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

’Ahwééh ła’ yishdlą́.

coffee some 3-1-drink.I

’Azháánee’ shi dibé hólǫ́ǫ ndi, dibé ła nahiideeshnih.

even.though my sheep 3-exist.NI sheep one 1-buy.F

Ániid ’iiyą́ą́’áko ndi t’ah dichin nisin.

recently 1-eat.P even then still 3-hungry 1-want.NI

Bich’ah haini’ą́, "díí bee yisdádíínááł," hał jiní.

hat 3-2-give.P with.this.PP pl-2-survive.F 3-to.say.I they.say
listenloadingplaying

He gave his hat to her and said "with this, you will survive."

bik’ídisoodiz

3DO-2dpl-wrap.it.around.it.P

bik’ídóhdis

3DO-2dpl-wrap.it.around.it.I

Ch’iyáán bá hooghandi béeso bideená naashnish.

food.store-at money 3-in-exchange.for 1-work.CI

Ch’į́į́góó ch’ééh tádííyá.

fail in.vain 1-go.P

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Bilagáanaa Bizaad doo diists’a’ da. K’ad éí t’ááshxǫǫd t’áá bee yáshti’.

formerly English NEG 1-understand.I NEG | now TOP at.least just 3-with 1-speak.I

Ch’ééh la’ baa ntséskees.

in.vain puzzlement 3-about 1-think.I
listenloadingplaying

I’m having difficulty thinking about it. I can’t wrap my head around it.

Da’ dichinísh nínízin?

Q hunger-Q 2-feel.NI

Da’adánídi ’áts’ą́ą́’ deeshghał.

restaurant-at ribs 3-1-eat.F

dadiilyį́į́h

pl-3DO-1dpl-melt.it.I

deiidą́ą́’

pl-3DO-1dpl-eat.it.P

deiit’aal

pl-3DO-1dpl-chew.it.P

Dibé yah ánáádanołkaad!

sheep inside semelit-pl-2pl-gather.I

diidiłjeeh

3DO-3-start.fire.I

dizhdínóołkał

3DO-4-start.to.herd.them.(animals).F

Díí ’abíní dibé tóógóó neeshkał.

this morning sheep water-to 3-1-herd.Prog

Díí chidí ’ayóo dilwo’ ha’ní ’áko ndi doo baa jííníshłíi da.

this car very 3-fast 3-say.P CONJ NEG 3-about 4-1-rely.P NEG

Díí tł’éé’ t’áá ká dóola dá’ák’eólyeed lágo.

this night NEG bull into.field-3-run.O hope.not LÁGO

Díí łééchąą’í dah doosłóós laanaa.

this dog 1-lead.O.ADV-laanaa optative particle for a positive wish, hope or desire.

díníłkaad

3DO-2-start.to.herd.them.(animals).I

Gohwééh t’áá bizhání ’éí doodaii’ ’abe’ bgo daats’í nínízin?

coffee only TOP or milk perhaps 3-with 3-2-want.NI

hadajiłgéésh

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

hadeidééłbįįd

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

Hazhóʼí síní. Tʼáadoo naaní’dííldisí.

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

Háí shą’ b nanilnish?

who Q 3-with 2-work.I

jidooyį́į́ł

3DO-4-eat.it.F

Na’azhǫǫshgi díkwíí shį́į́ shaa woobįįh?

hoop.and.pole.game-at how.much 1-to pass-win.I
listenloadingplaying

How much will I lose at the hoop and pole game?

neilé

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

Nichxǫ’ doo ájíléeh da.

stop NEG 3-4-make.I NEG
listenloadingplaying

Stop, don’t do bad stuff!

nideiskáá’

pl-3DO-3dpl-investigate.it.P

nisiilyá

3DO-1dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.P

Níwe, doo ch’il bikáá’ nijigháa da!

stop NEG plant 3-on 3-4-walk.I NEG
listenloadingplaying

Stop it, one does not walk on plants!

Níyolgo t’áá ’áko niishch’ił.

wind-GO immediately 3-blink.U
listenloadingplaying

When it’s windy, I usually blink.

Sha’áłchíní Toohgóó bił ’eesbąs.

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

Shínaaí shíká ’adoolwoł nisin ńt’éé’ ’áłt’ąą t’áadoo níyáa da.

1-older.brother 1-for 3-run.F 1-want.NI but after.all NEG 3-come.sg.P NEG

T’ah doo kintahgóó diit’aash da.

not.yet store-to 1du-go.I NEG

T’áá ’ákwíízhíní tó dah siyínígóó ’ałnánáshdááh.

every summer lake-toward again-1-go.R

Tsxį́įłgo łees’áán ádíílííł; nimásání nihaa yíghááh!

quickly tortilla 2-make.F 2.poss-mat.grandma-NOM 1.pl-to 3-come.F

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

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

Tʼáadoo tʼóó yílnishí.

NEG just 2-work.Prog-í

woohgish

3DO-2dpl-make.one.cut.in.it.I

yiilbéézh

3DO-1dpl-boil.it.I

Yishdlosh le’.

peg-1-trot.Prog LE’
listenloadingplaying

I wish to trot (in water).

yiyííłhį́į́’

3DO-3-melt.it.(snow).P

Ła’ nídeezid yę́ędą́ą́’ ’áajigo niséyá.

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

ʼDa’azhishgóó, sis łigaii shaʼ díílééł.

dance-to 1-go.F belt silver 1-borrow 3-lend.SFO.F