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

ʼAdaʼniigeh, nihíká ʼadoohjah.

3pl-marry.F 1dpl-after 2dpl-run.pl.F
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We are having a wedding, we need everyone’s help.

’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ísh tł’óo’di nanilnishgo nee ’ałní’ní’ą́?

yesterday-Q outside-at 2-work.CI-GO 2-with noon

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi łį́į́’ bichąą bíighahgo tł’oh deíl’áá ńt’éé’ jiní.

long.ago Navajo.land 3-upon-at horse 3-belly sufficient-GO Pl-3-extend.out.of.sight.SNP hearsay

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They say that long ago the grass in the Navajo country was as high as a horse’s belly.

’Ałk’idídą́ą́’ kin ’áshłaa ńt’éé’ ’éí t’ahdii bii’ shighan.

quite.long.ago house 3-1-make.P past it still 3-in 1-home

’Áádóó níléíjigo daaníigo t’óó ’áajigo sh dah ’adiilwod.

and.then over.there-toward pl-3-say.I-GO just that.way-toward 1-with start.off 3-drive.P

’Áłchíní bi’éé’ náádaségis.

children 3-clothes 3-1-wash.R
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I will wash the children’s clothes again.

Abínídą́ą́’ kintahgóó dah didoohkah.

morning-past town-GÓÓ up start-3pl.go.F

Bee ’atiní ’éí doo ’ashohodoobéézhgóó bee ’azk’az.

freezer TOP extremely 3-with 3-cold.SPN

Chidí bitoo’ hadi’dííłbį́į́łgo ’índa Na’azhǫǫshgóó diikah.

car 3-fuel 3.fill.up-GO.P only.then casino-GOO 3pl.go.F
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Fill up the gas and we’ll go to the casino.

Chidí kǫ́ǫ́ ndaajeehígíí t’áá ’ániidígo dahodeezlįįd.

car here 3-run.pl.I-COMP just recently pl-3-become.P
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These cars that run around here just recently came into existence, cars are a recent invention.

Chidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodago ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?

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

Chizh ła’ yah ’aníjááh.

firewood some in 2-bring.I

dadidíníilkał

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

de, deg

deishóóh

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

dóó

CONJ

dínółkaad

3DO-2dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).I

Gowééh ła’ ’ádá dooshkááł laanaa.

coffee one for.self pl.3-1-handle.OC.O wish
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I wish I had a cup of coffee.

Ha’át’éegishą’ nich’ah nííní’ą́?

where-at-Q 2-hat 3-2-set.down.SRO.P
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Where did you leave your hat? Where did you set your hat down?

Haash nízah kodóó nighanjį’?

how-Q 3-long.N here-from 2-home-to

Hahgo lá tá’dinigizh?

When part 2-shear.F

Haidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ nishishnish ńt’éé’ --- doo sh yá’áhoot’éeh da.

winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.P past neg 1-with 3-good.N neg

haníłchaad

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

Háadi lá łį́į́’ naakai?

where-at Q horse 3dpl-walk.I

Hosh doo jiyą́ą da.

cactus NEG 3-4-eat.DI NEG
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One doesn’t eat cactus.

jííłhį́į́’

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

k’adę́ę ... lágo

Kingóó ’anááda’iisdee’.

town-to again-pl-3-go.R
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Everyone went to town again.

Mary ha’át’íí nayiisnii’?

Mary what 3-3-buy.P

Naʼazhǫǫshgóó dooʼáazhgo nihikééʼ ʼiih deeshwoł.

casino-GÓÓ 2du-go.F-GO 2pl-behind 3-into 1-run.F

Ná’oolkiłí sits’ą́ą́’ tanáóó’nił lágo!

watch 1-away 3-1-take.apart.O don’t

Nizhé’é ha’át’íísh nahideeshnih nízin.

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

Nídiiłne’.

3-2-hit.I

Níghéí na’ashch’ąą’ígíí doo níil’į́ da.

Over.there painting-ÍGÍÍ NEG 3-2-du.look.I NEG
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We (us two) are not looking at that painting.

néishjį́į́h

Iterative Mode: 1-become.black.R
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I will become black, get sunburned again and again

Níwe, tʼáádoo ʼałkʼésdisí niyą́ní.

stop NEG candy 3-2-eat.DI.NEG

Shighanídóó ’e’e’aah bich’ijígo shádí bighan.

1-home-from west 3-in.the.direction.of older.sister 3-dwell.N
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My sister’s place is westward from mine.

Shimá nitsii’ yiilch’ííł áádóó bíni’ t’áá ’ákót’ée dooleeł.

1-mom 2-hair 3-2-curl.I and.then let.be just it.is will.be.F
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Mom curl your hair and leave it that way.

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

Shitah honeezgaigo, doo naashnish da dooleeł.

1-body 3-pain.P-GO NEG 1-work.I NEG 3-become.F
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I am sick; I will not work today.

T’áadoo ’anit’íní!

neg 2-do.NI-Í

T’áá ká nóosh’į́į́’

Neg 1-see.O
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Don’t let me see it.

T’áádoo shich’į’ béésh nídiiłts’į́hí

NEG 1-to phone 2-call.R-Í

Tį’ ninádeiilnish.

let’s.go again-pl-1dpl-work.R

Tóógóó łį́į́’ ’ałkéé’ deíkááh.

water-to horse RECIP-behind 3-walk.pl.Prog

woshóóh

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

Yas naanáásmasgo wónáásdóó ’ayóó ’áníłtsxo silį́į́.

snow 3-1-roll.around.Prog soon more large 3-become.P

I was rolling the snowball around and it got very large.

yiishjį́į́’

Perfective Mode: 1-become.black.P
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I became black, got sunburned

Ániid iiyą́ą́ ’áko ndi t’ah dichin nisin.

Recently 1-eat.P even then still 3-hungry 1-want.NI