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

’Akóyaa ’adah, t’áá baa ’áhólchįįh.

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

’Ashą́ą́ nít’ę́ę́’ t’áadoo hooyání shaa ’ílwod.

1-eat.Prog past suddenly 1-for 3-drive.P

’Atsiniltł’ish dóó tó dayókeedígíí baa ’áłah ’aleeh lá.

electricity and water pl-3-request.I-NOM 3-for meeting DISC
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Those who are requesting electricity and water will have a meeting.

’Ayóigo deesk’aaz --- ’áyąą dah dinítsiz.

terribly cold no.wonder up 2-shiver.NI

’Azhą́ nízaadi naagháa ndi bídin nishłį́.

even.though 3-be.far.away.NI-at 3-walks even.though 3-in.need.of 1-be.NI

’ááłk’iis

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

that dog immediately water.into 3-run.U
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The dog immediately runs into the water.

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

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

-dę́ę́’

-ił

-lááh

Bichidí yichǫ’ yę́ędą́ą́’ ’ashkii t’áani’ nálwod.

3-vehicle 3-P-ruin past boy on.foot 3-P-return
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The boy returned on foot when his car broke down.

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 doodaii’ ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?

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

Da’ ’áájí ’ałdó’ ’áłah ’azlį́į́’?

Q that-side also meeting 1-happen.P

Da’ chidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodaii’ ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?

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

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

dazhdiłhį́į́h

pl-3DO-4dpl-melt.it.I

deiit’aal

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

dididiiljah

3DO-1dpl-start.fire.F

doo --- da

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the frame serving to negativize verbs and phrases

Dziłneeláagí nánisé’ ’azee’ háágeed.

mountain-end-at growing.herb medicine up-3-1-dig-1.P
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I collected medicinal herbs at the base of the mountain.

Díí jį́ Nida’iiníísh ’áko shį́į́ nihich’į’ nida’iil, ya’?

today Friday then.maybe 1pl-toward 1pl-payment.I Q

Gohwééh nayiisnii’diísh b bééhózin?

coffee 3-3-buy.P-at-Q 3-with 3-know.NI

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

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

Ha’a’áahgo shilį́į́’ bá niná’áshjoł.

east-GO 1-horse 3-for again-1-feed.NCM.R

Haash nízah kodóó nighanjį’?

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

hadínóołchał

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

hajiłgéésh

3DO-4-cut.it.out.I

Háí lá Naatsis’áángóó náádeesdzá?

who-Q discover Navajo.Mountain.GOO again-3-go.F
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Who is going to Navajo Mountain again?

Hodíínáá’ágo bááh dootł’izhí ła’ deeshį́į́ł.

after.a.while-GO bread blue some 1-eat.F
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In a while, I will eat some blue corn bread.

háágeed

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

jiłhį́į́h

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

Kin Łánídi daats’í ’éí doodago Bee’eldííldahsinildiísh naniná?

Flagstaff-at perhaps or Albuquerque-at-Q 2-go.around.CI

Kin Łánídiísh ’éí doodago Bee’eldííldahsinildi daats’í naniná?

Flagstaff-at-Q TOP or Albuquerque-at perhaps 2-go.around.CI

Naakaii bizaad jółta’ le’ dzinízingo dzizdá.

mexican language 4-read.I wish 4-wish.O-GO 4-sit.P
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She is wishing he could read Spanish.

Ndáa’di shizhé’é diné ła’ y ’ahi’niigą́ą’go bita’ niséyá.

summer.ceremony-at 1-father man one 3-with Recip-3-fight.P-GO 3-between 3-1-go.siP
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When a man started fighting them with my father at the War Dance, I got in between.

Ne’eshłééh. T’áá ká nóólk’oł.

2-1-copy.I 2-blink.O
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I’m going to take your picture. Don’t blink!

Nihá naazíinii bił neikai.

our leaders 3-with 3pl-1pl-go.P
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We are with our representatives.

Níléí dá’ák’ehdi ła’ joogááł.

there corn.field-at some 4-walk.Prog
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Someone is walking in the cornfield way over there.

Shicheii t’áá ’íiyisíí hastihgo biniinaa kónááhoot’éhí doo na’ádódlíi da.

1-grandfather very 3-old.N-GO because next.year NEG 3-expect.live.NP NEG
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Since my grandfather is very old he doesn’t expect to be alive next year at this time.

Shikéédę́ę́’ naa hodoolzhish.

1-behind-from 2-passing become.F

Shileechąą’í halǫ́ǫ́ ńt’éé’ są biis.

1-dog have past old.age 3-die.of.P
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I used to have a dog but it died of old age.

Shiye’ éí naaki béeso yideená chidí yésį́.

1-son TOP two money 3-exchange.for car 3-stand.SPN
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My son is standing, guarding the car for two dollars.

Shínaaí shich’ą́ą́h naaghá.

1-older.brother 1-protect 3-go.CI
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My older brother protects me.

Tł’éédą́ą́’ t’áadoo hazhó’í ’ííłhaazh da léi’ bił nisin.

night.last NEG good 1.sleep.P NEG since sleepy 3-1.desire.NI
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I’m sleepy since I didn’t sleep well last night.

wohtł’ó

3DO-2dpl-weave.it.I

wooshjį́į́h

Optative Mode: 1-become.black.O
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I hope to become black, get sunburned

yę́ędą́ą́’

Yiską́ągo níléí Tóhajiileehgóó shigáál deizt’i’.

tomorrow.GO over.there Tóhajiileeh-toward 1-physical.being pl-3-path.extend.P