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

’Eii 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.F

bik’ídazhdeezdiz

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

bik’ídidíídis

3DO-2-wrap.it.around.it.F
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wrap it around it, 2nd person singular

bik’ídídis

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

Béeso bá hooghan góne’ saad hazlį́į́’.

bank inside words 3-pas-it.occured.P
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There was an arugment inside the bank.

dajííyą́ą́’

pl-3DO-4dpl-eat.it.P

daołhį́į́h

pl-3DO-2dpl-melt.it.(snow).I

dazhdíníłkaad

pl-3DO-4dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).I

Dibé t’áá daaztsą́ą́ lágo bik’íníyá.

sheep just pl-3-die.P DISC-GO 3-onto-1-come.P
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I found that the sheep was already dead when I came upon it.

didínííłkał

3DO-2-start.to.herd.them.(animals).F
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start to herd them (animals), 2nd person singular

diididoołjah

3DO-3-start.fire.F

dizhdínóołkał

3DO-4-start.to.herd.them.(animals).F
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start to herd them (animals), 4th person

Díí 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.I

Ha’át’íí́sh baa hane’?

What Q 3-for be.told.CI

haashgéésh

3DO-1-cut.it.out.I

hadadéélbįįd

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

hadanoołchaad

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

hadazhdínóołchał

pl-3DO-4dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).F
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card it (as in wool), 4th person plural

hadééłbįįd

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

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

haiilgéésh

3DO-1dpl-cut.it.out.I

hajííłgizh

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

Háadi lá łį́į́’ naakai?

where-at Q horse 3dpl-walk.I

Háísh tsinaa’eeł ’áyiilaa?

who-Q boat 3-3-make.P

Hooghangóó 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 GLOSSES

jididoołhįh

3DO-4-melt.it.F

K’ad Na’nízhoozhídi naasháa le’.

now Gallup-at around-1-walk.I hope

K’os hazlį́į́’ t’áá shǫǫ nahodoołtį́į́ł.

cloud 3-become.P EMP just good 3-rain.F

Na’nízhoozhídę́ę́’ shíká bił ’oolwoł.

Gallup 1-for 3-with 3-drive.I

Na’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 NEG

Naa’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.P
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We started school a couple of days ago.

Náńsdzáago t’áá ’íídą́ą́’ ’ííníyą́ą’ dooleeł.

back-1-go.sg.P-GO just already INDEF-2-eat.P FUT
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When I get back, you will/should already have eaten.

neizlá

3DO-3-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.P

Nizhéʼé nilą́ąjįʼ yigáałgo bikééʼ yilwoł.

2-father 2-in.front-to 3-walk.Prog-GO 3-behind 2-run.Prog

Níwo’jį’ nídiidááh.

move-to 2-get.up.I
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Go and get up.

Shich’é’é bi’éé’ bá ’áshłéehgo naat’ą́hí hááłgizh.

1-daughter 3-clothes 3-for 3-1-make-I 1-GO fabric I-cut.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.

T’ah doo la’ ké ániidígíí ła’ biih náánást’ées da.

not.yet DISC shoe.new-IGII some 3-into 1-step.in.I NEG

T’áá ’ákwíízhíní tó dah siyínígóó ’ałnánáshdááh.

every summer lake-toward again-1-go.R

T’áá ká tó tsíídkáá’ dididííkááł.

NEG water charcoal-on start-3-2-put.OC.F

T’áá binaa naasháa dooleeł

just 3-nearby 1-walk.I FUTURE

T’áá shǫǫ hooghandi nádzáá lá.

good.thing home-at 3-return.P DISC

Ts’aa’ t’áá nitsaaígíí bídin nishłį́.

basket just 3-large.NI-nom 3-lack 1-be.NI

Yadiizíníshą’ haa néelt’e’go nínízin?

can-Q how 3.many.N-GO 2-want.NI

Yas Niłt’ees bini góne’ yas dajiłhį́į́h.

January 3-in 3-into snow Pl.4-melt.I

yishbéézh

3DO-1-boil.it.I

Yiską́ągo daats’í doodaii’ naakiiską́ągo daats’í dah dideeshááł.

tomorrow.GO maybe either two.tomorrow-GO or start.off 1-start.go.F

Łééchąą’í kin bitł’ááh góyaa ’ałhosh.

dog house 3-under down 3-sleep.NI