Mode
The mode of a Navajo verb conveys information about the timing of an action or condition. There are seven modes: Imperfective, Perfective, Future, Iterative, Usitative, Optative, and Progressive. This website provides descriptions of each mode and provides example sentences that illustrate the modes. Certain adverbial expressions are compatible with only some of the modes. Examples of these are included also.
Here is one example with a verb in the optative mode:
Each sentence is displayed with the Navajo text on the first line, an English translation on the third, and a gloss of words and word parts on the second. The verb stem is in italics and indicates the mode. There is also a red button which, when clicked, will allow you to hear a recording of a speaker saying the sentence. For more information on the gloss of words and word parts visit this link. For this project we draw on previous work by Fernald & Perkins (manuscript), Young & Morgan (1987), Young, Morgan & Midgette (1992), and others cited in References [link].
In the box below you can search for sentences by verb, mode, or adverb.
An example search has returned 50 entries
’adah
’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’Ashiiké yázhí ła’ chidí yikáá’dę́ę́’ ’adah ’adoogoh.
boys little INDEF car 3-on-from down 3-fall.F’Ałk’idą́ą́’ Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi łį́į́’ bichąą bíighahgo tł’oh deíl’áá ńt’éé’ jiní.
long.ago Navajo.land 3-upon-at horse 3-belly sufficient-GO Pl-3-extend.out.of.sight.SNP hearsay-jí
on the side of, in the direction of, in the manner of
bookmark-jí + -k’ehgo
-k’ą́ą́h
-káá’
-niinaa
because of, on account of
bookmarkCh’ééh jiyáán hastiin baa nahashniihgo ch’ééh ’ííł’įįd ’ahbínídą́ą́’.
watermelon man 3-from 3-1-buy.CI-GO tried in.vain 1-act.P morning-pastCh’iyáán bá hooghandi béeso bideená naashnish.
food.store-at money 3-in-exchange.for 1-work.CIch’ínígóó
Díí łééchąą’í dah doosłóós laanaa.
this dog 1-lead.O.ADV-laanaa optative particle for a positive wish, hope or desire.Doo ’ííłta’go biniinaa t’áá ’ałtsojį’ t’áá shídin hazlį́į́’.
neg 1-go.to.school.P-GO 3-because every-up.to just 1-without 1-become.Pdoohsį́į́ł
3DO-2dpl-eat.it.Fdíníilkaad
3DO-1dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Istart to herd them (animals), 1st person dual
bookmarkha’át’éédę́ę́’
Ha’át’íísh neidiyoołnih nínízin?
who-Q 3-3-buy.F 2-think.NIHaa néelą́ą́’ nidá’ák’eh?
how 3-much.N 2-cornfieldhaa níldííl
Háísh tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?
who-Q boat 3-3-make.Pjoodlą́ą́’
3DO-4-drink.it.PKingóó ’anááda’iisdee’.
town-to again-pl-3-go.RMary ha’át’íí nayiisnii’?
Mary what 3-3-buy.PMary hádą́ą́’sh ’ólta’dę́ę́’ nádzá?
Mary when-past-Q school-from 3-return.PNa’ahóóhaii Ya’iishjááshtsoh bini góne’ nída’adleeh.
July 3-in 3-into rodeo 3-Pl-SUP-be.RNeezdáago ’índa yiyííłtsą́.
3-sit.P-Comp only.then 3-3-see.PNibéézh bee hane’ doo ndi naalnish da.
2-cellphone NEG but 3-work.P NEGRonísh saad neiiłkaah?
Ron-Q word 3-3-investigate.IRonshą’ saadísh neiiłkaah?
Ron-Q word-Q 3-3-investigate.IWhat about Ron, is he investigating words? / Is Ron studying words (too)?
bookmarkShá bíighah ’azee’ál’į́įdi sédá.
sun proportionate medicine 3-make.I 1-sit.SPNShich’ahashkéé léi’ doo bíká ’iishyeed da.
1-3-upset.I since NEG 3-for 1-help.I NEGShimósí yázhí tsin yąąh dah sidáago hádésh’na’ ńt’éé’ ’áłt’ąą hadanáálwod.
1-cat little tree 3-on up 3-sit.SPN-GO 1-climb.P but after.all 3-run.down.PShitsili tsin ła’ nieidiitą́ii’ łeechą́ą́’ii’ łéi néídiiłhaal.
1-little.brother stick 3-3-pick.up.P-and dog INDEF 3-3-hit.PShizhé’é ’azee’ál’į́į́ góne’ bił yah ’i’ííbą́ą́z.
1-father hospital into 3-with in 3-push.wheel.PShíká ’anánílwo’ doodaii’ t’áadoo shaa nánít’íní.
1-for 3-run.R or just-neg 1-to 2-1-bother.IShínaaí shikétł’á ’iiyilgo łį́į́’ bikáá’ hasis’na’.
1-older.brother 1-foot-bottom 3-3-boost.P-GO horse 3-top up-1-crawl.PSitsiitł’óól tsásk’eh bikáá’ dah yishłééh.
Navajo.hair.tie bed 3-on up 3-1-put.SFO.Ut’áá ’íiyisíí
T’áá kintahdi ’ííyą́ą́’ nidi náá’áshdą́.
just town-at 1-eat.P but 3-1eat.RTł’éédą́ą́’ ńléí dził bine’jí ’adildííl yiits’a’ ni’.
night-past there mountain 3-behind-way thunder 3-sound.P recallYadiizíní bigháníshgéésh.
can 3-through-1-cut.open.Iyiishjį́į́ł
Progressive Mode: 1-become.black.ProgYiłką́ą́dą́ą́’ n’diish’na áádóó ’olta’goo dah diiyá. (YM 1987:764)
Dawn.last 1-got.up and school.GOO off.to 1-walk.Pyóó’
away (disappearing, getting lost)
bookmark