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

Hííłch’į’go ’índa ta’iideeshnih.

evening.GO until 1-mix.dough.F

’Ashiiké yázhí nináádaa’né.

boys young pl-3-play.R
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The boys are playing again.

’Ashkii yázhí éí bimá kingóó yił yi’ash.

boy little TOP 3-mother store-to 3-with 3-walk.du.Prog

’Ayóo deesk’aazgo beeldléí ditánígíí biih násh’nah.

very cold-GO blanket 3-thick.NI-ÍGÍÍ 3-into 1-crawl.R
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When it’s very cold, I get into a thick blanket.

’Azhą́chíil ndi dibé ch’ínínil.

even 3-snow.I but sheep 3-1-release.P

’Ííłta’ dóó ’iiłghaazh.

1-read.P CONJ 1-sleep.P

’Ooljéé’ hanáníbąsgo Diné bikédaayahgi ’ashiiké nidahachíí jiní.

moon up.out-3-full.moon.R-GO navajo.people 3-pl-land-at boy-pl pl-3-birth.R 4-say.I
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On the Navajo reservation, boys are said to be born during the full moon.

’Ólta’di ’áłchíní binaashii sédáago ’ííníshta’.

school-at children 3-across.from 1-sit.SNP 3-read.NI

’Ólta’góó dayínóhkááh.

school-toward pl-2dpl-go.pl.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

Báhóóchįįd.

3-for-3s-anger.P
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He/she/it is mad.

Béésh hataałí t’áádoo de nídíłki’í.

radio NEG up 2-volume.turn.I-Í

bik’ídazhdidoodis

pl-3DO-4dpl-wrap.it.around.it.F
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wrap it around it, 4th person plural

Ch’iyáán t’óó ’ahayóí ndi tó ’ádin.

food lots but water 3-none.NI
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There’s lots of food but no water.

Chidí nidabinóołtłáád.

car pl-3-2dpl-stop.O

dazhdoołbish

pl-3DO-4dpl-boil.it.F
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boil it, 4th person plural

deiyííyą́ą́’

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

diidį́į́ł

3DO-1dpl-eat.it.F
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eat it, 1st person dual

Díí tł’éé’ t’áá ká dóola dá’ák’eólyeed lágo.

this night NEG bull into.field-3-run.O hope.not LÁGO

Dziłgóó ’o’ooldee’ yę́ę ná’ooldah.

mountain-to 3-go.pl.P past 3-return.pl.I

hadajishgizh

pl-3DO-4dpl-cut.it.out.P

hadaołgéésh

pl-3DO-2dpl-cut.it.out.I

hadazhneeshchaad

pl-3DO-4dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).P

hadeidínóołchał

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

hadeneeshchaad

pl-3DO-3dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).P

hajiłgéésh

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

Háí lá b nanilnish?

who Q 3-with 2-work.I

Háí lá kintahgóó sh adoołbąs?

who-Q town-to 1-me 3-drive.F

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

Kénídánííljeehgo, sin ła’ beehódíítał.

shoe.game-GO song some 2-sing.F

Naaki yiskánídą́ą́’ da’iiníílta’go hahoolzhiizh.

two day-past pl-1dpl-school.NI-GO start-time.passing.P
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We started school a couple of days ago.

Naaltsoos yíníshta’.

book 3-1-read.I

Sharon łį́į́' tł’oh yá neiníłjool.

Sharon horse hay 3-for 3-3-give.NCM.P

Shideezhí náneeskaadí ’ánáánéídlééh.

1-younger.sister tortilla 3-3-make.R
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My younger sister is making tortilla again.

Shimá yázhí ’ashkii yinisé.

aunt little boy 3-3-raise.CI
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My aunt is raising the boy.

Shimá ła’í ndi béeso t’áado shaa yiní’ą́ą da.

1-mother not.even.one money just.NEG to.me 3-3-give.P NEG.

Shí hanii t’éiyá Naasht’ézhí bizaad sh bééhózin.

I contrary only English 3-language 1-with 3-know.P

shoołbéézh

3DO-2dpl-boil.it.P

Sitsóí bi’éé’ nizhónígo bá nishéch’ąą’.

1-grandchild 3-clothes 3-beautiful.NI-GO 3-for designed.P 1-it
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I designed my grandchild’s colorful clothes.

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

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

T’áadoo ná’iilwosh.

NEG 2-sleep.R

Tsé bikáa’gi béésh dah si’ą́.

rock 3-on-at knife up 3-sit.SNP

Tł’óodi didíłjeeh.

outside 3-2-start.fire.I

yiigish

3DO-2-make.one.cut.in.it.I

yishą́

3DO-1-eat.it.I

yishdlą́ą́’

3DO-1-drink.it.P

yiłbéézh

3DO-3-boil.it.I

ʼAwéé chʼídeeldloʼ. ʼA’áshįįh daatsʼí nihee dahólǫ́.

baby 3-laugh.P Navajo.salt perhaps 2dpl-with pl-HO-exist.NI

ʼÉí ʼashkii hanii, habééso hólǫ́!

that boy NEG.FOC 4-money 3-exist.NI