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-í

(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

Naaltsoos aseezį́ yíníshtaʼ.

paper gossip 3-1-read.I

’Ahbínídą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’ííyą́ą́’góó biniinaa wónáásdóó sitsiits’iin díínii’.

morning-past neg 1-eat.P-GO.NEG because soon 1-head 3-ache.P

’Ahwééh ła’ wóshdlą́ą́’.

coffee some 3-1-drink.O

’Ádihodideesht’ih sha’shin nisingo t’áadoo ’atah haasdzíi’ da.

RFLX-1-get.into.trouble.F perhaps 1-think.CI-GO NEG among 1-say.P NEG

Asdzání ní’jookąąhgo kintahdi nijighá.

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

Ashkii tó nílinígíi yiih dzółhaał.

Boy flowing.water-ÍGÍÍ 3-in 3-3-fall.O

Baa tįįh náádiikah.

3-for achieve 1dpl-walk.pl.I

Chidí nidabinóołtłáád.

car pl-3-2dpl-stop.O
listenloadingplaying

Don’t stop the cars!/I hope you (pl) ...

Da’ dichinísh nínízin?

Q hunger-Q 2-feel.NI

dajiyą́

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

dajííyą́ą́’

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

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ Yootóógóó niséyá.

Sunday past Santa.Fe-to 1-go.P

deiilbéézh

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

Dibé tóógóó neeshkał.

sheep water-toward 3-1-herd.Prog

Dichinísh doodaii’ dibáá’ísh dzinízin?

hunger-Q or thirst-Q 3-4-want.NI

dididiiljah

3DO-1dpl-start.fire.F

Díí yihahígíí biyi’, háísh tówónaanígóó ch’aa deeyá?

this year.IGII within who overseas.GOO travel 3-going.F-Q

Díí éé’ shił nizhónígo nahideeshniih nisin nt’éé’ ’áko ndi ayóo ilį́į́ lá.

this clothing 1-with 3-like-GO 3-1-buy.F 1-think.Cl Past even then very 3-expensive Disc

Dziłgóó ’o’ooldee’ yę́ę ná’ooldah.

mountain-to 3-go.pl.P past 3-return.pl.I

Haashíyee’ díí naak’ee sinilí biniitááh t’áá daats’í bee hoot’į́.

try.and.find.out this eyeglasses 3-2-try.IP just maybe 3-with area-pas-see.Prog.N

hadaoołgizh

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

hadííłtééł

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

hainiłchaad

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

Haʼoodzíí’ binaashnish.

sentence 3-1-work.CI

K’ad ’ałníí’góó ’eeshtł’óół doo yę́ę ła’ damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’asétł’ǫ́ǫ da.

now half-toward 1-weave.Prog future past one Sunday when.past NEG 1-weave.P NEG

K’os hóle’!

cloud 3s-become.O
listenloadingplaying

I wish for clouds

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? 

Naalyéhé bá hooghandi t’ah doo dá’deelkaałdą́ą́’ nisingo na’ńle’dii tsį́į́ł shiisxį́ (siisxį́).

trading.post-at just NEG 3-PASS-close.I-past 1-think.N-GO dismay speed 1-3-kill.P

Neel’ą́ą le’.

term-3-reach.up.to.NI LE’
listenloadingplaying

I wish water to reach (my stomach).

Nida’iilyéego ’áłt’ąą yiską́ągo ’índa yínááł doo.

pass.pay.I-go after.all tomorrow only.then 2-come.Prog future

nisoołkáá’

3DO-2dpl-investigate.it.P

nisélá

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

nizhdooleeł

3DO-4-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.F

Saad biihi’níłí doo bee neilnish da.

word computer NEG 3-with pl-2-du.work.I NEG
listenloadingplaying

We (us two) don’t work with computers.

Shicheii bighangóó yishááł.

1-grandfather house-toward 1-go.Prog

Shicheii naalyehe bahooghandi chʼiiyaan nayiiłniih.

maternal.grandfather grocery 3-house-at food 3-3-buy.I
listenloadingplaying

My maternal grandfather is buying food at the grocery store.

shéłbéézh

3DO-1-boil.it.P

Siláo yik’ee noochééł.

police account 3-flee.Prog
listenloadingplaying

S|he is running away from the police.

T’áadoo ná’iilwoshí.

NEG 2-sleep.R

T’ą́ą́tsoh táá’góó yoołkáłę́ędą́ą́’ ’ałdó’ Tóta’góó tádííyá.

May three-góó day-past also Farmington-góó 1-went.P

Tł’éé’go doo ’ízh’dísóół da.

night-GO NEG 4-whistle.O NEG
listenloadingplaying

Do not whistle at night. 

Tł’óo’di kǫ’ diltłi’ bikáa’gi chéch’il ła’ dináádísh’nííł.

outside-at fire 3-burn.NI 3-on-at oak some fire-again-3-1-move.PlO.I

woohgish

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

yiidlą́ą́’

3DO-1dpl-drink.it.P

yiilzhóó’

3DO-1dpl-brush/comb.it.P

Yiską́ągo díí doo ’íídííłtah da. (K’ad tsxíiłgo ’ííníłta’.)

tomorrow this NEG 3-2-read.F NEG (now quickly 3-2-read.I)

Yiską́ągo shicheii nihaa deeshááł ní.

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

Łáháda ’ach’íí’ náshdį́į́h.

now.and.then rolled.intestine 1-eat.R

Łééchąą’í ’atsį’ tsxį́įłgo yiyą́. .’

dog meat quick-GO 3-3-eat.I
listenloadingplaying

The dog is eating the meat quickly

“Níléí dził binaagóó ’ahééh hi’díníilchééł”, ní jiní ma’ii.

yonder.there mountain 3-around-GÓÓ around 2-du-run.F 3-say.P 4-say.P coyote