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

ʼAshiiké ’éí ʼatsʼos bee ʼazhish biniiyé chahashʼoh ʼádeidoolííł.

boy-pl TOP feather 3-means-of dance 3-reason shade-house 3-3-pl-build.F
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The boys will build a shade house for the pow-wow.

’Akóyaa ’adah, t’áá baa ’áhólchįįh.

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

’Asdzą́ą́ Báhóózhóní yinishyée dooleeł.

woman happy 1-called.NI FUT

’Ayóo la’ deesdoi, nahóółtą́ą́’ laanaa.

very disc 3-hot.SPN 3-rain.O hope

’Ałah ’aleehgóó deesháál nínízinísh doodago béésh nitsíkeesí daats’í bee nidoonááł ’éí doodago t’áá hooghanídi daats’í KTNN yídíiłts’iił?

meeting-to 1-go-F 3-2 want.NI-Q or computer possibly 2-watch.F or just home-at possibly KTNN 3-2-listen.F

’Áde’óóyą́ą́’ lágo.

self-2-eat.O don’t

’Áłah ’aleehdi hastiin léi’ t’óó yááłtih yiits’a’.

meeting-at man INDEF just 3-talk.Prog 3-be.heard.I

’Óshą́ą́’ laanaa’ dichin shi’niiłxį́.

1-eat.O wish hunger 1-3-kill.I
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I wish I could eat, I am very hungry.

’Íídeeshwosh daats’í doodaii’ saad naalkaah bindeeshnish.

1-sleep.F maybe or word research 3-1-work.F

"Binák’eegóó baa da’ashch’osh lá," didíínííł.

3-eye-between-around 3-to pl-3-infest.P DISC 3-2-tell.F

bik’ídadidoohdis

pl-3DO-2dpl-wrap.it.around.it.F
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wrap it around it, 2nd person plural

Ch’iyáán nináhíłnihgo haa nízahjį’ ’ánádįįh?

food 3-2-buy.R how 3-long.N-up.to 3-become.none.R

Chidíłtsooí bidááh síńzį́dooleeł.

car-yellow-REL 3-for 2-stand.SPN FUT
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You wait for the yellow bus.

Chidí ’ániidígíí beít’ą́ą́ léi’ ’áyąąńda bił dahózhǫ́.

car new-ÍGÍÍ 3-to-3-pass-bring.SRO.P since no.wonder 3-with pl-3-good.NI

dadidiilyįh

pl-3DO-1dpl-melt.it.F

dadíníilkaad

pl-3DO-1dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).I

Damǫ́ǫgo tódilchxoshí yishdlį́į́h.

Sunday-GO soda 3-1-drink.U
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On Sundays I drink soda.

deidííłhį́į́’

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

deiilzhóóh

pl-3DO-1dpl-brush/comb.it.I

deiyą́

pl-3DO-3dpl-eat.it.I

dideidiłjeeh

pl-3DO-3dpl-start.fire.I

Doo nił bééhózín da lá jiní. T’áá káhí la’ bił hóolne’!

NEG 2-with 3-knowledge.CI NEG disc 4-say.P just never some 3-with 2-tell.F

Gohwééh t’áá bizhání ’éí doodaii’ ’abe’ bgo daats’í nínízin?

coffee only TOP or milk perhaps 3-with 3-2-want.NI

Ha’át’íí biniiyé ’ákǫ́ǫ́ díníyá?

what 3-for.purpose there 2-start.go.P

Haahláyéé ’ajiiłhosh.

don’t.dare 4-sleep.I

Haashíyee’ díí naak’ee sinilí biniitááh t’áá daats’í bee hoot’į́.

try.and.find.out this eyeglasses 3-2-try.IP just maybe 3-with area-pas-see.Prog.N

hadadíníilchał

pl-3DO-1dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).F
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card it (as in wool), 1st person plural

hadíníilchał

3DO-1dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).F
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card it (as in wool), 1st person dual

haiłgéésh

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

Háí lá ’ałhosh?

who Q 3-sleep.I

jiłhį́į́h

3DO-4-melt.it.(snow).I

jííłhį́į́’

3DO-4-melt.it.(snow).P

K’ad ’ałníí’góó ’eeshtł’óół doo yę́ę ła’ damóo yę́ędą́ą́’ t’áadoo ’asétł’ǫ́ǫ da.

now half-toward 1-weave.Prog future past one Sunday when.past NEG 1-weave.P NEG

na’ashkǫ́ǫ́’

1-swim.I

nidasiilkáá’

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

Shidá’í, nilį́į́’ sha’níłteeh.

1-maternal.uncle 2-horse 1-to-3-2-lend.AnO.I
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My uncle, lend me your horse.

Shiázh ’ółta’góó deeyáhą́ą doo yénániih da.

1-son school-to 3-go.P-past one but NEG 3-3-remember.CI NEG

Sh naa’aash shį́į́! T’áá shǫǫdí shaná’níłtsóód!

1-with 3-go.dl.CI maybe please 1-to-back-3-2-feed.I

Sitsóí ’ólta’góó dah diigháahgo ła’ béeso baa yish’ááh.

1-grandchild school-toward up 3-start.to.go.I-GO some money 3-to 3-1-give.SRO.U

T’ah ’ałk’idídą́ą́’ sik’is t’áá yiiłtsą́ą́ nít’ę́ę́’.

still long-ago 1-friend just 3-1-see.P past

T’áá ká chidí ba’óó’ááł lágo.

NEG car 3-3-borrow.O LÁGO

T’áá binaa naasháa dooleeł

just 3-nearby 1-walk.I FUTURE

T’áá shǫǫ da ’awéé’ nee hazlį́į́’.

at.least baby 2-for 3-become.P

T’áá sáhí ʼííníyą́ą́ʼ. Tʼáá shǫǫ da ʼíyą́ shididííniił.

only.you 2-eat.P T’ÁÁ SHǪǪ DA 2-eat.I 1-2-tell.F

Ts’éénídzííd, t’ah ’íinda ’iidííłhosh.

2-wake.up.I future only.then 2-sleep.F
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Wake up, you can sleep later.

Tł’óodi didíłjeeh.

outside 3-2-start.fire.I

yiishjį́į́ł

Progressive Mode: 1-become.black.Prog
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I am in the process of becoming black, getting sunburned

yik’ídéideezdiz

pl-3DO-3dpl-wrap.it.around.it.P

yoodlą́ą́’

3DO-3-drink.it.P

ʼAtʼééd doo bzhǫ́ǫ da dooleeł.

girl NEG 3-with HO-happy.NI NEG 3-become.F