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

’Aoo’, shí dó’ t’áá ’ákwíinisin.

yes 1 also just 1-think.so.NI
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Yes, I think so too.

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ tóniteel bąąhgóó tádííyáhę́ę bénááshnii’.

long.ago ocean 3-beside-along around-1-past 3-1-remember.P

’áyąą

"Háadi da nide’ánááhoodzaago shaa náádíídááł" hałní jiní.

"where.at such.as 2-build.up.again.areal.happen.GO.R 1-come again.2-walk.I" 4-said they.say

"Whenever you get overwhelmed again you come and see me" it said they say

-’oh

-ídin

-ni

Béésh ’áłts’ózí bee ’atsidí bee ’aháníłne’.

wire hammer 3-with 3-1-beat.P
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I beat the wire in two with a hammer.

bik’ídiidis

3DO-1dpl-wrap.it.around.it.I

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Diné Bizaad naalkaah doo sh bééhózin da. K’ad éí t’áá shxǫǫd sh báá hózin.

formerly Navajo language research NEG 1-with 3-of ho-know.CI NEG | now TOP luckily 1-with 3-about-ho-know.CI

Chidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodago ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?

car-Q 3-with 4-exist.N or 2 maybe car 2-with 4-exist.NI

Chizh ła’ yah ’aníjááh.

firewood some in 2-bring.I

dashiilbéézh

pl-3DO-1dpl-boil.it.P

dazhdoołbish

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

Dibé bits’į́’ daodą́ą́’ lágo.

sheep 3-meat pl-3-1dpl-eat.O LÁGO

didołjeeh

3DO-2dpl-start.fire.I

Díigi ’át’éego yigááł.

this-similar.to 3-walk.Prog
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This is the way he walks.

Díí yiską́ągo ’íídííłtah.

this tomorrow 3-2-read.F

doo ndi

dó’

Díí dibé yázhí yíłtééł.

TOP sheep little 3-2-carry.AnO.Prog

Gohwééh t’áá bizhání ’éí doodaii’ ’abe’ bgo daats’í nínízin?

coffee only TOP or milk 3-with-GO perhaps 3-2-want.NI

Ha’át’éegoshą’ t’áadoo ’azee’ál’į́į́góó nisíníyáa da?

why-Q NEG hospital-to 2-go.sg.P NEG

hanishchaad

3DO-1-card.it.(as.in.wool).I

Hastiin sání léi’ ’áłchíní bił yanáa’áago yił nahalne’.

man old INDEF children 3-with 3-pile.NI-COMP 3-with 3-tell.CI
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An old man is telling stories to a pile of children. (Lit. the children are piled with him)

hazhdééłbįįd

3DO-4-fill.something.up.with.it.P

Háadi lá dibé nidahaniih?

where-at Q sheep pl-3-pass-sell.CI

Háadi lá łį́į́’ naakai?

where-at Q horse 3dpl-walk.I

háajį’

Ląʼí Náhóółago hodookʼááłígíí yaa kódzaa dooleeł

much 3-rain-GO.O 3-fire.I-IGII 3-down to.happen.NI 3-become.F
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The forest fire will go down if we get heavy rain.

Mósí yázhí chizhtah yiyah yilwod.

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

Naalyéhé bá hooghandi t’ah doo dá’deelkaałdą́ą́’ nisingo na’ńle’dii tsį́į́ł shiisxį́ (siisxį́).

trading.post-at just NEG 3-PASS-close.I-past 1-think.N-GO dismay speed 1-3-kill.P
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Thinking that the trading post would not be closed I rushed (to get there), but I was out of luck.

Naʼahóóhai baa nídiikai ʼakó ʼakʼidahiʼniłí bee shí ʼadíílwoł.

rodeo 3-about 1pl-do.F so saddle.blanket 3-with 1-after 2-help.F

Náńsdzáago t’áá ’íídą́ą́’ ’ííníyą́ą’ dooleeł.

back-1-go.sg.P-GO just already INDEF-2-eat.P FUT
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When I get back, you will/should already have eaten.

Nichxǫ’ báhádzid.

stop 3-P-be.dangerous
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Stop, it is a bad thing!

Nishą́? Náádilyeed ho’dooniid.

2-Q It. 2-run 3-2-said.P
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What about you? You run over there too. He said to him.

nizhdooleeł

3DO-4-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.F

Nizhónígo saad ha’oodzíí’ ’áníléehgo bik’e’íłchí.

nicely word HO-speak.P 3-2-make.I-GO 3-2-write.I

Shá bíighah ’azee’ál’į́įdi sédá.

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

Shighan bich’ą́ą́h łeeshch’ih désas.

1-hogan 3-protect ashes 3-1-strew.P
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I strewed ashes to protect my hogan.

Shilééch’ąą’í hats’ąą ńdóosht’į́į́ł laanaa nízin yę́ę bik’íníyá.

1-dog areal-away.from 1-hide.O wishful 3-want past 3-1-find.P

Shinék’eesinilí shee hólǫ́ǫgo t’éiyá bee ’eesh’į́.

1-me glasses 3-there exist.NI with only 3-with1-see.N(Prpg:??)
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I can only see with my glasses.

Shį́į́dą́ą́’ na’niiłkaadgo t’áá ’áháníjį’ ’adeeshch’iłgo bik’ee deelyiz.

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Last summer when we were out herding sheep a bolt of lightning struck nearby and gave us a startle.

T’ahdoo ’ashdladí ’aleeh da.

NEG five-at happen NEG
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It’s not 5 o’clock yet.

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

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

T’iis bąąh nidaohna’.

cottonwood 3-on pl-2dpl-climb.I

Ts’aa’ t’áá nitsaaígíí bídin nishłį́.

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

yíshóó’

3DO-1-brush/comb.it.P

Ániid iiyą́ą́ ’áko ndi t’ah dichin nisin.

Recently 1-eat.P even then still 3-hungry 1-want.NI

I recently ate even then I am still hungry.