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

’Ashdladi oolkiłgo ’áko shį́į́ ’índa ákǫ́ǫ́ diikah.

five.at time-GO only until then there 1dpl-go.pl.I
listenloadingplaying

At 5 o’clock only then we’ll leave for there.

’Azhą́ hasistih ndi ’ayóo ’eesh’į́.

even.though 1-be.old.P even.though very 3-1-see.Prog

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ ch’iyáán ’ ádayiilaa léi’ ła’ ’ánáádeiilyaa.

long.ago food pl-3-3-make.P Indef. some again-pl-3-1dpl-make.P

-’oh

Ashkii tó nílinígíi yiih dzółhaał.

Boy flowing.water-ÍGÍÍ 3-in 3-3-fall.O

bik’ídadeediz

pl-3DO-1dpl-wrap.it.around.it.P

Ch’ééh déyá léi’ t’óó hanáshyį́į́h.

try 1.go.P since just 1.rest.I

Chidí daats’í bee hólǫ́ ’éí doodaii’ niísh chidí nee hólǫ́?

car maybe 3-with 4-exist.N TOP or 2-Q car 2-with 4-exist.NI

Chidí nahideeshnih ndi shibéeso ’ádin.

car 3-1-buy.F but 1-money 3-none.NI

dajoodlą́ą́’

pl-3DO-4dpl-drink.it.P

deidooyį́į́ł

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

deiidą́

pl-3DO-1dpl-eat.it.I

didííłjéé’

3DO-1-start.fire.P

Díigi ’át’éego yigááł.

this-similar.to 3-walk.Prog
listenloadingplaying

This is the way he walks.

Díí dziłígíí shádi’ááh bich’ijígo ’ałkéé’ ’adíítąąd.

this mountain-Comp southward 3-toward-GO one-behind-another 3Pl-scatter.NP
listenloadingplaying

These mountains are strung out, one behind the other toward the south.

Doo t’áá k’ad bá’ólta’í sélį́į’ da.

NEG just now teacher 1-be.SPN NEG
listenloadingplaying

I don’t want to become a teacher.

doozhǫǫgo

Ha’át’ííshą’ hastiin dóó ’at’ééd ’áyiilaa?

what-Q man and girl 3-3-make.P
listenloadingplaying

What did the man and the girl make?

haa néelą́ą́’

listenloadingplaying

how much, how many, what quantity. [mass]

Haaʼí yeeʼ dibé naakaí?

where-Q show.me sheep 3-walk.around.CI
listenloadingplaying

Where are the sheep walking?

haníłchaad

3DO-2-card.it.(as.in.wool).I

Hastiin dóó ’at’ééd lá ha’át’íí ’áyiilaa?

man and girl Q what 3-3-make.P

Hazhóʼí síní. Tʼáadoo naaní’dííldisí.

careful 2-sit.I NEG again-2-wander.Prog-í

Há’át’íí lá hastiin dóó ’at’ééd ’áyiilaa?

what Q man and girl 3-3-make.P
listenloadingplaying

What did the man and the girl make?

Háadi niyaa hazlį́į́’?

where-at 2-under area-grow.P
listenloadingplaying

Where did you grow up?

Háíshą’ tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?

who-Q boat 3-3-make.P

hááłgizh

3DO-1-cut.it.out.P

k’asdą́ą́’

Mary ha’át’íísh nayiisnii’?

Mary what-Q 3-to.buy.I

Na’azhǫǫshgi díkwíí shį́į́ shaa woobįįh?

hoop.and.pole.game-at how.much 1-to pass-win.I
listenloadingplaying

How much will I lose at the hoop and pole game?

Nichxǫ' doo ájíníi da.

stop NEG 4-say.thus.NI NEG
listenloadingplaying

Stop, don’t say it!

Nizhé’é ha’át’íísh nahideeshnih nízin.

2-father-Q what 3-1-buy.F 3-want.NI

ńt’éé’

listenloadingplaying

relates to past time. Used variously as an adverb, a connective (conjunction), and, with nouns, as an adjective translatable as “former, late, deceased”

Shideezhí náneeskaadí ’ánáánéídlééh.

1-younger.sister tortilla 3-3-make.R
listenloadingplaying

My younger sister is making tortilla again.

Shimá bighangóó shíni’ ńt’éé’ ch’ééh déago shhoogéé’.

1-mother 3-home-to 1-desire.to.go past in.vain 1-go.P-GO 1-with ho-become.lazy.X

Shiníbaal doo tó biníkáogeeh le’ ’át’éégóó ’íishłaa.

1-tent NEG water 3-through-3-flow.O proof.against-NEG 3-1-make.P

Sikétsíín diniihgo bik’í’dísdis.

1-ankle pain-GO 3-wrap.I
listenloadingplaying

My ankle aches so I’m wrapping it

Sitsóóké da’ółta’go t’óó bik’iisdził.

1-grandchildren pl-school-GO just 3-1-support.Prog

T’áá ’ałkéé’ ’azee’ííł’íní bił yah ’adahaadzá.

just one-behind-another doctor 3-with into 1Dist-4-go.I

T’áá ’ákódí na’ach’ąą’ígíí bee nihił hweeshne’.

just here.at 3-picture.I-ÍGÍÍ 3-by.means.of 2du-with 1-tell.P

t’éiyá

Tó tsíídkáá’ dididííkááł.

water charcoal-on start-3-2-put.OC.F
listenloadingplaying

Put the water on the charcoal (at some time in the future).

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

2-wake.up.I future only.then 2-sleep.F
listenloadingplaying

Wake up, you can sleep later.

Tsxį́įłgo yoołkááł.

in.a hurry-GO night.is.passing.Prog
listenloadingplaying

The days are going fast.

Tsxį́įłgo łees’áán ’ádíílííł nimásání nihaa yighááh!

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

Tł’éédą́ą́’ mą’ii léi’ shidááh gónaa ch’élwod.

last-night coyote there 1-before areal-around 3-move-rapidly.P
listenloadingplaying

Last night a coyote crossed my path.

wooshjį́į́h

Optative Mode: 1-become.black.O
listenloadingplaying

I hope to become black, get sunburned

woshóóh

3DO-2dpl-brush/comb.it.I

wołbéézh

3DO-2dpl-boil.it.I

yideeshjį́į́ł

Future Mode: 1-become.black.F
listenloadingplaying

I will become black, get sunburned