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:

’Oółháásh lágo.

2-sleep.O don’t
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Don’t go to sleep.

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

’At’ééd t’áá shǫǫ kinaasda’.

girl just good 3-puberty.P

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ ’éiyá naadą́ą́’ ’ayóo k’éédadiilyééh nít’éé’.

long.ago TOP corn very pl-3-1dpl-plant.R past

’Áłahji’ tó dilchxoshí síníł’ą́.

always water popping-Í 3-2-keep.SPN

’Eii ’asdzání t’áá naníle’dii haadzih.

that lady just dismay 3-speak.P

’Eii łééchą̨ą’í t’áá ’áko taah yilwo’.

that dog immediately water.into 3-run.U
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The dog immediately runs into the water.

’Ííyą́ą́dóó bik’ijį’ tsinyaagi nétį́į́ dóó ’iiłhaazh.

1-eat.P and 3-after tree-under-at.spec 1-lie.down.P and 1-sleep.P

’Oółháásh lágo.

2-sleep.O don’t

’Óshą́ą́’ laanaa’ dichin shi’niiłxį́.

1-eat.O wish hunger 1-3-kill.I
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I wish I could eat, I am very hungry.

Bįįh b da’doołdǫǫh.

deer 3-with pl-2dpl-shoot.I

Béeso ła’ nich’į’ nidoolyééł t’ahádą́ą́’ ’ałtso nanilnish.

money some 2-toward 2-3-pay.F before.thus all 2-work.I

Ch’ééh jiyáán náshdį́į́h ’áádóó tó náshdlį́į́h.

watermelon again-1-eat.R then water again-1-drink.R
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I eat watermelon then I drink water.

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Bilagáanaa Bizaad doo diists’a’ da. K’ad éí t’ááshxǫǫd t’áá bee yáshti’.

formerly English NEG 1-understand.I NEG | now TOP at.least just 3-with 1-speak.I

Chidí nidabinóołtłáád.

car pl-3-2dpl-stop.O

Damóogo ’áłah ’aleeh ’áko ’áadi nihaadíínááł.

Sunday 3-gather 3-be so there-at 1-Pl-to-2-arrive.F

daoohdlą́ą́’

pl-3DO-2dpl-drink.it.P

daooyą́ą́’

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

deeshį́į́ł

3DO-1-eat.it.F

deiitł’ó

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

didazhdiłjeeh

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

Díí tł’éé’ ’índa hazhó’óó ’iideeshwosh.

this night only.then uninterrupted 1-sleep.F

Haashą’ ʼátʼé, shí bichʼįʼ haʼdiisdzih.

how-Q 3-be.NI 1 3-to 1-speak.F

hadeishgizh

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

hadiiltééł

3DO-1dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.F
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carry him/her up out of something, 1st person dual

Hahgo hooghan ’ájílééh?

When hogan 4-make.I

haiilgéésh

3DO-1dpl-cut.it.out.I

Hádą́ą́’ Jáan bighan ’áyiilaa?

When-past John 3-hogan 3-3-make.P

Hónáhoot’éhí ’índa ch’aa deeshááł nissin.

next.year until travel will.go.F 1-desire.

jiłhį́į́h

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

jííshóó’

3DO-4-brush/comb.it.P

Kin góne’ siié jiní.

house in 1dpl-sit.I DISC 4-say.I
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Let’s pretend that we’re in the house; we’ll play like we (dual) are (sitting) in the house. (Lit. we find that we are sitting in the house it is said.)

Kénídánííljeehgo, sin ła’ beehódíítał.

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

Mary ha’át’íí nayiisnii’?

Mary what 3-3-buy.P

Na’ná’á biyaa góne’ dóó báhátis ’adiłt’oh.

bridge 3-under below and 3-across 3-3-shoot.P

nidííleeł

3DO-2-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.F
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carry a ropelike thing around, 2nd person singular

Nizhónígo ’oo’ááł.

be.nice.NI-GO be.daytime.Prog
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It is a beautiful day.

Nizhéʼé nilą́ąjįʼ yigáałgo bikééʼ yilwoł.

2-father 2-in.front-to 3-walk.Prog-GO 3-behind 2-run.Prog

Níwe, bíni’dii ’ałwosh!

stop 3-let 3-sleep.I
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Stop, let it sleep!

Shá bíighah na’ashkǫ́ǫ́’.

sun proportionate 1-swim.CI

Shitah honeezgaigo, doo naashnish da dooleeł.

1-body 3-pain.P-GO NEG 1-work.I NEG 3-become.F

T’áadoo hoshíníkéhé.

T’ÁADOO 2-scold.NI-Í

T’áá shǫǫ da la’ da’adą́ądi diné bich’iiyą’ hólǫ́ǫ́ .

at.least such.as some restaurant-at Navajo 3-food 3-exist.NI DISC

T’áá sáhí ʼííníyą́ą́ʼ. Tʼáá shǫǫ da ʼíyą́ shididííniił.

only.you 2-eat.P T’ÁÁ SHǪǪ DA 2-eat.I 1-2-tell.F

Tsézéí lą’í joyéełgo nidaaz dooleeł.

gravel a.lot 3-4-haul.I-GO 3-heavy.NI 3-become.F

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

Yadiizíní bigháníshgéésh.

can 3-through-1-cut.open.I

yiidlą́ą́’

3DO-1dpl-drink.it.P

yik’íideezdiz

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

yishbéézh

3DO-1-boil.it.I

Yiską́ągoósh ’adeestsił nínízingo bee na’anishí hasht’enilééh?

tomorrow-Q 1-make.F 2-want.NI-GO tool 3-2-prepare.I

Łáháda ’ach’íí’ náshdį́į́h.

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