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

’Adáádą́ą́’, hééł sinil góne’ hasht’ehooshłaa.

Day.last belongings storage inside 3-1-clean.P
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Yesterday, I cleaned out the storage place.

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ ’íítseedgo bee na’anishí hasht’enáshdlééh.

yesterday 1-pound.P-GO tool 3-1-put.back.I
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Yesterday, I did silverwork, and now I’m putting my tools away.

’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
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The dog immediately runs into the water.

'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.F

bik’ídazhdeezdiz

pl-3DO-4dpl-wrap.it.around.it.P

Bįįh b da’doółdǫǫh.

deer 3-with pl-2dpl-shoot.O

Ch’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.P

Dah nóóljííd lágo.

up 2-jump.O don’t

dajíí’aal

pl-3DO-4dpl-chew.it.P

Damǫ́ǫgo tódilchxoshí yishdlį́į́h.

Sunday-GO soda 3-1-drink.U
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On Sundays I drink soda.

daoohgish

pl-3DO-2dpl-make.one.cut.in.it.I

dashoołbéézh

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

Dichinísh doodaii’ dibáá’ísh dzinízin?

hunger-Q or thirst-Q 3-4-want.NI

didishjeeh

3DO-1-start.fire.I

dizhdínóołkał

3DO-4-start.to.herd.them.(animals).F
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start to herd them (animals), 4th person

Díí yiską́ągo ’íídííłtah.

this tomorrow 3-2-read.F

Doochǫǫł á’ego!

repulsive 3-be.NI-GO

Doondó’ daatsaah da noolin.

not.even 3-sick.I NEG 3-resemble.NI

doołhį́į́’

3DO-2dpl-melt.it.P

Gah bikéé’ yishwoł.

rabbit 3-following 1-run.Prog

Gohwééh ła’ shaa níkaah.

coffee some 1-to 2-give.OC.I
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Give me some coffee.

hadeidoołtééł

pl-3DO-3dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.F
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carry him/her up out of something, 3rd person plural

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

Haidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ nishishnish ńt’éé’ --- doo sh yá’áhoot’éeh da.

winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.P past neg 1-with 3-good.N neg

Háí lá Naatsis’áángóó náádeesdzá?

who-Q discover Navajo.Mountain.GOO again-3-go.F
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Who is going to Navajo Mountain again?

Háí lá yiską́ągo Tónaneesdizígóó bił ’adeeswod

who discovery tomorrow.GO Tuba.City.GOO with 3-drive.F-Q
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Who is driving to Tuba city, tomorrow? (Who will be driving?)

Hodíína’go deesháál.

in.a.while-GO go.sg.F
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I will come over in a while.

Hooghan ’adeeshłííł ndi tsineheeshjíí’ shee ’ádin.

hogan 1-build.F but lumber 1-with 3-none.NI

jiyą́

3DO-4-eat.it.I

Nahóółtą́ągo tł’óo’di dizhdółjeeh le’ nízin shicheii.

it.rained-GO outside.at 4-build.fire.O wish 3-3.want.CI my.grandfather
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My grandfather wishes to build a fire outside, but it has just rained.

nidajilé

pl-3DO-4dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.I

Nidáa’di 'áká' 'ajólyééd.

enemy.way.ceremony-at 4-for 4-run.O
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One wishes to help at the enemy way ceremony.

nijiskáá’

3DO-4-investigate.it.P

Nizhé’é ha’át’íísh nahideeshnih nízin.

2-father-Q what 3-1-buy.F 3-want.NI

Nił hǫ́zhǫ́ǫ́sh doodaii’ doósh nił hózhǫ́ǫ da?

2-with-happy.NI-Q or neg-Q 2-with happy.NI neg

Shá bíighah yáshti’ lá.

sun proportionate 1-talk.I DISC

Shilį́į́’ doo dah didíłdąsh da.

1-horse NEG up start-3-2.jerk.F NEG

Siláo yik’ee noochééł.

police account 3-flee.Prog
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S|he is running away from the police.

T’áá ’íídą́ą́’ ła’ nímasii bik’ééłgizh.

already some potato 3-1-peel.P
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I already peeled some potatoes.

T’áá hooshch’į’ déshnish.

suddenly 1-start.work.P

T’áá ’aaí ’aníigo t’éiyá doo bikee’ saad si’ą́ą da.

truly 3-say.I-GO only NEG 3-behind word 3-sit.SPN NEG

Tó háálínídi ’ahéédidiit’ashałní’ní’ą́ągo.

spring-at refl-1du-meet.F noon-GO
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Let’s meet at the spring at noon.

Ts’aa’ t’áá nitsaaígíí bídin nishłį́.

basket just 3-large.NI-nom 3-lack 1-be.NI

Tł’éédą́ą́’ shį́į́ nida’a’nééhgóó nidadziskai.

last.night perhaps game-to pl-3-3-go.pl.P
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Perhaps they attended the game last night.

yik’íideezdiz

3DO-3-wrap.it.around.it.P

Yiską́ągo daats’í doodaii’ naakiiską́ągo daats’í dah dideeshááł.

tomorrow.GO maybe either two.tomorrow-GO or start.off 1-start.go.F

yí’aal

3DO-1-chew.it.P

Łį́į́’ bik’i na’ashnííł.

horse 3-on 3-1-unsaddle.I