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

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ ch’iyáán ’áshłaago dajííyą́ą́’.

yesterday food 1-make.P-GO pl-4-eat.P

’Ahwééh ła’ yishdlą́.

coffee some 3-1-drink.I

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ Naayéé’ Neizghání ha’a’aahjigo ’atsiniltł’ish bił dah yizdéél jiní.

long.ago Monster Slayer east-to lightning 3-with up 3-move.SFO.P 4-say

’Áádóó hainidzaa?

and.then what-3-2-do.P

’Áshįįh Bii’ Tóodi níyáago dził bąąh hanáádeesh’nah.

Salt.Lake.City-at 1-go.P-GO mountain 3-on again-1-climb.R
listenloadingplaying

When I go to Salt Lake, I will climb mountains again.

’Áłah ’aleehdi hastiin léi’ t’óó yááłtih yiits’a’.

meeting-at man INDEF just 3-talk.Prog 3-be.heard.I

’áłt’ąą

listenloadingplaying

after all, in spite of that, “darn if”, unfortunately

’Óshą́ą́’ laanaa’ dichin shi’niiłxį́.

1-eat.O wish hunger 1-3-kill.I

'Áłahji’ tó dilchxoshí síníł’ą́.

always water popping-Í 3-2-keep.SPN

-ee

Asdzání ní’jookąąhgo kintahdi nijighá.

woman-NOM Rep-3a-beg.I-GOtown-at about-3a-walk.I
listenloadingplaying

A lady is walking around in the city asking for help.

bik’ídadeediz

pl-3DO-1dpl-wrap.it.around.it.P

bik’ídeediz

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

daohsą́

pl-3DO-2dpl-eat.it.I

Dichin nínízin ya’?

hungry 2-want.NI Q

Díidí háísh bichidí?

this who-Q 3-car

dooshą’ léi’ --- lá

Dziłneeláagí nánisé’ ’azee’ háágeed.

mountain-end-at growing.herb medicine up-3-1-dig-1.P
listenloadingplaying

I collected medicinal herbs at the base of the mountain.

dííyį́į́ł

3DO-2-eat.it.F

Gohwééh doo ndi łikan da.

coffee NEG but 3-taste-good.NI NEG

Ha’át’íí biniiyé ’ákǫ́ǫ́ díníyá?

what 3-for.purpose there 2-start.go.P

Ha’ąądi dibé bighan.

areal-other.side sheep 3-corral
listenloadingplaying

The sheep corral is on the other side (of the hill).

haa néelą́ą́’

listenloadingplaying

how much, how many, what quantity. [mass]

hadazhdoołtééł

pl-3DO-4dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.F

hadazhdééłbįįd

pl-3DO-4dpl-fill.something.up.with.it.P

hadoołtééł

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

hahí

Hatáálgóó déyáago shikélchí t’óó tsxį́į́łgo bił ’ada’shéshiizhgo ńdaséłkad.

ceremony-1-go-Fut-GO 1-moccasin merelyhurry.GO 3-with 3-1-pierce-GO 3-1-sew-P
listenloadingplaying

Since I was going to a ceremony, I hurriedly pierced holes in my moccasins and sewed them.

hayííłgizh

3DO-3-cut.it.out.P

háagi

listenloadingplaying

where at (specifically)

Háágóó díníyá?

where-to 2-go.F

Hádą́ą́’sh Dibé Nitsaadę́ę́’ néínídzá?

when-past-Q Colorado 3-return.P

Hái da shą’ tsinaa’eeł ’ájiilaa lá?

who DA Q boat 3-4-make.P DISC
listenloadingplaying

(I wonder) who made this boat?

Hoozdodę́ę́’ Łééchąąłgaii bee nááshdááłgo Kinłánídi da’jiyání góne’ sédáago shiyaa haalwod lá.

Phoenix-from greyhound.bus 3-with 1-return.Prog-GO Flagstaff-at cafe into 1-sit.SPN-GO 1-under 3-run.P DISC

jidííłhį́į́’

3DO-4-melt.it.P

k’asídą́ą́’

listenloadingplaying

very nearly, within an ace of, coming close to

Kénídánííljeehgo, sin łah beehódíítał.

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

When we have a shoegame, you will sing a song.

Na’nishkaadgo nídíshchííyaagi hanáshyį́į́h ńt’éé’ ’iiłhaazh lá, t’ah nít’éé’ shilééchąą’í ch’ééshinísid.

1-herd.I-GO pinetree-under-at 1-rest.I past 1-slept.P DISC all.of.sudden 1-dog 1-woke.up.P

Na’nízhoozhígóó náádínídzáago háadish ’adeeshį́į́ł nínízin?

Gallup-toward again-2-go.R-GO where-Q 1-eat-F 2-want.NI

Shá bíighah ’azee’ál’į́įdi sédá.

sun proportionate medicine 3-make.I 1-sit.SPN

Shicheii déidiiłjeeh’ii’, hoozdohgóó nahisiitą́.

1-grandfather 3-3-built.fire.P-and warm-to 3-sit.P

t’áadoo

T’áadoo naaltsoos dayínółta’í.

neg book pl-3-2dpl-read.I-Í

t’áá gééd

Tooh ńłínígíí ha’naa shił ’adeeshdloozh ńt’éé’ łį́į́’ shił deezgo’

water river areal-across 1-with 3-move.P past horse 1-with 3-fall.P
listenloadingplaying

I started to ride across the river when the horse fell with me.

Tsxį́įłgo ni’éé’ biih ni’nééh.

hurry 2-clothes 3-into 2-crawl.I
listenloadingplaying

Hurry and get dressed.

Yiską́ągo daats’í doodaii’ naakiiską́ągo daats’í dah dideeshááł.

tomorrow.GO maybe either two.tomorrow-GO or start.off 1-start.go.F

Yóó’ ’anáshyeed.

away 1-run.I
listenloadingplaying

I’m running away.

yíłhį́į́’

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

Łahda sibéeso (shibéeso) ’ádin łeh.

sometimes 1-money 3-not.exist.NI usually
listenloadingplaying

At times, I have no money.