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

’Anishkeed, t’áá ká nóólk’oł lágo.

2-3-photograph.I neg 2-blink.O LÁGO

’Ashą́ą́ nít’ę́ę́’ t’áadoo hooyání shaa ’ílwod.

1-eat.Prog past suddenly 1-for 3-drive.P

’At’ééd sin t’áá hahígo yíhooł’ą́ą́’.

girl song just quickly 3-3-learn.P
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The girl quickly learned the song.

’Azee’ál’į́įdi t’óó tsé’édin ’ájiidzaa.

hospital-at just worse 4-become.NP

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ dahane’ yę́ę bíneeshdlį́įgo yíłta’.

long.ago pl-story past 3-1-admire.I-GO 3-1-read.P

’Áshįįh Bii’ Tóodi níyáago dził bąąh hanáádeesh’nah.

Salt.Lake.City-at 1-go.P-GO mountain 3-on again-1-climb.R
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When I go to Salt Lake, I will climb mountains again.

’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.

bik’ídadidiidis

pl-3DO-1dpl-wrap.it.around.it.F
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wrap it around it, 1st person plural

bik’ídidíídis

3DO-2-wrap.it.around.it.F
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wrap it around it, 2nd person singular

Bini’ íídeeshtah doodago ’éiyá yóó’ ’adeeshwoł.

let will-1-school or only away 1-off-run.P

Ch’iyáán ’ádaasdįįdgo kingóó ła’ hááshááł.

food pl-3-run.out.P-GO store-to some area-1-go.get.Prog

Ch’iyáán ’áshłaadóó tsííd bik’i hooziid.

food 3-1-cook.P-from embers 3-onto area-1-cover.P
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I cooked the food afterwards, I covered the ambers.

Chahash’ohjí ch’ínááhoníshóó’.

brush arbor-JÍ out-again-area-sweep.R
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I swept the brush arbor again.

Daané’é baa na’aldeehdi ’at’ééd jooł yídzoołtał.

game 3-to 3-happen.CI-at girl ball 3-3-kick.Prog

dadoohsį́į́ł

pl-3DO-2dpl-eat.it.F
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eat it, 2nd person plural

dajiyą́

pl-3DO-4dpl-eat.it.I

dashoołbéézh

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

Dibé bitsį’ doodago béégashii bitsį’ daats’í nínízin?

sheep 3-meat or cow 3-meat possibly 3-2-want.NI

Dibé dził binaashii nanishkaad.

sheep hill 3-across.from 3-1-herd.CI

didadiiljéé’

pl-3DO-1dpl-start.fire.P

dididoołjah

3DO-2dpl-start.fire.F
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start fire, 2nd person dual

diilbish

3DO-1dpl-boil.it.F
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boil it, 1st person dual

Doo ’áłah diidleeł da.

NEG together pl-1dpl-meet.pl.F NEG

hadanołchaad

pl-3DO-2dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).I

hadeiłgéésh

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

hadoołbįįd

3DO-2dpl-fill.something.up.with.it.P

hadoołtééł

3DO-2dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.F
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carry him/her up out of something, 2nd person dual

hadínóołchał

3DO-2dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).F
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card it (as in wool), 2nd person dual

haiilgizh

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

Hádą́ą́’ Jáan bighan ’áyiilaa?

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

Kénídánííljeehgo, sin ła’ beehódíítał.

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

Na’azhǫǫshgi díkwíí shį́į́ shaa woobįįh?

hoop.and.pole.game-at how.much 1-to pass-win.I
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How much will I lose at the hoop and pole game?

Naaltsoos bikáá’ na’aníshí bikáa’gi si’ą́.

book desk 3-on-at up 3-lie.SRO.SPN

Naʼazhǫǫshgóó dooʼáazhgo nihikééʼ ʼiih deeshwoł.

casino-to 2du-go.F-GO 2pl-follow 3-into 1-run.F

Nichxǫ' t'áadoo baa nánít’íní.

stop NEG 3-about 2-bother.I-Í

nidasiilyá

pl-3DO-1dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.P

Nimá yázhí bighangóó díílwoł dóó ’áájí ’awéé’ baa ’áhólyą́dooleeł.

2-auntie 3-house-toward 2-run.F and there-at baby 3-to 2-care.CI FUT

nisoolá

3DO-2dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.P

NTUdi hooghannimází góne’ Diné bizaad baa ’iinishta’

NTU-at hogan inside Diné 3-language 3-for 1-read.I

Shidibé ’ąą’ dinót’į́į́ł laanaa ch’ééh nisin.

1-sheep expanse 3-increase.O wish in.vain 1-want.CI

Shilį́į́’ tł’aaká’ii dóó shilį́į́’ biyéél bił tsodizin ’íishłaa.

1-appaloosa and 1-horse 3-saddle 3-with prayer 3-1-make.P
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With my appaloosa and my saddle side by side I made my prayer.

Shitsili tsin ła’ nieidiitą́ii’ łeechą́ą́’ii’ łéi néídiiłhaal.

1-little.brother stick 3-3-pick.up.P-and dog INDEF 3-3-hit.P

Shiyáázh shaa yógháah le’ nissingo sédá.

my.son 1-for 3-arrive.O hope 3-1-want.CI-GO 1-sit.I
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I’m here wishing my son would visit me.

Shiye’ bicheii yi’ká ’análwo’dooleeł biniiyé ba’niłtį́į́́ nt’éé’ sits’ą́ą́’ yił nikidíńiit’ą́ą́zh.

1-son 3-grand.father for 3-1-help.F for 3-loan for 1-away with 2-dpl.walk.P
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I loaned my son to his grandfather to help him and he just kept him.

Shí ’éí t’áá naanishdóó kingóó déyá.

I TOP just work-from town-to 1-go.I

Shíká ’anánílwo’ doodago’ t’áadoo shaa nánít’į́ní!

1-after indef-help.R or just-neg 1-about 1-2-bother.NI-neg

T’áá binaa naasháa dooleeł

just 3-nearby 1-walk.I FUTURE

yiidlą́ą́’

3DO-1dpl-drink.it.P

Yootóodi níyáago shik’éí daostse’ laanaa nisin.

Santa.Fe-at 1-arrive.P-GO 1-relatives 3-1-see.O wish 1-want.CI

yí’aal

3DO-1-chew.it.P