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
listenloadingplaying

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

Jáan biʼdizhchínéejįʼ ʼanááyííłką́. Bá daʼdiidį́į́ł.

John 3-birth.past-up-to again-day.P 3-for 1pl-eat.F
listenloadingplaying

It is Johnʼs birthday. Let’s have a dinner for him.

’áyąą

’Áłahji’ tó dilchxoshí síníł’ą́ą dooleeł.

always water popping-Í 3-2-keep.SPN will.be.F
listenloadingplaying

Keep a soda at all times.

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

-yaaghah

around the corner from, disappearing behind, around the point from, on the other side

Bee nahaldzoohí yah ’adíítį́į́ł. Da’ yah 'ííńtą́?

broom in 3-2-bring.F.SSO Q in 3.2.bring.P.SSO

bik’ídideesdis

3DO-1-wrap.it.around.it.F

Bíla’ashdla’ii wolyéii bił dah nahaz’ą́ą́góó t’áá ’ał’ąą bizaad dahólǫ́.

3-fingers-five-NOM 3-be.called-NOM 3-with static areal-3-govern.P-toward just separate 3-language pl

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Bilagáanaa Bizaad doo diists’a’ da. K’ad éí t’ááshxǫǫd t’áá bee yáshti’.

formerly English NEG 1-understand.I NEG | now TOP at.least just 3-with 1-speak.I

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

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

Da’ naadą́’ísh nee hólǫ́?

Q corn-Q 2-with 3-exist.NI

Da’ Ron saad nináánéíłkaah ya’?

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

Ron’s investigating words again?

Damóogo ’áłah ’aleeh ’áko ’áadi nihaadíínááł.

Sunday 3-gather 3-be so there-at 1-Pl-to-2-arrive.F

Dá ák’ehdi shizhé’é bił nishishnish j́į́į́dą́ą́. (YM 1968: 598)

Plant.field-at 1-father with 3-1-worked.P today.past
listenloadingplaying

I worked in the field with my father today.

Dá’ák’eh góyaa yishwoł.

cornfield down.that.way 1-run.Prog
listenloadingplaying

I’m running along beside the cornfield.

Dá’ák’ehdi t’ah ńt’éé’ t’óó ’ayóigo nahachagii bizhiin yijiłgo yiiłtsą́.

field-at still past many grasshoppers swarm 4-move.along.Prog-GO 3-1-see.P
listenloadingplaying

To my surprise, I saw a swarm of grasshoppers moving along a field.

Dibé hólǫ́ǫgo ła’ níjół’ah laanaa.

sheep exist-GO some 4-butcher.O hope
listenloadingplaying

I wish we could butcher, if we had sheep.

Diné nishłį́ndi Bilaagana bizaad t’éí bee yáshti’.

Navajo 1-be.NI but English language only 3-with 1-speak.I

Doo ’áłah deiidleeh da.

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

dó’

Dzi’izí bikee’ náásxis nít’éé’ bił daalkaałí baa’íí’á.

bicycle 3-tire 3-3-turn.Prog past nail 3-into-3-extend.NP

Ha’a’áahgo shilį́į́’ bá niná’áshjoł.

east-GO 1-horse 3-for again-1-feed.NCM.R

haa nízahdę́ę́’ hoolzhiizh

listenloadingplaying

for how long

hadaniilchaad

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

hah

haoogeed

3DO-2dpl-dig.it.out.P

háádę́ę́’

Háí shą’ ’ałhosh?

who Q 3-sleep.I

Hiłiijį́į’go sha’áłchíní bił kįįh nááshkai.

evening-to-GO 1-children 3-with into.town 1-go.pl.P
listenloadingplaying

In the evening I went back into town with my children.

Hoozdohdi ’éí doo ’ashohodoobéézhgóó deesdoi.

Phoenix-at TOP extremely 3-hot.SPN

jííłhį́į́’

3DO-4-melt.it.(snow).P

K’os hóle’!

cloud 3s-become.O
listenloadingplaying

I wish for clouds

K’os jóhonaa’éí yich’ą́ą́h ’i’ííjool.

cloud sun 3-protect 3-drift.P
listenloadingplaying

A cloud moved in front of the sun.

Na’nízhoozhídi Naasht’éshí ’Atsá’jí yee nááda’alzhish.

gallup.at Zuni.people eagle-way 3-with again-pl-3-dance.R

Naʼahóóhai nitsaa b hoo’aahgóó dóola dííyééł.

rodeo 3-big.NI 3-with areal-space.I-to bull 2-haul.F

Náhookǫsdę́ę́’ níłch’igo ’ayóo deesk’aaz.

north.from breeze-GO very cold.SPN

Niba’ sézį́.

2-wait 1-stand.SPN
listenloadingplaying

I’m waiting for you.

Nizhónígo ’oo’ááł.

be.nice.NI-GO be.daytime.Prog
listenloadingplaying

It is a beautiful day.

Shichídí sh hooghangóó dídzį́į́s.

1-car 1-for hogan-GÓÓ start-3-2-tow.I

Shí shighan nihígíí bilááh ’áhoníltso.

1 1-house 2-Comp 3-beyond areal-big.NI
listenloadingplaying

My house is more spacious than yours.

T’áadoo hosh biih dadoołtaałí.

neg cactus 3-in pl-2dpl-step.O-Í

T’áadoo naaltsoos dayínółta’í.

neg book pl-3-2dpl-read.I-Í

T’áá ’ákwíízhíní tó dah siyínígóó ’ałnánáshdááh.

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

Tł’éédą́ą́’ásh nahóółtą́ kééhót’ínígi?

night-past-Q rain.P 2-live.NI-at

woohgish

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

yishdlą́ą́’

3DO-1-drink.it.P

Yiską́ągo nighandi naadeeshááł.

tomorrow 2-home-at 2-to-1-go.F

Yiską́ągo Na’nízhoozhídi háadish ’adeeshį́į́ł ninízin?

tomorrow Gallup-at where-Q 2-eat.F 2-want.CI

Łį́į́’ hooghangóó nooshkaałgo táá’ shits’ą́ą́ bizánághah góne’ ’ałhaa’eekai.

horse hogan-GO 3-1-herd-Prog-GO 3-1-away-from around areal-in-3 3-run.P.Pl
listenloadingplaying

I was chasing the horses home when three of them took off around the bend.

Łį́į́’ bik’i na’ashnííł.

horse 3-on 3-1-unsaddle.I