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:
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
’Eii lá bóhólníih ni.
that FOC 3-lead.Prog EMPH"Binák’eegóó baa da’ashch’osh lá," didíínííł.
3-eye-between-around 3-to pl-3-infest.P DISC 3-2-tell.Fbik’ídazhdeezdiz
pl-3DO-4dpl-wrap.it.around.it.PBéeso bá hooghan góne’ saad hazlį́į́’.
bank inside words 3-pas-it.occured.Pdazhdíníłkaad
pl-3DO-4dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).IDibé t’áá daaztsą́ą́ lágo bik’íníyá.
sheep just pl-3-die.P DISC-GO 3-onto-1-come.Pdidínííłkał
3DO-2-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Fdizhdínóołkał
3DO-4-start.to.herd.them.(animals).FDíí tł’éé’ t’áá ká dóola dá’ák’eólyeed lágo, dádiʼnítįįh.
this night NEG bull into.field-3-run.O hope.not 3-2-close.gate.IDon’t let the bull get into the field tonight, so close the gate.
bookmark- Command, negativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Optative with t’áá ká and lágofind in Navajo Imperatives
- t’áá ká don’tfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- lágo negative particle used with the optative modefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Optative (O)
- Command, affirmativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Imperfectivefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Imperfective (I) (∅, ni, si, yi-∅)
Ha’át’íí́sh baa hane’?
What Q 3-for be.told.CIhadadéélbįįd
pl-3DO-1dpl-fill.something.up.with.it.Phadanoołchaad
pl-3DO-2dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).Phadazhdínóołchał
pl-3DO-4dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).Fhadééłbįįd
3DO-1-fill.something.up.with.it.PHaidą́ą́’ ’a’áán góne’ nishishnish ńt’éé’ --- doo shił yá’áhoot’éeh da.
winter-past mine.shaft 1-work.P past NEG 1-with 3-good.N NEGI worked in the mine (shaft) last year and I didn’t like it.
bookmark- -dą́ą́’ past timefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -ne’ behindfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Perfective (P) (yi, ni, si, yi-∅)
- naashnish work
- -ił withfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- doo --- da frame to negativize verbs and phrasesfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
hajííłgizh
3DO-4-cut.it.out.PHáadi lá łį́į́’ naakai?
where-at Q horse 3dpl-walk.IHáísh tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?
who-Q boat 3-3-make.PHooghangóó nikéédeeshdááł nisin ndi ółta’di ’éí náshiilkááh.
home-toward 1-go.F 1-want.NI but school-at there 1-spend.night.N CHECK VERB GLOSSESK’ad Na’nízhoozhídi naasháa le’.
now Gallup-at around-1-walk.I hopeK’os hazlį́į́’ lá t’áá shǫǫ nahodoołtį́į́ł.
cloud 3-become.P EMP just good 3-rain.FClouds have formed. It’s a good thing it will rain.
bookmarkNa’nízhoozhídę́ę́’ shíká bił ’oolwoł.
Gallup 1-for 3-with 3-drive.INa’níle’dii béeso ła’ haaníníl, t’áadoo tł’oh nidziisnii’ da.
dismay money some 4-3-1-give.PlO.P NEG hay 3-4-buy.P NEGNaa’ółí hanii náneeskaadí bił yíyą́ą́’. ’Alóós ga’ (yíyą́ą́’).
bean NEG.FOC tortilla 3-with 3-1-eat.P | rice FOC (3-1-eat.P)Naaki yiskánídą́ą́’ da’iiníílta’go hahoolzhiizh.
two day-past pl-1dpl-school.NI-GO start-time.passing.PNáńsdzáago t’áá ’íídą́ą́’ ’ííníyą́ą’ dooleeł.
back-1-go.sg.P-GO just already INDEF-2-eat.P FUTneizlá
3DO-3-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.PNizhéʼé nilą́ąjįʼ yigáałgo bikééʼ yilwoł.
2-father 2-in.front-to 3-walk.Prog-GO 3-behind 2-run.ProgRun along behind your father as he walks ahead of you.
bookmark- Command, affirmativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Progressivefind in Navajo Imperatives
- -go verb and subordinating encliticfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -jį́’ up to, as far asfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- -kéé’ behind, followingfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Progressive (Prog)
- yishwoł run along




