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
ʼAdaʼniigeh, nihíká ʼadoohjah.
3pl-marry.F 1dpl-after 2dpl-run.pl.F’Ahwééh yishdlį́į́h ’áádóó naanishgóó yishááh.
coffee 3-1-drink.U and.then work-toward 3-1-go.UI drink coffee and then I go to work.
bookmark- Usitative (U)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yishdlą́ drink itfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- ’áádóó and thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- Usitative (U)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- yishááh gofind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
’Ak’éégo ’éí chizh niléí keehaidi ninahdahiigééh nt’éé’.
autumn-GO that wood over.there winter.camp-at pl-3-1-unload.P pastIn the past, we used to haul wood to the winter camp.
bookmark- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- nahashheeh unloadfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- ńt’éé’ pastfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
Asdzání ní’jookąąhgo kintahdi nijighá.
woman-NOM Rep-3a-beg.I-GO town-at about-3a-walk.Ibik’ízhdeezdiz
3DO-4-wrap.it.around.it.Pdajiyą́
pl-3DO-4dpl-eat.it.Idaoohdlą́ą́’
pl-3DO-2dpl-drink.it.Pdeiilzhóóh
pl-3DO-1dpl-brush/comb.it.Ididazhdiłjeeh
pl-3DO-4dpl-start.fire.Ididííłhįh
3DO-2-melt.it.FDoo ’áłah diidleeł da.
NEG together pl-1dpl-meet.pl.F NEGDoo bił bééhózin da ya’?
neg 3-with 3-know.CI neg QDooládó’ 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.PDíí dibé yázhí yíłtééł.
TOP sheep little 3-2-carry.AnO.ProgGohwééh ’áłdó’ nahideeshnih nisinée beesénah lá.
coffee also 3-1-buy.F 1-want.NI-past 3-1-forget.P DISChadeiniłchaad
pl-3DO-3dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).Ihadoołbįįd
3DO-2dpl-fill.something.up.with.it.PHaidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ nishishnish ńt’éé’ --- doo shił yá’áhoot’éeh da.
winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.P past neg 1-with 3-good.N negI worked in the mine (shaft) last year and I didn’t like it.
bookmark- -dą́ą́’ past timefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -ne’ behindfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- naashnish workfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
haiilgizh
3DO-1dpl-cut.it.out.Phaiilgéésh
3DO-1dpl-cut.it.out.Ihajiłgéésh
3DO-4-cut.it.out.Ihaniilchaad
3DO-1dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).IHazhóʼí sínídá. Tʼáadoo naaní’dííldisí.
careful 2-sit.I NEG again-2-wander.Prog-íHáidíígíísh neidiyoołnih nínízin?
which.one-ÍGÍÍ-Q 3-3-buy.F 2-think.NIHodíínáá’ágo bááh dootł’izhí ła’ deeshį́į́ł.
after.a.while-GO bread blue some 1-eat.FK’idadeelyáá nit’éé’ t’óó daazgan, háálá doo nahałtin da.
1pl-plant.P past just 3pl-dry.SPN, because NEG 3-rain.CI NEGWe planted but they just shriveled up, because of the lack of rain.
bookmark- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- k’idishłé plant itfind in Navajo Verb Modes
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Si-Perfective Neuter (SPN)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- háálá for, becausefind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)find in Navajo Verb Modes
neidooleeł
3DO-3-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.FNichxǫ' doo ájíníi da.
stop NEG 4-say.thus.NI NEGNichxǫ' doo ájít’į́į da.
stop NEG 4-act.thus.I NEGnisínílá
3DO-2-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.PNíwe, doo hastóí baa níjít’į́į da!
stop NEG men 3-with 3-4-bother.I NEGSha’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.N later one again-3-1-buy.FShilį́į́’ doo dah didíłdąsh da.
1-horse NEG up start-3-2.jerk.F NEGSohodizingo t’áá ká nídoó’nééh lágo.
prayer-GO neg 2-get.up.O LÁGOT’áadoo hadahooł’áhí.
neg pl-3s-2dpl-make.noise.NP-ÍT’áá hooshch’į’ déshnish.
suddenly 1-start.work.PT’áadoo hooyání łį́į́’ shidáagi ch’éltáál.
suddenly horse 1-front-at 3-bolt.Pitalic 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).T’áá ’aaníí ’aníigo t’éiyá doo bikee’ saad si’ą́ą da.
truly 3-say.I-GO only NEG 3-behind word 3-sit.SPN NEGIf he’s telling the truth there will be nothing to say about it later.
bookmark- t’éiyá onlyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- T’áá ’aaníí trulyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- doo expresses negationfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- -kéé’ behind, followingfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Si-Perfective Neuter (SPN)find in Navajo Verb Modes
- da expresses negationfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
Tó háálínídi ’ahéédidiit’ash ’ałní’ní’ą́ągo.
spring-at refl-1du-meet.F noon-GOLet’s meet at the spring at noon.
bookmark- Proposal, affirmative
- 1st person inclusive, Let’s!
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’ałní’ní’ą́ągo at noonfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Command, affirmative
- 1st person inclusive, Let’s!
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’ałní’ní’ą́ągo noon-atfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Future (F)find in Navajo Verb Modes
Tsxį́įłgo ni’éé’ biih ni’nééh.
hurry 2-clothes 3-into 2-crawl.ITł’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