The Future mode

This mode is the future tense. When the future mode appears in a sentence, it indicates that the event the verb describes will occur sometime after the sentence is spoken. Here are some examples:

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(1)
Da’adánídi ’ats’ą́ą́ deesghał.
restaurant-at ribs 3-1-eat.F
I’m going to eat ribs at the restaurant.

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(2)
Dziłghą́ą́’góó deeshááł nissin.
mountain-top-toward 1-go.F 1-want.CI
I want to go to the mountaintop.

Note about neuter verbs in the future: Because neuter verbs do not have a future mode, a different way is needed to express one in the future. A future particle (dooleeł or doo) is used. Without the particle, a sentence with a stative verb in it will be understood as being true at the time the sentence is spoken:

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(3)
Asdzą́ą́ Báhoozhóní yinishyé.
woman happy 1-called.NI
My name is Happy Woman.

Adding dooleeł results in a claim about the future:

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(4)
Asdzą́ą́ Báhoozhóní yinishyée dooleeł.
woman happy 1-called.NI future
My name will be Happy Woman.

Signal expressions

Adverbial phrases that are compatible with the future mode include:

Future oriented adverbials

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(5)
Yiskáago nighandi naadeeshááł.
tomorrow 2-home-at 2-to-1-go.F
I will visit you tomorrow at your house.

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(6)
Díí tł’éé ’iidííłhosh.
this night 2-sleep.F
You’re going to sleep tonight.

Expressions below clash with the future time indicated in the verb mode. [Note that we use * to indicate that the sentence is ungrammatical]:

(7)
*Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Bilagáanaa bizaad doo dideests’į́įł da.
formerly English language NEG 1-understand.F NEG
* Long ago I will not understand English.
(8)
*Abínídą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’adeeshį́į́ł da.
morning-past NEG 1-eat.F NEG
* Earlier this morning I will not eat anything.
(9)
*Łáháda ach’íí’ deeshį́į́ł.
rarely rolled.intestines 1-eat.F
* Once in a great while I will eat rolled intestines.