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

’Azhą́ níchíil ndi dibé ch’ínínil.

even 3-snow.I but sheep 3-1-release.P

’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

Ashkii tó nílinígíi yiih dzółhaał.

Boy flowing.water-ÍGÍÍ 3-in 3-3-fall.O

Ałk’idą́ą́’ ’éiyá naadą́ą́’ ’ayóo k’éédadiilyééh ńt’éé’. Díísh jį́įdi ’éiyá kindę́ę́’ nidahiilniih.

long.ago TOP corn very pl-3-1dpl-plant.R past | this day-at TOP store-from pl-3-1dpl-buy.CI
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Long ago, we planted corn. Now, we buy corn from the store. 

Ch’iyáán bá hooghandi béeso bideená naashnish.

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

Ch’ééh la’ baa ntséskees.

in.vain puzzlement 3-about 1-think.I
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I’m having difficulty thinking about it. I can’t wrap my head around it. 

Chaha’oh biyaagi ni’dííłbąs.

shade.house 3-under-at 2-drive.F

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ dziłghą́ą́’dę́ę́’ shádí dóó ba’áłchíní bił ’adaashkai.

sunday past-time mountain top.of-from 1-elder.sister and 3-children 3-with downward-1-go.Pl.P

daohtł’ó

pl-3DO-2dpl-weave.it.I

deidooyį́į́ł

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

deiłhį́į́h

pl-3DO-3dpl-melt.it.(snow).I

Dibé yah ánáádanołkaad!

sheep inside semelit-pl-2pl-gather.I

didadidiiljah

pl-3DO-1dpl-start.fire.F
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start fire, 1st person plural

dididoołjah

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

didiilyįh

3DO-1dpl-melt.it.F

dishhį́į́h

3DO-1-melt.it.F
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melt it, 1st person singular

Díí gohwééh doondó’ sido da!

this coffee not.even 3-hot.SPN NEG

Díísh niyázhí ’át’é?

this-Q 2-little.one 3-be.NI

Doo ’áłah deiidleeh da.

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

Díí tsé t’óó la’ béésh át’é nahalin.

this rock contrary.to.appearances metal 3.be.NI 3-resemble.NI

dííłbish

3DO-2-boil.it.F
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boil it, 2nd person singular

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

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

haashgéésh

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

Hastiin łééchąą’í dabooyééł.

man dog 3-3-haul.LPB.Prog
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The man is being hauled by the dogs. 

hazhnííłchaad

3DO-4-card.it.(as.in.wool).P

Háíshą’ tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?

who-Q boat 3-3-make.P

Jáanísh naalnish?

John-Q 3-work.I

K’ad shicheii bíká ’iishyeed.

now 1-grandfather 3-for 1-run.I

Nahóółtą́ągo ’atiin bidííłdááz jiní.

3-rain.SSO.P-GO road 3-fall.away.P 4-say.P

Nahóółtą́.

3-rained.P

naohłé

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

Niba’ sézį́.

2-wait 1-stand.SPN
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I’m waiting for you.

NLA k’adę́ę ‘ałtso ’aleehgo baa nitséskees.

NLA almost all 3i-occur.I-GO 3-about 1-think.I

Sharon łį́į́' tł’oh yá neiníłjool.

Sharon horse hay 3-for 3-3-give.NCM.P

Shá bíighah yáshti’ lá.

sun proportionate 1-talk.I DISC

Shich’é’é bi’éé’ bá ’áshłéehgo naat’ą́hí hááłgizh.

1-daughter 3-clothes 3-for 3-1-make-I 1-GO fabric I-cut.P

Shimá bighangóó náshdáahgo łééchąą’í baná’ástso’.

1-mother 3-house-toward again-1-go-GO dog 3-again-1-feed.R
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Whenever I go to my mother’s house, I feed the dog.

Shimá dóó shizhé’é bił dibé dóó tł’ízí ta’nda’díígish nt’éé’.

1-mom and 1-dad 3-with sheep and goats 3-pl.shear.I past

Shimá yázhí ’ashkii yinisé.

aunt little boy 3-3-raise.CI
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My aunt is raising the boy. 

Shiníbaal doo tó biníkáoogeeh le’ ’át’éégóó ’íishłaa.

1-tent NEG water 3-through-3-flow.I prepare.against 3-1-make.P

Shitah honeezgaigo, doo naashnish da dooleeł.

1-body 3-pain.P-GO NEG 1-work.I NEG 3-become.F

T’áá hooshch’į’ déshnish.

suddenly 1-start.work.P

T’áá ká ’ooshháásh lágo.

neg 1-go.to.sleep.O LÁGO

wohtł’ó

3DO-2dpl-weave.it.I

wołhį́į́h

3DO-2dpl-melt.it.(snow).I

yiishjį́į́’

Perfective Mode: 1-become.black.P
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I became black, got sunburned

yiyíí’aal

3DO-3-chew.it.P

Łáháda ’ach’íí’ náshdį́į́h.

now.and.then rolled.intestine 1-eat.R

ʼDa’azhishgóó déyá, sis łigaii shaʼ díílééł.

dance-to 1-go.F belt silver 1-borrow 3-lend.SFO.F