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:
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.CII was all ready and waiting for you all this morning (but you didn’t come), (Lit. in vain I wait for you in readiness).
bookmark’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’Eii łééchą̨ą’í t’áá ’áko taah yilwo’.
that dog immediately water.into 3-run.U’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’ bá ni’deeshjoł.
from.there 1-return.p-GO horse 3-for pl-1-feed.F-ę́ę+-dą́ą́’ (yę́ędą́ą́’)
-jí
designates ceremonies, religious and political institutions and lifeways
bookmark-k’eh
Bichidí yichǫ’ yę́ędą́ą́’ ’ashkii t’áani’ nálwod.
3-vehicle 3-P-ruin past boy on.foot 3-P-returnCh’éénísh’į́įgo náá’deeshtł’óół nissin.
out summer.GO 1-again.weave.F 1-desireCh’į́į́góó baa ntséskees.
fail 3-about 1-think.IDá’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.PDíí jį́ ’áłchíní nááda’ołta’.
this day children again-pl-3-study.Rdooshą’ 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.NIHaa nízahdę́ę́’ hoołtį́į́ł?
how 3-long-from rain.Proghaahláyéé
hadazhdééłbįįd
pl-3DO-4dpl-fill.something.up.with.it.Pfill something up with it, 4th person plural
bookmarkhadiiltééł
3DO-1dpl-carry.him/her.up.out.of.something.Fcarry him/her up out of something, 1st person dual
bookmarkHáágóó shą’ díníyá?
where-to.Q 2-go.FHái da shą’ tsinaa’eeł ’ájiilaa lá?
who DA Q boat 3-4-make.P DISCKin Łánídi daats’í ’éí doodago Bee’eldííldahsinildiísh naniná?
Flagstaff-at perhaps or Albuquerque-at-Q 2-go.around.CIMary ha’át’íí nayiisnii’?
Mary what 3-3-buy.PMą’iitsoh shik’iilwodgo tsékooh góyaa bidááłgo’.
wolf 1-3-attack-COMP canyon areal-down 3-1-push.PNáshdóítsoh 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.PNidahastą́ągo k’izh’dóle’ígi ’áhoot’é.
rain.P 4-plant.O.NOM areal-be.NNiłísh bééhosin doodaii’ biłísh bééhozin?
2-with-Q 3-know.CI or 3-with-Q 3-know.CIDo you know or does s/he know?
bookmark