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

’adah

’Ahbínídą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’ííyą́ą́’góó biniinaa wónáásdóó dichin shi’niiłhį́.

morning-past NEG 1-eat.P-NEG.GO because soon hunger 1-3-kill.P

’Ashiiké yázhí ła’ chidí yikáá’dę́ę́’ ’adah ’adoogoh.

boys little INDEF car 3-on-from down 3-fall.F
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One of little boys might fall off the front of the car.

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi łį́į́’ bichąą bíighahgo tł’oh deíl’áá ńt’éé’ jiní.

long.ago Navajo.land 3-upon-at horse 3-belly sufficient-GO Pl-3-extend.out.of.sight.SNP hearsay

-ísh

-jí

-jí + -k’ehgo

-k’ą́ą́h

-káá’

-niinaa

Ch’ééh jiyáán hastiin baa nahashniihgo ch’ééh ’ííł’įįd ’ahbínídą́ą́’.

watermelon man 3-from 3-1-buy.CI-GO tried in.vain 1-act.P morning-past

Ch’iyáán bá hooghandi béeso bideená naashnish.

food.store-at money 3-in-exchange.for 1-work.CI

ch’ínígóó

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everything possible without result, failure in spite of every effort, to no avail

dazhdoołbish

pl-3DO-4dpl-boil.it.F

Díí łééchąą’í dah doosłóós laanaa.

this dog 1-lead.O.ADV-laanaa optative particle for a positive wish, hope or desire.
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I wish I could lead this dog on a leash.

Doo ’ííłta’go biniinaa t’áá ’ałtsojį’ t’áá shídin hazlį́į́’.

neg 1-go.to.school.P-GO 3-because every-up.to just 1-without 1-become.P
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I got left out on everything because I did not go to school.

doohsį́į́ł

3DO-2dpl-eat.it.F

díníilkaad

3DO-1dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).I

ha’át’éédę́ę́’

Ha’át’íísh neidiyoołnih nínízin?

who-Q 3-3-buy.F 2-think.NI

Haa néelą́ą́’ nidá’ák’eh?

how 3-much.N 2-cornfield

haa níldííl

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how large is it

haiłgéésh

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

Háísh tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?

who-Q boat 3-3-make.P

joodlą́ą́’

3DO-4-drink.it.P

Kingóó ’anááda’iisdee’.

town-to again-pl-3-go.R
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Everyone went to town again.

Mary ha’át’íí nayiisnii’?

Mary what 3-3-buy.P

Mary hádą́ą́’sh ’ólta’dę́ę́’ nádzá?

Mary when-past-Q school-from 3-return.P

Na’ahóóhaii Ya’iishjááshtsoh bini góne’ nída’adleeh.

July 3-in 3-into rodeo 3-Pl-SUP-be.R
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In July, rodeo events take place.

Neezdáago ’índa yiyííłtsą́.

3-sit.P-Comp only.then 3-3-see.P

neilé

3DO-3-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.I

Nibéézh bee hane’ doo ndi naalnish da.

2-cellphone NEG but 3-work.P NEG

Ronísh saad neiiłkaah?

Ron-Q word 3-3-investigate.I

Ronshą’ saadísh neiiłkaah?

Ron-Q word-Q 3-3-investigate.I

What about Ron, is he investigating words? / Is Ron studying words (too)?

Shá bíighah ’azee’ál’į́įdi sédá.

sun proportionate medicine 3-make.I 1-sit.SPN

Shich’ahashkéé léi’ doo bíká ’iishyeed da.

1-3-upset.I since NEG 3-for 1-help.I NEG
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I didn’t help him/her since s/he was upset with me.

Shimósí yázhí tsin yąąh dah sidáago hádésh’na’ ńt’éé’ ’áłt’ąą hadanáálwod.

1-cat little tree 3-on up 3-sit.SPN-GO 1-climb.P but after.all 3-run.down.P

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

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

Shizhé’é ’azee’ál’į́į́ góne’ b yah ’i’ííbą́ą́z.

1-father hospital into 3-with in 3-push.wheel.P

Shíká ’anánílwo’ doodaii’ t’áadoo shaa nánít’íní.

1-for 3-run.R or just-neg 1-to 2-1-bother.I
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Help me or else don’t bother me!

Shínaaí shikétł’á ’iiyilgo łį́į́’ bikáá’ hasis’na’.

1-older.brother 1-foot-bottom 3-3-boost.P-GO horse 3-top up-1-crawl.P
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My older brother boosted me and I got up on the horse’s back.

Sitsiitł’óól tsásk’eh bikáá’ dah yishłééh.

Navajo.hair.tie bed 3-on up 3-1-put.SFO.U

t’áá ’íiyisíí

T’áá kintahdi ’ííyą́ą́’ nidi náá’áshdą́.

just town-at 1-eat.P but 3-1eat.R
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I ate in town, but I am eating again.

Tł’éédą́ą́’ ńléí dził bine’jí ’adildííl yiits’a’ ni’.

night-past there mountain 3-behind-way thunder 3-sound.P recall

Yadiizíní bigháníshgéésh.

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

yiishjį́į́ł

Progressive Mode: 1-become.black.Prog
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I am in the process of becoming black, getting sunburned

yishą́

3DO-1-eat.it.I

Yiłką́ą́dą́ą́’ n’diish’na áádóó ’olta’goo dah diiyá. (YM 1987:764)

Dawn.last 1-got.up and school.GOO off.to 1-walk.P
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At dawn, I got up and took off for school.

yóó’