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

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ísh tł’óo’di nanilnishgo nee ’ałní’ní’ą́?

yesterday-Q outside-at 2-work.CI-GO 2-with noon

’Ahbínídą́ą́’ ch’ééh niba’ hasht’e’ ’ádííníszin.

morning-Past in.vain 2-wait ready REFL-1-keep.CI

’Akóyaa ’adah, t’áá baa ’áhólchįįh.

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

’Aoo’, shí dó’ t’áá ’ákwíinisin.

yes 1 also just 1-think.so.NI
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Yes, I think so too.

’Eii łééchą̨ą’í t’áá ’áko taah yilwo’.

that dog immediately water.into 3-run.U
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The dog immediately runs into the water.

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

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

’Áádę́ę́’ nánísdzáago łį́į́’ ni’deeshjoł.

from.there 1-return.p-GO horse 3-for pl-1-feed.F

-ę́ę+-dą́ą́’ (yę́ędą́ą́’)

-jí

-k’eh

-tsi

Bichidí yichǫ’ yę́ędą́ą́’ ’ashkii t’áani’ nálwod.

3-vehicle 3-P-ruin past boy on.foot 3-P-return
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The boy returned on foot when his car broke down.

bik’ídidíídis

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

Ch’éénísh’į́įgo náá’deeshtł’óół nissin.

out summer.GO 1-again.weave.F 1-desire
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I want to weave again when summer returns.

Ch’į́į́góó baa ntséskees.

fail 3-about 1-think.I
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I think about it (from many angles) without success (as in trying to hit upon a practical solution for a problem).

da’

Da’ Ron saad neiiłkaah?

Q Ron word 3-3-investigate.I

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

deididoołhįh

pl-3DO-3dpl-melt.it.F

Dichin nínízin ya’?

hungry 2-want.NI Q

dishhį́į́h

3DO-1-melt.it.I

Díí jį́ ’áłchíní nááda’ołta’.

this day children again-pl-3-study.R
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Today, the children are in school again.

Díí tł’éé’ ’iidííłhosh.

this night 2-sleep.F
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You’re going to sleep tonight.

dooshą’ dó’ léi’ --- lá

Doozhǫǫgo da’ííłta’ígíí t’éiyá yá’át’éehgo naanish bá dahólǫ́.

satisfactory pl-3-study.P-NOM only 3-good.N-GO work 3-for pl-3-exist.NI
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Only the people with a decent education have good jobs.

Haa nízahdę́ę́’ hoołtį́į́ł?

how 3-long-from rain.Prog

haahláyéé

hadazhdééłbįįd

pl-3DO-4dpl-fill.something.up.with.it.P

hadiiltééł

3DO-1dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.F

hadínííłchał

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

haiilgéésh

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

hazhnííłchaad

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

Háágóó shą’ díníyá?

where-to.Q 2-go.F

Hái da shą’ tsinaa’eeł ’ájiilaa lá?

who DA Q boat 3-4-make.P DISC

Kin Łánídi daats’í ’éí doodago Bee’eldííldahsinildiísh naniná?

Flagstaff-at perhaps or Albuquerque-at-Q 2-go.around.CI

Mary ha’át’íí nayiisnii’?

Mary what 3-3-buy.P

Mą’iitsoh shik’iilwodgo tsékooh góyaa bidááłgo’.

wolf 1-3-attack-COMP canyon areal-down 3-1-push.P
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When the wolf attacked me I pushed him down into the canyon.

Náshdóítsoh shich’į ńdiilwodgo yíníiłdon ńt’éé’ k’asídą́ą́’ sésiih.

cougar 1-toward 3-run.P-GO 3-1-shoot.P past very.nearly 3-1-miss.P

Nidahastą́ągo k’izh’dóle’ígi ’áhoot’é.

rain.P 4-plant.O.NOM areal-be.N
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After it had rained, it was ideal for planting.

Niłísh bééhosin doodaii’ biłísh bééhozin?

2-with-Q 3-know.CI or 3-with-Q 3-know.CI

Ńléí dził bighą́ą́’dóó łid yót’ááh yít’i’.

over.there mountain 3-over there smoke to.rise.up into-I.
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There’s a column of smoke rising into the sky from the mountaintop.

Shá bíighah na’ashkǫ́ǫ́’.

sun proportionate 1-swim.CI

Shizhé’é bichíditsoh yaa naashnish

1-father 3-truck-large on.it 3-3-worked.P 1-father 3-truck-large on.it 3-3-worked

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

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

Shínaaí łahda b náhoniidoh.

1-older.brother sometime 3-with 3-become.warm.R

t’ah ńt’éé’

wołbéézh

3DO-2dpl-boil.it.I

yíníshóó’

3DO-2-brush/comb.it.P