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

’Akóyaa ’adah, t’áá baa ’áhólchįįh.

there-down down, just 3-to 2-aware.NI

’Ashkii yázhí éí bimá kingóó yił yi’ash.

boy little TOP 3-mother store-to 3-with 3-walk.du.Prog

’Áádę́ę́’ nánísdzáago łį́į́’ bá nida’deeshjoł.

from.there 1-return.P-GO horse 3-for pl-1-set.out.NCM.F

’Áádóó éí haa daadzaa?

and.then TOP what pl-3-do.P

’Ádihodideesht’ih sha’shin nisingo t’áadoo ’atah haasdzíi’ da.

RFLX-1-get.into.trouble.F perhaps 1-think.CI-GO NEG among 1-say.P NEG

’Eii ’asdzání t’áá naníle’dii haadzih.

that lady just dismay 3-speak.P

Ch’iiyáán la’ doo łikan da.

food LA’ NEG 3-sweet.NI NEG

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

formerly English neg 1-understand.I neg. Now TOP good.thing barely 3.with 1.speak-I

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

Chidí nahideeshnih ndi shibéeso ’ádin.

car 3-1-buy.F but 1-money 3-none.NI

Daango k’ééda’dilyééh nt’éé’ t’áádoo k’ééda’diilyáa da.

spring-GO 3-plant.R past NEG 3-3-plant.P NEG

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ Yootóógóó niséyá.

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

daoohdlą́ą́’

pl-3DO-2dpl-drink.it.P

deeshbish

3DO-1-boil.it.F

deiidlą́ą́’

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

deiigish

pl-3DO-1dpl-make.one.cut.in.it.I

Dichin nínízin ya’?

hungry 2-want.NI Q

dididoołjah

3DO-2dpl-start.fire.F

didoołhįh

3DO-2dpl-melt.it.F

diidííłjéé’

3DO-3-start.fire.P

Díí tł’éé’ t’áá ká dóola dá’ák’eólyeed.

this night NEG bull into.field-3-run.O

Díkwíí jį́ nanilnish?

how.many-Q day 2-work.I

Dlǫ́ǫ́’ ’a’ą́ą́dę́ę́’ hanoolne’ dóó naneesne’.

prairie.dog hole-from stick.head.up.out.P and 3-look.around.P

Doo ndi bił ílíí da.

not.even 3-with-grateful.NI NEG

Dziłneeláagí nánisé’ ’azee’ háágeed.

mountain-end-at growing.herb medicine up-3-1-dig-1.P
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I collected medicinal herbs at the base of the mountain.

hadazhdínóołchał

pl-3DO-4dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).F

hadínóołchał

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

Haidą́ą́’ shich’ą́ą́h ’ííchííl na’nishkaadgo.

winter-past 1-protect 3-snow.P 3-1-herd.CI-GO

hanishchaad

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

Háí lá sis łigai ’áyiił’įįh

who-Q belt silver 3-3-make.U

Háísh tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?

who-Q boat 3-3-make.P

Hííłch’į’go ’índa ta’iideeshnih.

evening.GO until 1-mix.dough.F
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I will mix the dough towards evening.

jidoołbish

3DO-4-boil.it.F

jiigish

3DO-4-make.one.cut.in.it.I

jiłhį́į́h

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

Kóhoot’éédą́ą́’ dibé yázhí t’óó ’ahayóí hazlį́į́’. K’ad ’éí doo t'óó ’ahayói da.

last.year sheep baby a.lot 3-Pas-it.occured.P now this NEG a.lot NEG

Nimá sání bich’į́’ ch’iyáán ła’ dijááh.

2-grandmother 2-to food some start-3-2.take.PlO2.F

Nił hǫ́zhǫ́ǫ́sh doodaii’ doósh nił hózhǫ́ǫ da?

2-with-happy.NI-Q or neg-Q 2-with happy.NI neg

Shá bíighah yáshti’ lá.

sun proportionate 1-talk.I DISC

Shicheii béeso bideená naalnish.

1-grandfather money 3-exchange.for 3-work.I

Shidá'í, nilį́į́’ sha’níłteeh.

1-maternal.uncle 2-horse 1-to-3-2-lend.AnO.I
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My uncle, lend me your horse.

Shilééchąą’í b na’nishkaadgo jooł b ’abíńjíshhałgo yikéé’ náádiilwo’.

1-dog 3-with 1-herd.CI ball 3-for 3-1-bat.R-GO 3-after 3-run.R

Shoo, nahachagii t’óó ’ahayóí nihaanáá lá; ’áko shį́į́ baa ’ákodanosin dooleeł.

hey.look grasshopper merely many 1pl-to 3-migrate.P mirative then maybe 3-of 2pl-be.aware.NI FUT

Shí shik’ehgo hoogáał ni.

I FOC 1-follow-GO ho-move.Prog EMPH
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I’m the one that’s in charge of the event.

Siláo yik’ee noochééł.

police account 3-flee.Prog
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S|he is running away from the police.

yiidą́ą́’

3DO-1dpl-eat.it.P

yik’íididoodis

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

yishbéézh

3DO-1-boil.it.I

Ániid iiyą́ą́ ’áko ndi t’ah dichin nisin.

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