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

’Ashkiísh ’at’ééd yiyiiłtsą́?

boy-Q girl 3-3-see.P
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Did the boy see the girl?

’Ałk’idą́ą́’ shimá bił na’nishkaadgo ’aghaa’ yisdizígíí dibé yázhí yichíihgo yizénéíłt’ih.

long ago 1-mother 3-with SUP-1-herd.I-GO wool 3-spin.P-ígíí lamb 3-birth.P 3-neck-around-3-tie.P
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Long ago, while herding sheep with my mother, she used to tie a yarn around the newborn lamb’s neck.

’Ííshją́ą́ ’at’ééd yázhí hooghandę́ę́’ ch’idoogááł.

certainly girl little house-from out-3-walk.F

-ąąh

-ba-

-ch’ijí

-nah

-tah, -taa-, -ta-

-tis

Beehaz’áanii bik’ehgo baa hwiiníst’įįd.

laws 3-according-to-GO 3-about 3-discuss.P

Bich’ijí nishłį́.

3-toward-side 1-be.NI

bik’ídadohdis

pl-3DO-2dpl-wrap.it.around.it.I

bik’ízhdeezdiz

3DO-4-wrap.it.around.it.P

Ch’ééh jiyáán náshdį́į́h ’áádóó tó náshdlį́į́h.

watermelon again-1-eat.R then water again-1-drink.R
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I eat watermelon then I drink water.

Ch’íníyáá nít’ę́ę́’ t’áá hooshch’į’ łééchąą’í shich’į’ ch’élwod.

out-1-go.P past suddenly 1-to dog out-3-come.P

Ch’į́į́góó ch’ééh tádííyá.

fail in.vain 1-go.P
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I went everywhere (looking for something but without success).

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

car-Q 3-with 4-exist.NI or you perhaps car 2-with 4-exist.NI

Da’iidą́ągo sitsilí bilééchąą yázhí náneeskaadí ła’ yá yiidiyiisdláád dóó yaa yiizhjaa’.

1Pl-eat.I-GO 1-brother 3-puppy tortilla some 3-tear.P and 3-to 3-3-give.P
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While we were eating my little brother tore off pieces of tortilla and gave them (one after another) to his puppy.

dadoołhį́į́’

pl-3DO-2dpl-melt.it.P

dajiłhį́į́h

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

deiilbéézh

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

Dichin nínízin ya’?

hungry 2-want.NI Q

didazhdiłjeeh

pl-3DO-4dpl-start.fire.I

dideididoołjah

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

didishjeeh

3DO-1-start.fire.I

Díí mósí yázhí hooghangóó nááshtééł.

this cat little home-towards 3-1-carry.Prog

doo deighánígóó

Doo łá’í ndi naash’áa da.

NEG one but 3-1-hold.SRO.CI NEG
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I haven’t a single one, I have not even one.

Ha’át’íí biniiyé shą́ą́h ńdídááh?

what 3-because 1-passing.by 2-go.I

Ha’át’íísh Mary nayiisnii’?

What-Q Mary 3-to.buy.I

hadééłbįįd

3DO-1-fill.something.up.with.it.P

hanishchaad

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

Hatáálgóó déyáago shikélchí t’óó tsxį́į́łgo bił ’ada’shéshiizhgo ńdaséłkad.

ceremony-1-go-Fut-GO 1-moccasin merelyhurry.GO 3-with 3-1-pierce-GO 3-1-sew-P
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Since I was going to a ceremony, I hurriedly pierced holes in my moccasins and sewed them.

Háágóó shą’ díníyá?

where-to.Q 2-go.F

jííshóó’

3DO-4-brush/comb.it.P

K’ad shį́į́ deesk’aaz hodooleeł.

now probably cold area-become.F
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Now it will probably turn cold.

KinŁánídi ’ííníshta’ ńt’éé’ ’áádóó t’áá ’ániidígo ’áadi náánísdzáá ńtéé’ ’ééhosisya’ lá.

Flagstaff-in 1-study.P past and.then just recently there-at 1-return.P past 1-get.hazy.P disc
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I was young I went to school in Flagstaff but I returned there recently to find that I’m so hazy about things that I barely recognize the place.

Nádí daats’í ’éí doodaii’ nideezhí daats’í bááh ’íidoolííł?

older.sister perhaps or younger.sister perhaps bread 3-make.F
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Is your older sister or your younger sister going to make bread? / Maybe your older sister or your younger sister is going to make bread.

Níká ’adeeshwoł biniiyé níyá.

2-for 1-run.F 3-purpose.of 1-came.P

Sáanii ’éétsoh bi’oh ’ádaníłtso.

women coat 3-less.than indef-Pl-3.size.N

Shilééchąą’í yázhí shikéé’ yildlosh ńt’éé’ hashtł’ish yiih yildloozh.

1-dog little 1-behind 3-walk.Prog past mud 3-into 3-walk.P

Shilį́į́’ tł’aaká’ii dóó shilį́į́’ biyéél bił tsodizin ’íishłaa.

1-appaloosa and 1-horse 3-saddle 3-with prayer 3-1-make.P
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With my appaloosa and my saddle side by side I made my prayer.

Shį́į́dą́ą́’ na’niiłkaadgo t’áá ’áháníjį’ ’adeeshch’iłgo bik’ee deelyiz.

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Last summer when we were out herding sheep a bolt of lightning struck nearby and gave us a startle.

Tó bidinínáágóó ni’ bikáá’ hasé’éél.

water 3-opposite-toward land 3-on 1-float.P

Tł’éédą́ą́’ ni’shéłhaazh.

night-past 1-rest.P

yiłbéézh

3DO-3-boil.it.I

Yóó’ ’anáháshyeed.

away SER-1-run.R
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I run away time after time.

Ła’ nídeezid yę́ędą́ą́’ ’áajigo niséyá.

one month past that-way-GO 1.go.P