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
’Aoo’, shí dó’ t’áá ’ákwíinisin.
yes 1 also just 1-think.so.NI’Ałk’idą́ą́’ tóniteel bąąhgóó tádííyáhę́ę bénááshnii’.
long.ago ocean 3-beside-along around-1-past 3-1-remember.P"Háadi da nide’ánááhoodzaago shaa náádíídááł" hałní jiní.
"where.at such.as 2-build.up.again.areal.happen.GO.R 1-come again.2-walk.I" 4-said they.say"Whenever you get overwhelmed again you come and see me" it said they say
bookmark-ni
Béésh ’áłts’ózí bee ’atsidí bee ’aháníłne’.
wire hammer 3-with 3-1-beat.PCh’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Diné Bizaad naalkaah doo shił bééhózin da. K’ad éí t’áá shxǫǫd shił báá hózin.
formerly Navajo language research NEG 1-with 3-of ho-know.CI NEG | now TOP luckily 1-with 3-about-ho-know.CIFrom the beginning, I didn’t know about Navajo linguistics. Now I’m finally able to understand it.
bookmark- bééhózin there is knowledge
- ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ formerly, originallyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)
- k’ad nowfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)
- bééhózin there is knowledge
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
Chidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodago ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?
car-Q 3-with 4-exist.N or 2 maybe car 2-with 4-exist.NIChizh ła’ yah ’aníjááh.
firewood some in 2-bring.IDibé bits’į́’ daodą́ą́’ lágo.
sheep 3-meat pl-3-1dpl-eat.O LÁGODíí yiską́ągo ’íídííłtah.
this tomorrow 3-2-read.Fdó’
Díí dibé yázhí yíłtééł.
TOP sheep little 3-2-carry.AnO.ProgGohwééh t’áá bizhání ’éí doodaii’ ’abe’ biłgo daats’í nínízin?
coffee only TOP or milk 3-with-GO perhaps 3-2-want.NIHa’át’éegoshą’ t’áadoo ’azee’ál’į́į́góó nisíníyáa da?
why-Q NEG hospital-to 2-go.sg.P NEGHastiin sání léi’ ’áłchíní bił yanáa’áago yił nahalne’.
man old INDEF children 3-with 3-pile.NI-COMP 3-with 3-tell.CIHáadi lá dibé nidahaniih?
where-at Q sheep pl-3-pass-sell.CIHáadi lá łį́į́’ naakai?
where-at Q horse 3dpl-walk.Iháajį’
Ląʼí Náhóółtáago hodookʼááłígíí yaa kódzaa dooleeł
much 3-rain-GO.O 3-fire.I-IGII 3-down to.happen.NI 3-become.FMósí yázhí chizhtah yiyah yilwod.
kitten woodpile.among 3-under 3-run.PNaalyéhé 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.PNaʼahóóhai baa nídiikai ʼakó ʼakʼidahiʼniłí bee shíká ʼadíílwoł.
rodeo 3-about 1pl-do.F so saddle.blanket 3-with 1-after 2-help.FNáńsdzáago t’áá ’íídą́ą́’ ’ííníyą́ą’ dooleeł.
back-1-go.sg.P-GO just already INDEF-2-eat.P FUTNishą́? Náádilyeed ho’dooniid.
2-Q It. 2-run 3-2-said.Pnizhdooleeł
3DO-4-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.Fcarry a ropelike thing around, 4th person
bookmark