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

’Ak’ah ła’ dishhį́įhgo baa naashá.

lard some 3-1-melt.I 3-to 1-go.CI

Abínídą́ą́’ kintahgóó dah didoohkah.

morning-past town-GÓÓ up start-3pl.go.F

’Ahbínídą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’ííyą́ą́’góó biniinaa wónáásdóó dichin shi’niiłhį́.

morning-past NEG 1-eat.P-NEG.GO because soon hunger 1-3-kill.P

’Ahbínígo ch’éshááh ’áádóó sodiszįįh.

morning-GO 1-go.out.U and.then 1-pray.U

’Atiin bąąhgóó doo ch’il ’ahwééh ’ájíléeh da.

road 3-beside-along NEG plant coffee together 3-4-gather.SFO.I NEG

’Éí lą́ą baa nitséskees nít’ę́ę́’.

that EMP 3-about 1-think.I past

'Áłahji’ tó dilchxoshí síníł’ą́.

always water popping-Í 3-2-keep.SPN

At'ééd aní shí k'ad naalyéhé báhooghango déyá. Nit'éé' bimá aní k'adee' da'iigháásh.

girl 3-say.IP 1-now goods 3-for-home-GO directional-go. past 3-mother 3-say.IP now time-sleep.

bik’ídiidis

3DO-1dpl-wrap.it.around.it.I

Da’ ’ałní’ní’ą́ąjį’ tł’óo’di nishínílnish?

Q noon-until outside-at 2-work.P

Da’ k’ad daats’í ch’iyáán ’áníléehgo n ’adazh’niiyą́ą́’?

Q now perhaps food 2-make.I-GO 2-for feast.happen

Da’ shééhonísin?

Q 1-2-know.NI

dajiyą́

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

dajííyą́ą́’

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

Dichin nínízin ya’?

hungry 2-want.NI Q

didazhdiłjeeh

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

didííłhįh

3DO-2-melt.it.F

dizhdidoołjah

3DO-4-start.fire.F

Doo ’áłah deiidleeh da.

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

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

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

dooshą’ dó’ léi’ --- lá

doołhį́į́’

3DO-2dpl-melt.it.P

Dziłghą́ą́’góó deeshááł nissin.

mountain-top-toward 1-go.F 1-want.CI

hadadoołtééł

pl-3DO-2dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.F

hadasoogeed

pl-3DO-2dpl-dig.it.out.P

hainiłchaad

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

hayíígeed

3DO-3-dig.it.out.P

jidiłhį́į́h

3DO-4-melt.it.I

jííłhį́į́’

3DO-4-melt.it.(snow).P

Kénídánííljeehgo, sin ła’ beehódíítał.

shoe.game-GO song some 2-sing.F

Mósí ch’óółt’e’ lágo.

cat out-3-2-carry.O LÁGO

Na’ashǫ́’ii doo baa nijit’į́į́ da.

snake NEG 3-with 4-bother.O NEG
listenloadingplaying

Do not bother snakes.

Naaltsoos yiníshta’go shíni’ shaa ’áyiilaa.

book 3-1-read.I-GO 1-mind 1-for 3-3-make.P
listenloadingplaying

The book I was reading established my thoughts.

naohłé

3DO-2dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.I

Níwe, bíni'dii ’áyą́!

stop 3-let 3-3-eat.I
listenloadingplaying

Stop, let it eat!

Níwe, tʼáádoo ʼałkʼésdisí niyą́ní.

stop NEG candy 3-2-eat.DI.NEG

Sha’ałchíní ayóó niłch’í naalkídi deineł’į́ ’áko ndi shí éí shináá bąą adin.

1-children very air 3-move.I 3-3.look.I however I 1-eyes 3-on doesn’t exist.

Sha’áłchíní Toohgóó bił ’eesbąs.

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

She’abe’ sits’ą́ą́’ wóódlą́ą́’ lágo.

1-milk 1-from 3-2-drink.O LÁGO

Shichídí sh hooghangóó dídzį́į́s.

1-car 1-for hogan-GÓÓ start-3-2-tow.I

T’áadoo hosh biih dadoołtaałí.

neg cactus 3-in pl-2dpl-step.O-Í

T’áadoo hosh niyą́ní.

T’ÁADOO cactus 3-2-eat.I-Í
listenloadingplaying

Don’t eat cactus.

Tó dílchxoshí sits’ą́ą́’ wóódlą́ą́lágo.

soda 1-from 3-1-drink.O don’t
listenloadingplaying

I hope you don’t drink my soda.

yiidlą́ą́’

3DO-1dpl-drink.it.P

yiigish

3DO-1dpl-make.one.cut.in.it.I

yiit’aal

3DO-1dpl-chew.it.P

yik’ídéididis

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

yíłhį́į́’

3DO-1-melt.it.(snow).P

Łį́į́ b níníłjooł.

horse 3-for 3-2-handle.NCM.F

ʼAwéé chʼídeeldloʼ; chʼiyáán bá ʼádaʼdoołííł dóó bá niʼdaʼdoonih.

baby 3-laugh.P food 3-for pl-3-2dpl-prepare.F and 3-for pl-3-2dpl-distribute.F