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
’Adáádą́ą́’, hééł sinil góne’ hasht’ehooshłaa.
Day.last belongings storage inside 3-1-clean.P’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ ’íítseedgo bee na’anishí hasht’enáshdlééh.
yesterday 1-pound.P-GO tool 3-1-put.back.I’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.NP’Eii łééchą̨ą’í t’áá ’áko taah yilwo’.
that dog immediately water.into 3-run.U'Ólta’góó deínóhkááh.
school-toward pl-2dpl-go.pl.PROG"Binák’eegóó baa da’ashch’osh lá," didíínííł.
3-eye-between-around 3-to pl-3-infest.P DISC 3-2-tell.Fbik’ídazhdeezdiz
pl-3DO-4dpl-wrap.it.around.it.PBįįh bił da’doółdǫǫh.
deer 3-with pl-2dpl-shoot.OCh’íníyáá nít’ę́ę́’ t’áá hooshch’į’ łééchąą’í shich’į’ ch’élwod.
out-1-go.P past suddenly 1-to dog out-3-come.PDah nóóljííd lágo.
up 2-jump.O don’tDamǫ́ǫgo tódilchxoshí yishdlį́į́h.
Sunday-GO soda 3-1-drink.UDichinísh doodaii’ dibáá’ísh dzinízin?
hunger-Q or thirst-Q 3-4-want.NIdizhdínóołkał
3DO-4-start.to.herd.them.(animals).FDíí yiską́ągo ’íídííłtah.
this tomorrow 3-2-read.FDoochǫǫł á’téego!
repulsive 3-be.NI-GODoondó’ daatsaah da noolin.
not.even 3-sick.I NEG 3-resemble.NIGohwééh ła’ shaa níkaah.
coffee some 1-to 2-give.OC.Ihadeidoołtééł
pl-3DO-3dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.Fhadoołtééł
3DO-2dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.FHaidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ nishishnish ńt’éé’ --- doo shił yá’áhoot’éeh da.
winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.P past neg 1-with 3-good.N negI worked in the mine (shaft) last year and I didn’t like it.
bookmark- -dą́ą́’ past timefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -ne’ behindfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)
- naashnish work
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
Háí lá Naatsis’áángóó náádeesdzá?
who-Q discover Navajo.Mountain.GOO again-3-go.FHáí lá yiską́ągo Tónaneesdizígóó bił ’adeeswod?́
who discovery tomorrow.GO Tuba.City.GOO with 3-drive.F-QHooghan ’adeeshłííł ndi tsineheeshjíí’ shee ’ádin.
hogan 1-build.F but lumber 1-with 3-none.NIjiyą́
3DO-4-eat.it.INahóółtą́ągo tł’óo’di dizhdółjeeh le’ nízin shicheii.
it.rained-GO outside.at 4-build.fire.O wish 3-3.want.CI my.grandfathernidajilé
pl-3DO-4dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.INidáa’di 'áká' 'ajólyééd.
enemy.way.ceremony-at 4-for 4-run.ONizhé’é ha’át’íísh nahideeshnih nízin.
2-father-Q what 3-1-buy.F 3-want.NINił hǫ́zhǫ́ǫ́sh doodaii’ doósh nił hózhǫ́ǫ da?
2-with-happy.NI-Q or neg-Q 2-with happy.NI negShá bíighah yáshti’ lá.
sun proportionate 1-talk.I DISCShilį́į́’ doo dah didíłdąsh da.
1-horse NEG up start-3-2.jerk.F NEGSiláo yik’ee noochééł.
police account 3-flee.ProgT’áá ’íídą́ą́’ ła’ nímasii bik’ééłgizh.
already some potato 3-1-peel.PT’áá hooshch’į’ déshnish.
suddenly 1-start.work.PT’áá ’aaníí ’aníigo t’éiyá doo bikee’ saad si’ą́ą da.
truly 3-say.I-GO only NEG 3-behind word 3-sit.SPN NEGIf he’s telling the truth there will be nothing to say about it later.
bookmark- t’éiyá onlyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- T’áá ’aaníí trulyfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)
- doo expresses negationfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
- -kéé’ behind, followingfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Si-Perfective Neuter (SPN)
- da expresses negationfind in Navajo Particle Lexicon
Tó háálínídi ’ahéédidiit’ash ’ałní’ní’ą́ągo.
spring-at refl-1du-meet.F noon-GOLet’s meet at the spring at noon.
bookmark- Proposal, affirmativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- 1st person inclusive, Let’s!find in Navajo Imperatives
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’ałní’ní’ą́ągo at noonfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Command, affirmativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- 1st person inclusive, Let’s!find in Navajo Imperatives
- -di atfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ’ałní’ní’ą́ągo noon-atfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Future (F)