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
’Ashkii bi’éé’ hazhó’ó ’ayíyiishchid dóó ’ólta’ góne’ yah ’ííyá.
boy 3-shirt nicely 3-3-tuck.in.P and school into into 3-go.P’At’ééd t’áá shǫǫ kinaasda’.
girl just good 3-puberty.P’Ayóo la’ deesdoi, nahóółtą́ą́’ laanaa.
very disc 3-hot.SPN 3-rain.O hope’Ałah ’aleehgóó deesháál nínízinísh doodago béésh nitsíkeesí daats’í bee nidoonááł ’éí doodago t’áá hooghanídi daats’í KTNN yídíiłts’iił?
meeting-to 1-go-F 3-2 want.NI-Q or computer possibly 2-watch.F or just home-at possibly KTNN 3-2-listen.FWill you go to the Chapter meeting in person or watch on the computer or will you stay home and listen to KTNN?
bookmark- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Future (F)
- déyá start to go
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)
- nisin think, want
- doodago orfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- -ísh enclitic for yes/no questionsfind in Navajo Questions Lexicon
- daats’í maybe, perhaps, possiblyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Future (F)
’Áshįįh Bii’ Tóógóó náádísdzáago dziłghą́ą́’ hanáádeesh’nah.
Salt.Lake.City-toward again-1-go.F-GO mountain-back again-1-climb.RAshkii hooghan gone’ ałhosh.
boy hogan inside 2-sleep.NIAt’ééd na’abąąs yíhooł’ą́ą’go bimá yił ’oołbąs.
girl driving 3-3-learn.P-GO 3-mother 3-with 3-drive.ProgBibee’eldǫǫh haiyííłhan’ii’ ’bįįh yił ’adeesdǫǫh.
gun 3-jerk.out.P-and deer 3-shot.PBíla’ashdla’ii nishlį́.
3-hand-five-NOM 1-be.NIChahash’ohjí ch’ínááhoníshóó’.
brush arbor-JÍ out-again-area-sweep.RDibé dził binaashii nanishkaad.
sheep hill 3-across.from 3-1-herd.CIDíí łééchąą’í dah doosłóós laanaa.
this dog 1-lead.O.ADV-laanaa optative particle for a positive wish, hope or desire.Doo ’atiin bąąhgóó ch’il ’ahwééh ’áłah ’ájíléeh da.
NEG road 3-beside-along plant coffee together 3-4-gather.SFO.I NEGDon’t gather tea along the roadside.
bookmark- Indirect command with negationfind in Navajo Imperatives
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- 4th person admonition, negative, Imperfectivefind in Navajo Imperatives
- -ąąh on, besidefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)
Doo ’áłah deiidleeh da.
NEG together pl-1dpl-meet.pl.I NEGDoo tó tsíídkáá’ dididííkáał da.
NEG water charcoal-on start-3-2-put.OC.F NEGGohwééh t’áá bizhání ’éí doodaii’ ’abe’ biłgo daats’í nínízin?
coffee only TOP or milk 3-with-GO perhaps 3-2-want.NIhadeneeshchaad
pl-3DO-3dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).PHáágóó lá Bíl doogááł nízin Jáan?
where-toward Q Bill 3-go.sg.F 3-want.CI JohnHáí shą’ ’ałhosh?
who Q 3-sleep.IHooghan binááshwoł ńt’éé shimá sání shich’ahóóshkeed.
hogan 3-encircling-1-run.Prog past 1-grandmother 1-3-scold.PHoozdodę́ę́’ 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 DISCComing back from Phoenix by Greyhound bus I got left behind in the restaurant in Flagstaff.
bookmark- -dę́ę́’ from a general location or point in space or time, also out of, off offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
- -ee by means offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- instrumental
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- góne’ insidefind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- Si-Perfective Neuter (SPN)
- sédá sit
- -yaa under, beneath, downfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
Mexicogóó daashin déyáa ni’.
Mexico-to was.it 2-go.I NI’Mósí ch’óółt’e’ lágo.
cat out-3-2-carry.O LÁGOMósísh nił ya’át’ééh?
cat-Q 2-with 3-be.good.NINa’nízhoozhígóó chídí doo nił dah didoolwoł da.
Gallup-to car NEG 2-with up start-3.drive.F NEGYou will not go to Gallup with the car.
bookmark- Command, negativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Futurefind in Navajo Imperatives
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- dah up at an elevation, off, static, holdingfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Future (F)
- ’oolwoł drive
Na’nízhoozhígóó nihił ’adeeswod ’áko shį́į́ ’adiidį́į́ł chidí nihá ’ánálnéehgo.
Gallup-to 1-with INDEF-drive.P then maybe 1-dual-eat.F car 1-for 3-fix.I-GOWe are going to Gallup maybe then eat while the car is being repaired.
bookmark- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -á for, for the benefit offind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)
- Future (F)
- yíshą́ eat itlook up conjugationhide conjugation ▾
- ’áko shį́į́ then maybe, then probablyfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)
Na’níle’dii béeso ła’ haaníníl, t’áadoo tł’oh nidziisnii’ da.
dismay money some 4-3-1-give.PlO.P NEG hay 3-4-buy.P NEGNa’nízhoozhídi yíníyáago t’áá ká ła’ bił ’ahóókááh lágo.
Gallup-at 2-go.P-GO see.to.it some 3-with 3pl-meet.O NEGnidííleeł
3DO-2-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.FNimá yázhí bighangóó díílwoł dóó ’áájí ’awéé’ baa ’áhólyą́ą dooleeł.
your aunt 3-house-to 2-run-and that-way baby 3-for 2-care.CI FUTShá bíighah ’azee’ál’į́įdi sédá.
sun proportionate medicine 3-make.I 1-sit.SPNShimá 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
Shimá dóó shizhe’é ’éiyáhá Kin Łánígóó naazh’áázh.
1-mother and 1-father TOP building many-to 3-roundtrip.pl.SPShíká ’anánílwo’ doodago’ t’áadoo shaa nánít’į́ní!
1-after indef-help.R or just-neg 1-about 1-2-bother.NI-negShínaaí shíká ’adoolwoł nisin ńt’éé’ ’áłt’ąą t’áadoo níyáa da.
1-older.brother 1-for 3-run.F 1-want.NI but after.all NEG 3-come.sg.P NEGI wanted my older brother to help me but unfortunately he didn’t come.
bookmark- -ká after, forfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- benefactive
- Future (F)
- yishwoł run along
- Neuter Imperfective (NI)
- nisin think, want
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- ’áłt’ąą after allfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- t’áadoo notfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)
- nishááh come, arrive
Shį́įgo ch’ééh jiyáán yishį́į́h ’áádóó tó lą’í yishdlį́į́h.
summer-GO watermelon 3-1-eat.U and.then water lots 3-1-drink.UT’ah doo la’ nimá bich’į’ dínáah da.
still NEG surprise 2-mother 3-toward 2-go.I NEGT’áá binaa naasháa dooleeł
just 3-nearby 1-walk.I FUTURETsé bikáa’gi béésh dah si’ą́.
rock 3-on-at knife up 3-sit.SNPyidooyį́į́ł
3DO-3-eat.it.Fyidííłhį́į́’
3DO-3-melt.it.Pyiishjį́į́h
Imperfective Mode: 1-become.black.IŁį́į́’ bí’diidlį́į́d shił bééhózin.
horse 3-3-brand.P 1-with 3-of-3-conceive.II know how to brand horses.
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