnitł’ó
3DO-2-weave.it.Iniyą́
3DO-2-eat.it.Inizhdooleeł
3DO-4-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.FNił bééhózinísh ’éí doodaii’ nicheii daats’í bił bééhózin?
2-with 3-know.CI-Q TOP or 2-grandfather perhaps 3-with 3-know.CIDo you know or does your grandfather know?
bookmark- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- accompaniment
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nisin think, wantfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -ísh enclitic for yes/no questionsfind in Navajo Questions
- doodaii’ particle orfind in Navajo Questions
- daats’í particle for perhapsfind in Navajo Questions
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nisin think, wantfind in Navajo Verb Modes
Níwe, bíni'dii ’áyą́!
stop 3-let 3-3-eat.INáhíínááłgo yadiizíní niłjizh.
around-2-go.I-GO can 3-2-crush.ProgSha’áłchíní Toohgóó bił ’eesbąs.
1-children Shiprock-to 3-with 1-drive.ProgShichidí t’ahdii yá’át’ééh, ’át’ah ’índa ła’ ninááhideeshnih.
1-car still 3-good.NI later one again-3-1-buy.FShilééchąą’í bił na’nishkaadgo jooł bá ’abíńjíshhałgo yikéé’ náádiilwo’.
1-dog 3-with 1-herd.CI ball 3-for 3-1-bat.R-GO 3-after 3-run.RWhen I’m out herding with my dog I bat fly balls for him and he chases them.
bookmark- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- accompaniment
- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -á for, for the benefit offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- benefactive
- -kéé’ behind, followingfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- na’nishkaad herd, go out herdingfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- Iterative (R)find in Navajo Verb Modes
Shiyáázh nihił ’oołbąs dooleeł.
1-son 1pl-with 3-drive.Prog will.beShí ’éí t’áá naanishdóó kingóó déyá.
I TOP just work-from town-to 1-go.IAs for me, I went to the town from work.
bookmark- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- déyá gofind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -dóó from a specific location or point in space or timefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- goal
Shíká ’anilyeed.
1-for 2-run.IT’áadoo naaltsoos dayínółta’í.
neg book pl-3-2dpl-read.I-ÍTó lą’ígo nidlą́ ’áko bee nitah yá’áhoot’ééh dooleeł.
water many 3-2-drink.DI so 3-with 2-among pl-3-good.NI futureDrink lots of water so that you can be healthy.
bookmark- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áko so, so that, so thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -tah, -taa-, -ta- among, mixingfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- dooleeł futurefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- dooleeł futurefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
Tł’éédą́ą́ łééchąą’í léi’ nihił ’yaííyá’ii’ neeztį́.
last.night dog strange 1dpl-with 3-come.inside.P-and lie.down.SNPLast night, a (strange) dogs came walking in on us and lay down.
bookmark- tł’éédą́ą́’ last nightfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yishááł walkfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -ii’ and, and thereuponfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- Si-Perfective Neuter (SPN)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- sétį́ lie downfind in Navajo Verb Modes