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

-ą́ą́h

-lááh

-naashii

Asdzání ní’jookąąhgo kintahdi nijighá.

woman-NOM Rep-3a-beg.I-GOtown-at about-3a-walk.I
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A lady is walking around in the city asking for help.

bik’ídadidoohdis

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

bik’ídísdis

3DO-1-wrap.it.around.it.I

Bini’ íídeeshtah doodago ’éiyá yóó’ ’adeeshwoł.

let will-1-school or only away 1-off-run.P

Ch’óóshdą́ą́dą́ą́’ Bilagáanaa Bizaad doo diists’a’ da. K’ad ’éí t’áá shxǫǫ t’áá bee yáshti’.

formerly English neg 1-understand.I neg. Now TOP good.thing barely 3.with 1.speak-I

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

dadiilyį́į́h

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

Daniel hahgosh hidilníísh?

Daniel when-Q 3-start.work.I

daooyą́ą́’

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

Dichin nínízin ya’?

hungry 2-want.NI Q

Díigi ’át’éegoósh ’ájiił’įįh?

this-at 3-be-GO-Q SUP-4-do.P

Díí haa yit’éego ’atiin?

this how 3-be.NI road
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How is this road?

Díísh haa yit’éego ’atiin?

this-Q how 3-be.NI road

doo ndi

Ha’át’íí neidiyoołnih nínízin?

who 3-3-buy.F 2-think.NI

Haa níníłnééz?

what 2-tall.relatively.NI
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How tall are you?

hadaniilchaad

pl-3DO-1dpl-card.it.(as.in.wool).P

hadínéeshchał

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

Hastiin dóó ’at’ééd lá ha’át’íí ’áyiilaa?

man and girl Q what 3-3-make.P

hazhnííłchaad

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

háádóó

Háíshą’ 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

Kin bighą́ą́’dę́ę́’ hadah ’adzííłhaal ndi t’áadoo ’ádadénih da.

house 3-to-from down 1-tumble.P but NEG RFLX-1-hurt.P NEG

Kwii nináá’nísh’aah.

here again-3-1-place.R
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I will place it here again.

le’ ’át’éégóó

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used with the optative mode to produce a meaning roughly equivalent to “proof against”

Mósí dóó łeechą́ą́’ii’ baniłts’ood’ii’, bił hózhǫ́.

cat dog 3-1-feed.P-and 3-with 3-happy.NI

Na’nízhoozhígóó nihił ’adeeswod ’áko shį́į́ ’adiidį́į́ł chidí nihá ’ánálnéehgo.

Gallup-to 1-with INDEF-drive.P then maybe 1-dual-eat.F car 1-for 3-fix.I-GO

naohłé

3DO-2dpl-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.I

Náshdóí yę́ę noonéełgo wónáásdóó k’adę́ę ’ádįįh jiní.

wildcat former 3-die.off.Prog-GO soon nearly 3-extinct.I 4-say.NI
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Wildcats are dying off and it is said that soon they’ll become extinct.

nidííleeł

3DO-2-carry.a.ropelike.thing.around.F

ńt’éé’

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relates to past time. Used variously as an adverb, a connective (conjunction), and, with nouns, as an adjective translatable as “former, late, deceased”

Shimá sání Mary níigo yee ’ádójí.

1-grandmother Mary 3-say.I-GO 3-by reflexive-3-call.NI
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My grandmother calls herself Mary.

Shizhé’é bidá’ák’eh ’éí shicheii bidá’ák’eh táadi yilááh ’ánáníłtso.

1-father 3-field TOP 1-grandfather 3-field three-at 3-big 3-again-big.NI
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My father’s farm is three times as big as my grandfather’s.

Shínaaí chidí b dah diilwodgo bizánághah góne’ łeezh ’adzíísi’.

older.brother car 3-with up 3-run.I-GO 3-around areal-in dust 3-trail.P
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When my older brother started off in the car he left a trail of dust around the corner.

Siláo yik’ee noochééł.

police account 3-flee.Prog
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S|he is running away from the police.

t’éiyá

Tó Haach’i’dę́ę́’ ’ííyisíí naashá.

Tohatchi-from truly 1-go.CI

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.

Tł’óodiísh t’ah ’áłchíní nidaané?

outside-Q still children pl-3-play.I

wooyą́ą́’

3DO-2dpl-eat.it.P

yiidlą́ą́’

3DO-1dpl-drink.it.P

yiishjį́į́h

Usitative Mode: 1-become.black.U
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I usually become black, get sunburned

yoodlą́ą́’

3DO-3-drink.it.P

Łį́į́’ ’áhidiníłnáago sizį́.

horse Recip-3-opposite-GO 3-du-stand.SPN
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The horses stand facing in opposite directions.

Łį́į́’ ’áhidinníłnáago sizį́.

horse Recip-3-opposite-GO 3-du-stand.SPN
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The horses stand facing in opposite directions.

łahágóó