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

Yadiizíní bigháníshgéésh.

can 3-through-1-cut.open.I

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ shá bíighah kintahdi tádísháahgo shee ’i’íí’ą́.

yesterday sun proportionate town-at 1-go.about.Prog-GO 1-on 3-sun.went.down.P

’Ashkii yázhí bee’eldǫǫh yik’ee ’ádadeeznih.

boy little gun 3-on.account.of REFL-3-hurt.P
listenloadingplaying

The little boy hurt himself with the gun.

’Ałk’ésdisí naháłnii’go sitsilí dóó shideezhí ’aheełt’éego bá ’ahá níjaa’.

candy 3-1-buy.P-GO 1-little.brother and 1-little.sister RECP-equal-GO 3-for RECP-for 3-lie.aligned.PlO.NP

’Ałní’ní’ą́ągo tó háálínídi ’ahéédidiit’ash.

noon-GO spring-at refl-1du-meet.F

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

that dog immediately water.into 3-run.U
listenloadingplaying

The dog immediately runs into the water.

-’ąą

-di

at a general location or point in space or time

-ká

-sh

bik’ídazhdidis

pl-3DO-4dpl-wrap.it.around.it.I

ch’ééh

listenloadingplaying

in vain, futilely, try, try in vain

Chidí k’adę́ę yichxǫǫh lágo naháłnii’.

car almost 3-fall-apart.I altered 3-1-buy.P
listenloadingplaying

I bought a car just as it was about to fall apart.

Damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ dziłghą́ą́’dę́ę́’ shádí dóó ba’áłchíní bił ’adaashkai.

sunday past-time mountain top.of-from 1-elder.sister and 3-children 3-with downward-1-go.Pl.P
listenloadingplaying

Last Sunday I accompanied my older sister and her family down from the mountaintop.

Damóogo ’áłah ’aleeh ’áko ’áadi nihaadíínááł.

Sunday 3-gather 3-be so there-at 1-Pl-to-2-arrive.F

deeshį́į́ł

3DO-1-eat.it.F

deiit’aal

pl-3DO-1dpl-chew.it.P

Dibé dził binaashii nanishkaad.

sheep hill 3-across.from 3-1-herd.CI

Dibé nee hólǫ́, ya’?

sheep 2-with 3-exist.NI Q

didiiljéé’

3DO-1dpl-start.fire.P

diilbish

3DO-1dpl-boil.it.F

Diné ła’ nizhónígo kéédahojit’į́ danihó’ní, ’áko ndi doo ’ákót’ée da.

people some 3-nice.NI-GO pl-4-3-reside.NI 3-Pl. so but NEG 4-think.CI NEG

Díigi ’át’éego yigááł.

this-similar.to 3-walk.Prog
listenloadingplaying

This is the way he walks.

Díí ’abíní dibé tóógóó neeshkał.

this morning sheep water-to 3-1-herd.Prog

Doo ’ííłta’go biniinaa t’áá ’ałtsojį’ t’áá shídin hazlį́į́’.

neg 1-go.to.school.P-GO 3-because every-up.to just 1-without 1-become.P
listenloadingplaying

I got left out on everything because I did not go to school.

haa níłtsááz

listenloadingplaying

how big around, how thick is it

haa nóolin

what does it look like

hadínéeshchał

3DO-1-card.it.(as.in.wool).F

hanííłchaad

3DO-1-card.it.(as.in.wool).P

háádóó

listenloadingplaying

where from (specifically)

Hooghan ’adeeshłííł ndi tsineheeshjíí’ shee ’ádin.

hogan 1-build.F but lumber 1-with 3-none.NI

joodlą́ą́’

3DO-4-drink.it.P

Mósí yázhí bimá yits’ą́ą́’ yóó’ííyá.

kitten 2-mother 3-from away-3-go.P

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

Nichidí háadishą’ nííníłbą́ą́z

2-car where-at-Q 3-2-park.P

Nichxǫ' doo ájíníi da.

stop NEG 4-say.thus.NI NEG
listenloadingplaying

Stop, don’t say it!

Níwe, bíni'dii ’ałwosh!

stop 3-let 3-sleep.I
listenloadingplaying

Stop, let it sleep!

Shá bíighah ’azee’ál’į́įdi sédá.

sun proportionate medicine 3-make.I 1-sit.SPN

Shą́ą́’ ’ałk’idą́ą́’ baa hwiinít’į́į ni’.

remember long.ago 3-for 3-discuss.I recall

Shicheii béeso bideená naalnish.

1-grandfather money 3-exchange.for 3-work.I

Shighan bich’ą́ą́h łeeshch’ih désas.

1-hogan 3-protect ashes 3-1-strew.P
listenloadingplaying

I strewed ashes to protect my hogan.

T’ą́ą́tsoh táá’góó yoołkáłę́ędą́ą́’ ’ałdó’ Tóta’góó tádííyá.

May three-góó day-past also Farmington-góó 1-went.P

T’áadoo hooyání łį́į́’ shidáagi ch’éltáál.

suddenly horse 1-front-at 3-bolt.P
listenloadingplaying

All of a sudden the horse ran right in front of me.

Tó dílchxoshí sits’ą́ą́’ wóódlą́ą́lágo.

soda 1-from 3-1-drink.O don’t
listenloadingplaying

I hope you don’t drink my soda.

Tó lą’ígo nidlą́ ’áko bee nitah yá’áh’hoot’ééh dooleeł.

water many 3-2-drink.DI so 3-with 2-among pl-3-good.NI future

Ts’ídá ’iishxáashgo shiyáázh bił ná’ílwod.

about 1-to.sleep 1-son with 3-drove.in.again.R
listenloadingplaying

As I was about to take a nap, my son drove in again.

Tsxį́įłgo łees’áán ádíílííł; nimásání nihaa yíghááh!

quickly tortilla 2-make.F 2.poss-mat.grandma-NOM 1.pl-to 3-come.F

Tł’éé’go doo 'ízh'dísóół da.

night-GO NEG 4-whistle.O NEG
listenloadingplaying

Do not whistle at night.

wooyą́ą́’

3DO-2dpl-eat.it.P

Yiską́ągo łį́į́’ ’ahaniniilkaad dooleeł.

tomorrow-GO horse 1dpl-round.up.P FUT
listenloadingplaying

We are going to round up the horses tomorrow.