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

ʼÁłah ʼaleehdi ʼamá bééhániih daats'í bá dazhniiyą́ą́? ʼÁko daatsʼí nímasii łaʼ ʼakǫ́ǫ́ dííkááł.

meeting-at mother 3-remember perhaps 3-for 4-pl-eat.F potatoes perhaps some there 3-2-take.F
listenloadingplaying

Are they perhaps having a Mother’s Day dinner at the chapter meeting? Perhaps you could take some potatoes there.

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ ’íítseedgo bee na’anishí hasht’enáshdlééh.

yesterday 1-pound.P-GO tool 3-1-put.back.I
listenloadingplaying

Yesterday, I did silverwork, and now I’m putting my tools away.

’Akóyaa ’adah, t’áá baa ’áhólchįįh.

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

"Binák’eegóó baa da’ashch’osh lá," didíínííł.

3-eye-between-around 3-to pl-3-infest.P DISC 3-2-tell.F

"Doildinę́ę’ daazts’ą́ą́ lá," didííniił.

3-be.outcast.NI-deceased 3-die.P DISC 3-2-tell.F
listenloadingplaying

Tell them "The despicable one has died."

Baa tįįh náádiikah.

3-for achieve 1dpl-walk.pl.I

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

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

bik’ídidíídis

3DO-2-wrap.it.around.it.F

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 t’ą́ą́’ nináníłbą́ą́z.

car just 3-1-reparked.R
listenloadingplaying

I backed in the car again.

Da’ ’ałní’ní’ą́ąjį’ tł’óo’di nishínílnish?

Q noon-until outside-at 2-work.P

Da’diidį́į́ł.

pl-1dpl-eat-pl.F

dadínółkaad

pl-3DO-2dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).I

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ Yootóógóó niséyá.

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

deitł’ó

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

deiyííyą́ą́’

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

Dichin nínízin ya’?

hungry 2-want.NI Q

Dichinísh doodaii’ dibáá’ísh jinízin?

hunger-Q or thirst-Q 3-4-want.NI

didiilyįh

3DO-1dpl-melt.it.F

didoołhįh

3DO-2dpl-melt.it.F

diididoołjah

3DO-3-start.fire.F

Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi ndahonidzood yę́ędą́ą́’ Naatsis’áán hoolyégóó niha’áłchíní bił ’adahineet’į́į́’.

Navajo 3-land 3-on-at pl-areal-3-flee.pl.P past Navajo.Mountain areal-be.called.NI-to 1pl-children 3-with pl-1dpl-sneak.off.P

Díí yiską́ągo ’íídííłtah.

this tomorrow 3-2-read.F

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

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

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

Díí jį́ Nida’iiníísh ’áko shį́į́ nihich’į’ nida’iil, ya’?

today Friday then.maybe 1pl-toward 1pl-payment.I Q

Díí tł’óół yílééł.

this rope 3-2-carry.SFO.Prog

Ha’át’íí baa ’áłah ’aleeh jiní?

what 3-for meeting 4-say.NI

Haa'íyee' shinááł Diné bizaad bíhwiidííł'aał.

lets.see 2-1-watch.Prog Navajo language 3-2-learn.F

hadeiilgéésh

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

Haidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ naashnish ńt’éé’ --- doo sh yá’áhoot’éeh da.

winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.I past neg 1-with 3-good.N neg

haiilgizh

3DO-1dpl-cut.it.out.P

hanííníłchaad

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

Hastóíí dóó sáanii k’inááda’didlé.

3-men and 3-women planting.again.PL.R
listenloadingplaying

The men and women are planting again.

Hatáaldi 'iikááh 'atah 'ajóle’.

ceremony-at sandpainting among 4-make.O
listenloadingplaying

One wants to take part in the sandpainting at the ceremony.

Hodíina’go bááh dootł’izhí deeshį́į́ł dóó ’ahwéé b ła’ deeshdlį́į́ł.

after.a.while-GO bread blue 3-1-eat.F and coffee 3-with some 3-1-drink.F
listenloadingplaying

In a while, I will eat blue corn bread and drink some coffee with it.

K’ad shicheii bíká ’iishyeed.

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

Na’nishkaadgo nídíshchííyaagi hanáshyį́į́h ńt’éé’ ’iiłhaazh lá, t’ah nít’éé’ shilééchąą’í ch’ééshinísid.

1-herd.I-GO pinetree-under-at 1-rest.I past 1-slept.P DISC all.of.sudden 1-dog 1-woke.up.P

nidasiilyá

pl-3DO-1dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.P

nisiilkáá’

3DO-1dpl-investigate.it.P

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

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

Shichá si’ą́ągo ’iiłhaazh.

1-huddle 3-put-SPN-GO 1-sleep.P
listenloadingplaying

I went to sleep huddled up into a ball.

T’áadoo hoshíníkéhé.

T’ÁADOO 2-scold.NI-Í
listenloadingplaying

Don’t scold. (Don’t yell.)

T'áá kwe’é shiba’ sínídáa doleeł.

just right.here 1-waiting.for 2-sit.SPN FUT
listenloadingplaying

You are to sit right here and wait for me.

Tł’éédą́ą́’ shį́į́ nida’a’nééhgóó nidadziskai.

last.night perhaps game-to pl-3-3-go.pl.P
listenloadingplaying

Perhaps they attended the game last night.

wohsą́

3DO-2dpl-eat.it.I

wołbéézh

3DO-2dpl-boil.it.I

Ła’ damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ dah ’iyétł’ónée, k’ad ’ałníí’góó ’eeshtł’óół.

one Sunday past up 3-1-set.P-past now middle-toward 1-weave.Prog

Łį́į́’ bik’i dah ’ashishnííł.

horse 3-on up 3-1-saddle.I