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
’Azhą́ níchíil ndi dibé ch’ínínil.
even 3-snow.I but sheep 3-1-release.P’Ałk’ésdisí naháłnii’go sitsilí dóó shideezhí ’aheełt’éego bá ’ahá níjaa’.
candy 3-1-buy.P-GO 1-little.brother and 1-little.sister RECP-equal-GO 3-for RECP-for 3-lie.aligned.PlO.NPAshkii tó nílinígíi yiih dzółhaał.
Boy flowing.water-ÍGÍÍ 3-in 3-3-fall.OAłk’idą́ą́’ ’éiyá naadą́ą́’ ’ayóo k’éédadiilyééh ńt’éé’. Díísh jį́įdi ’éiyá kindę́ę́’ nidahiilniih.
long.ago TOP corn very pl-3-1dpl-plant.R past | this day-at TOP store-from pl-3-1dpl-buy.CILong ago, we planted corn. Now, we buy corn from the store.
bookmark- ’éiyá topic markerfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- nit’ee’ pastfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- ’ałk’idą́ą́’ long ago, formerlyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- ’ayóo very, extremelyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- díísd jį́įdi nowadaysfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Iterative (R)
- Continuative Imperfective (CI)
Ch’iyáán bá hooghandi béeso bideená naashnish.
food.store-at money 3-in-exchange.for 1-work.CII work at the food store for money.
bookmarkCh’ééh la’ baa ntséskees.
in.vain puzzlement 3-about 1-think.IChaha’oh biyaagi ni’dííłbąs.
shade.house 3-under-at 2-drive.FDamóo yę́ędą́ą́’ dziłghą́ą́’dę́ę́’ shádí dóó ba’áłchíní bił ’adaashkai.
sunday past-time mountain top.of-from 1-elder.sister and 3-children 3-with downward-1-go.Pl.PDibé yah ánáádanołkaad!
sheep inside semelit-pl-2pl-gather.IDíí gohwééh doondó’ sido da!
this coffee not.even 3-hot.SPN NEGDíísh niyázhí ’át’é?
this-Q 2-little.one 3-be.NIDoo ’áłah deiidleeh da.
NEG together pl-1dpl-meet.pl.I NEGDíí tsé t’óó la’ béésh át’é nahalin.
this rock contrary.to.appearances metal 3.be.NI 3-resemble.NIGohwééh t’áá bizhání ’éí doodaii’ ’abe’ biłgo daats’í nínízin?
coffee only TOP or milk 3-with-GO perhaps 3-2-want.NIHastiin łééchąą’í dabooyééł.
man dog 3-3-haul.LPB.ProgHáíshą’ tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?
who-Q boat 3-3-make.PJáanísh naalnish?
John-Q 3-work.IK’ad shicheii bíká ’iishyeed.
now 1-grandfather 3-for 1-run.INahóółtą́ągo ’atiin bidííłdááz jiní.
3-rain.SSO.P-GO road 3-fall.away.P 4-say.Pnaohłé
3DO-2dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.INLA k’adę́ę ‘ałtso ’aleehgo baa nitséskees.
NLA almost all 3i-occur.I-GO 3-about 1-think.ISharon łį́į́' tł’oh yá neiníłjool.
Sharon horse hay 3-for 3-3-give.NCM.PShá bíighah yáshti’ lá.
sun proportionate 1-talk.I DISCShich’é’é bi’éé’ bá ’áshłéehgo naat’ą́hí hááłgizh.
1-daughter 3-clothes 3-for 3-1-make-I 1-GO fabric I-cut.PShimá bighangóó náshdáahgo łééchąą’í baná’ástso’.
1-mother 3-house-toward again-1-go-GO dog 3-again-1-feed.RShimá dóó shizhé’é bił dibé dóó tł’ízí ta’nda’díígish nt’éé’.
1-mom and 1-dad 3-with sheep and goats 3-pl.shear.I pastWe used to shear sheep and goats with my mom and dad in the past.
bookmark- dóó and, and thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- dóó and, and thenfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)
- tá’dishgéésh shear it
- ńt’éé’ pastfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon




