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
ʼAdaʼniigeh, nihíká ʼadoohjah.
3pl-marry.F 1dpl-after 2dpl-run.pl.F’Adą́ą́dą́ą́’ísh tł’óo’di nanilnishgo nee ’ałní’ní’ą́?
yesterday-Q outside-at 2-work.CI-GO 2-with noon’Ałk’idą́ą́’ Diné bikéyah bikáa’gi łį́į́’ bichąą bíighahgo tł’oh deíl’áá ńt’éé’ jiní.
long.ago Navajo.land 3-upon-at horse 3-belly sufficient-GO Pl-3-extend.out.of.sight.SNP hearsayThey say that long ago the grass in the Navajo country was as high as a horse’s belly.
bookmark’Ałk’idídą́ą́’ kin ’áshłaa ńt’éé’ ’éí t’ahdii bii’ shighan.
quite.long.ago house 3-1-make.P past it still 3-in 1-homeSome time ago I built a house and I’m still living in it.
bookmark- ’ałk’idídą́ą́’ quite some time agofind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- ńt’éé’ relates to past timefind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- ńt’éé’ pastfind in Navajo Conjunction Lexicon
- t’ahdii stillfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- -ii’, yi’ inside of, within, at the interior of a solid objectfind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- location
’Áádóó níléíjigo daaníigo t’óó ’áajigo shił dah ’adiilwod.
and.then over.there-toward pl-3-say.I-GO just that.way-toward 1-with start.off 3-drive.P’Áłchíní bi’éé’ náádaségis.
children 3-clothes 3-1-wash.RAbínídą́ą́’ kintahgóó dah didoohkah.
morning-past town-GÓÓ up start-3pl.go.FYou all go to town in the morning. (YM1987: 344)
bookmark- Command, affirmativefind in Navajo Imperatives
- Futurefind in Navajo Imperatives
- -góó to, toward, along, on, with a numeral it indicates a datefind in Navajo Postposition Lexicon
- Future (F)
- ’ahbínídą́ą́’ this morningfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- dah up at an elevation, off, static, holdingfind in Navajo Adverb Lexicon
- Future (F)
Bee ’atiní ’éí doo ’ashohodoobéézhgóó bee ’azk’az.
freezer TOP extremely 3-with 3-cold.SPNChidí bitoo’ hadi’dííłbį́į́łgo ’índa Na’azhǫǫshgóó diikah.
car 3-fuel 3.fill.up-GO.P only.then casino-GOO 3pl.go.FChidí kǫ́ǫ́ ndaajeehígíí t’áá ’ániidígo dahodeezlįįd.
car here 3-run.pl.I-COMP just recently pl-3-become.PChidíísh bee hólǫ́ doodago ni daats’í chidí nee hólǫ́?
car-Q 3-with 4-exist.N or 2 maybe car 2-with 4-exist.NIChizh ła’ yah ’aníjááh.
firewood some in 2-bring.Idadidíníilkał
pl-3DO-1dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Fstart to herd them (animals), 1st person plural
bookmarkdínółkaad
3DO-2dpl-start.to.herd.them.(animals).Istart to herd them (animals), 2nd person dual
bookmarkGowééh ła’ ’ádá dooshkááł laanaa.
coffee one for.self pl.3-1-handle.OC.O wishHa’át’éegishą’ nich’ah nííní’ą́?
where-at-Q 2-hat 3-2-set.down.SRO.PHaash nízah kodóó nighanjį’?
how-Q 3-long.N here-from 2-home-toHaidą́ą́’ ’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
Háadi lá łį́į́’ naakai?
where-at Q horse 3dpl-walk.IHosh doo jiyą́ą da.
cactus NEG 3-4-eat.DI NEGKingóó ’anááda’iisdee’.
town-to again-pl-3-go.RMary ha’át’íí nayiisnii’?
Mary what 3-3-buy.PNaʼazhǫǫshgóó dooʼáazhgo nihikééʼ ʼiih deeshwoł.
casino-GÓÓ 2du-go.F-GO 2pl-behind 3-into 1-run.FNá’oolkiłí sits’ą́ą́’ tanáóó’nił lágo!
watch 1-away 3-1-take.apart.O don’tNizhé’é ha’át’íísh nahideeshnih nízin.
2-father-Q what 3-1-buy.F 3-want.NINídiiłne’.
3-2-hit.INíghéí na’ashch’ąą’ígíí doo níil’į́ da.
Over.there painting-ÍGÍÍ NEG 3-2-du.look.I NEGnéishjį́į́h
Iterative Mode: 1-become.black.RNíwe, tʼáádoo ʼałkʼésdisí niyą́ní.
stop NEG candy 3-2-eat.DI.NEGShighanídóó ’e’e’aah bich’ijígo shádí bighan.
1-home-from west 3-in.the.direction.of older.sister 3-dwell.NShimá nitsii’ yiilch’ííł áádóó bíni’ t’áá ’ákót’ée dooleeł.
1-mom 2-hair 3-2-curl.I and.then let.be just it.is will.be.FShimá bighangóó shíni’ ńt’éé’ ch’ééh déyáago shił náhoogéé’.
1-mother 3-home-to 1-desire.to.go past in.vain 1-go.P-GO 1-with ho-become.lazy.XI wanted to go to my mother’s house however I was tired and became lazy.
bookmarkShitah honeezgaigo, doo naashnish da dooleeł.
1-body 3-pain.P-GO NEG 1-work.I NEG 3-become.FT’áadoo ’anit’íní!
neg 2-do.NI-ÍT’áádoo shich’į’ béésh nídiiłts’į́hí
NEG 1-to phone 2-call.R-ÍTį’ ninádeiilnish.
let’s.go again-pl-1dpl-work.RTóógóó łį́į́’ ’ałkéé’ deíkááh.
water-to horse RECIP-behind 3-walk.pl.ProgYas naanáásmasgo wónáásdóó ’ayóó ’áníłtsxo silį́į́.
snow 3-1-roll.around.Prog soon more large 3-become.PI was rolling the snowball around and it got very large.
bookmark