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

’Ahwééh yishdlį́į́h ’áádóó naanishgóó yishááh.

coffee 3-1-drink.U and.then work-toward 3-1-go.U

’Ayóo’ósh nidlóóh? ’Áyaańda dah dinítsiz.

very-Q 2-cold.I no.wonder up 2-shiver.NI

’Ałchíní ’ólta’di t’áá ’áhą́dígo ’ahąąh naazį́.

boy school-at just together-GO abreast pl-3-stand.SPN

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ dahane’ yę́ę bíneeshdlį́įgo yíłta’.

long.ago pl-story past 3-1-admire.I-GO 3-1-read.P

’Áádóó háajigo dah diníyá?

and.then which.way-GO start.off 2-go.I

’Ólta’góó daats’í deeshááł doodaii’ jooł bee nideeshneeł.

school-toward maybe 1-walk.F or ball 3-with 1-play.F

’Ákót’éego ’i’íímas ’ájiił’įįh ni.

like.this-GO FOC twill 3-4-make.U EMPH

'Ólta’góó deínóhkááh.

school-toward pl-2dpl-go.pl.PROG

Beeldléí danołtsóós.

blanket pl-3-2dpl-bring.FFO.I

Béeso bá hooghan góne’ shił ha’ashch’ą́ą́l dóó ’azéé’ííł’íní bił yah ’ííyá.

money 3-for building inside 1-with 3-go.up.as.elevator.P and doctor 3-with into 1-GO.P

Ch’iyáán bá hooghandi béeso bideená naashnish.

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

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Diné Bizaad t’éiyá bee yádeilti’ nít’ę́ę́’.

formerly Navajo language only 3-with pl-3-speak.I past

Chaha’oh biyaagi ni’dííłbąs.

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

Chidí bikéé jį' adeez'áhí bikee' nitsaaígíí 'éí nahałnii'.

pickup.truck 3-tire 3-big.NI.-NMLZ TOP 3-1-buy.P
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I bought the pickup truck that had the big tires.

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ Yootóógóó niséyá.

Sunday past Santa.Fe-to 1-go.P

dayoodlą́ą́’

pl-3DO-3dpl-drink.it.P

deiidlą́ą́’

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

deiilyį́į́h

pl-3DO-1dpl-melt.it.(snow).I

dideidííłjéé’

pl-3DO-3dpl-start.fire.P

dishhį́į́h

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

Díí tł’éé’ ’índa hazhó’óó ’iideeshwosh.

this night only.then uninterrupted 1-sleep.F
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I will sleep well tonight.

Dziłghą́ą́’í ’alóós dóó nááneeskadí ńdeidį́į́h.

Wht.Mtn.Apache rice and tortilla pl-3-3-eat.R
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White Mountain Apaches eat rice and tortillas.

Díí ’éí télli ’ayóo ’ayą́.

this TOP donkey very 3-eat.P
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This donkey eats a lot. / This one of the donkeys eats a lot.

Ha’át’íí́sh baa hane’?

What Q 3-for be.told.CI

hadasoogeed

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

hadeeshtééł

3DO-1-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.F
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carry him/her up out of something, 1st person singular

hadeishgizh

pl-3DO-3dpl-cut.it.out.P

haidééłbįįd

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

haniilchaad

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

Hádą́ą́’ Jáan bighan ’áyiilaa?

When-past John 3-hogan 3-3-make.P

Háísh yiską́ągo ’adoogis?

who-Q tomorrow 3-wash.F

háínígeed

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

Kinaaldáágóó jidóya’ t’óó ’ílį́.

puberty.ceremony-to 4-go.O hope just think
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I wish I could go to the puberty ceremony, just thinking.

Na’níle’dii k’ida’diil, t’áadoo dadínéesą́ą da.

dismay pl-3-1dpl-plant.P NEG pl-3-grow.P NEG

naashłé

3DO-1-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.I

neiskáá’

3DO-3-investigate.it.P

neizlá

3DO-3-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.P

Shicheii haastihgo łáháda ninálnish.

1-grandfather 3-become.old.P-GO seldom 3-work.R
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My grandfather seldom (rarely) works since he got old.

Shitsilíké ’éiyáhá nda’ałkǫ́ǫ́’.

1-little.brother-pl TOP 3-pl-swim.IP

Shiyáázh shaa yógháah le’ nissingo sédá.

my.son 1-for 3-arrive.O hope 3-1-want.CI-GO 1-sit.I
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I’m here wishing my son would visit me.

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

I contrary only English 3-language 1-with 3-know.P

shéłbéézh

3DO-1-boil.it.P

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.

Tł’éédą́ą́, yá’át’ééhgo iiłhaaz. Night.last good.GO 1-sleep.P

Night.last good.GO 1-sleep.P
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Last night, I slept really well

woo’aal

3DO-2dpl-chew.it.P

Yadiizíní bigháníshgéésh.

can 3-through-1-cut.open.I

yiigish

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

Yiską́ągoósh ’adeestsił nínízingo bee na’anishí hasht’enilééh?

tomorrow-Q 1-make.F 2-want.NI-GO tool 3-2-prepare.I

Łééchąą’í kin bitł’ááh góyaa ’ałhosh.

dog house 3-under down 3-sleep.NI