The Usitative mode

The Usitative mode is used to describe frequently occurring events and actions and for talking about habitual and customary actions. This mode is called ’Áhát’į́ bízhníldį́į́hígíí hoolzhish góne’ in Navajo. Something that one does regularly will eventually become habitual. The Usitative mode is used to talk about this. These examples will illustrate this:

(1)
’Ałné’é’áahgo ’ashį́į́h.
at.become.noon.I 1-eat.U
I usually eat at noon.

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(2)
’Ahwééh yishdį́į́h ’áádóó naanishgóó yishááh.
coffee 3-1-drink.U and.then work-toward 3-1-go.U
I drink coffee and then I go to work.
(3)
’Abínígo ’at’ééd bitsii’ yishoh.
girl morning-go 3-hair 3-3-brush.U
The girl usually brushes her hair in the mornings.

The usitative mode describes what you do habitually according to the way the sun progresses or the clock ticks. There are ways of describing habits or repeated events without using the usitative or iterative modes. An imperfective verb with a frequency adverb like łeh (usually) or łahda (sometimes) will serve this purpose:

(4)
’Ałné’é’áahgo ’ashkii łahda ’atsį’ yilghał.
become.noon.I-GO boy sometimes meat 3-3-chew.I usually
The boy chews some meat sometimes at noon time.
(5)
’Ałné’é’áahgo ’ashhosh łeh.
become.noon.I-GO 1-sleep.NI usually
I’m usually asleep at noon.

Sentences using the Usitative mode can include expressions that modify the habitual action. Here are examples with the modifiers in italics:

(6)
T’áá ákwíí abíní gohwééh yishdlį́įh.
every morning coffee 1-drink.U
Every morning I drink coffee.

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(7)
Tósiyį́įdi shilééchąą’í t’áá ’áko taah yilwo’.
lake-at 1-dog immediately water.into 3-run.U
At the lake, my dog immediately runs into the water.