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

’Ajóółháásh laanaa.

4-sleep.O wish

’Ashkii yázhí ’ayóo hwe’ádílááh.

little boy very 3-mischief
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The little boy is very mischievous.

’Ayóo łį́į́’ sh naalgeed diní, ’ííshją́ą́shį́į́ díí łį́į́chogii bikáá’ dah ńdaah.

very horse 1-with 3-buck.CI 3-2-say.NI lets.see this stallion 3-on up 2-sit.I

-doondó’ --- da, doo ndi ---da, doondó’ ndi --- da

-k’ee

Bįįh bináyaa niłchiin ’éí hataałii chodayooł’į́.

deer 3-eye beneath matter that medicineman 3-3-use.I
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The matter from under the eye fold of a deer is used by medicine men.

Chidí bąąh dah sitání bąąh dah shishtįįh ńt’éé’ ’ił adaagizí doo ’éí da lá.

car license plate 3-1-put. I SSO past Sup-with screw neg that neg Disc.
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I started to put the license plate on my car when I found out I had the wrong kind of nut and bolt (or screws).

Chidí bitiin ’ałts’ą́ą́hjí ’ańt’i’.

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There’s a fence on both sides of the highway.

Da’ Ron saad nináánéíłkaah ya’?

Q Ron word 3-3-investigate.I Q

dajishóóh

pl-3DO-4dpl-brush/comb.it.I

Daniel hahgosh hidilníísh?

Daniel when-Q 3-start.work.I

dayííshóó’

pl-3DO-3dpl-brush/comb.it.P

Dichin nínízin ya’?

hungry 2-want.NI Q
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You are hungry, aren’t you?

didíłjeeh

3DO-2-start.fire.I

Dííshjį́į́góó shizhé’é łáháda b ná’ahiistsééh.

nowadays 1-father seldom 3-with RECP-1-see.R

díkwíí

dó’ --- -ísh łí

Ha’át’éegosh náníldzid?

why-Q 2-fear.I

Ha’át’éegoshą’ t’áadoo díníyáa da?

why-Q neg 2-go.sg.P NEG

Ha’ąądi dibé bighan.

areal-other.side sheep 3-corral

haashgéésh

3DO-1-cut.it.out.I

hadanoołchaad

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

hahgo

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

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

Háidíígíí lá neidiyoołnih?

which.one-ÍGÍÍ DISC 3-3-buy.F

Háidíígíísh neidiyoołnih nínízin?

which.one-ÍGÍÍ-Q 3-3-buy.F 2-think.NI

Hooghan binááshwoł ńt’éé shimá sání shich’ahóóshkeed.

hogan 3-encircling-1-run.Prog past 1-grandmother 1-3-scold.P
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I was running around the hooghan when my grandmother got after me.

hááłgizh

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

jidooyį́į́ł

3DO-4-eat.it.F

John dáádílkałdóó sizį́į́ dóó ’áádę́ę́’ déez’į́į́’.

John door-from 3-stand.SPN and there-from 3-look.CI
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John is standing at the doorway and looking this way.

Kin Łánídi daats’í ’éí doodago Bee’eldííldahsinildiísh naniná?

Flagstaff-at perhaps or Albuquerque-at-Q 2-go.around.CI

Kintahdę́ę́’ łį́į́’ sh nááldlosh.

town-from horse 1-with 3-run.CI

lágo

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negative particle used with the optative mode

Mósí yázhí chizhtah yiyah yilwod.

kitten woodpile.among 3-under 3-run.P
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The kitten ran under the woodpile.

Naashnéego jooł báátis yímááz.

1-play-go.CI ball over 3-roll.P
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As I was playing I rolled over the ball.

naohłé

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

Sháahsita’gi yihę́ęsgo tsin-ts’ósí bee yích’id.

1-point.between.shoulder.blades 3-itch.I-GO stick 3-with 3-1-scratch.P
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When I got an itch between my shoulder blades, I scratched it with a stick.

Shicheii hastą́diin nááhai yilááhdę́ę́’ ’aníłdįįd.

1-grandfather sixty years 3-beyond-from 3-3-survive.P

Shichidí t’ahdii yá’át’ééh, ’át’ah ’índa ła’ ninááhideeshnih.

1-car still 3-good.N later one again-3-1-buy.F
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My car is stíll good so I won’t buy another one until later.

Shí ’éí t’áá naanishdóó kingóó déyá.

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

Shí hanii t’éiyá Naasht’ézhí bizaad sh bééhózin.

I contrary only English 3-language 1-wtih 3-know.P
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I’m not the only one who knows Zuni (despite appearances to the contrary).

T’áá ’ákwíízhíní tó dah siyínígóó ’ałnánáshdááh.

every summer lake-toward again-1-go.R

Tsé bikáa’gi béésh dah si’ą́.

rock 3-on-at knife up 3-sit.SNP

ya’

yiidą́

3DO-1dpl-eat.it.I

yiilzhóóh

3DO-1dpl-brush/comb.it.I

yiishjį́į́ł

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

yiitł’ó

3DO-1dpl-weave.it.I

yik’íididis

3DO-3-wrap.it.around.it.I

Ła’ nídeezid yę́ędą́ą́’ ’áajigo niséyá.

one month past that-way-GO 1.go.P
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I went there a month ago (and returned).