6.8

## Overview

The subjunctive is very frequent in Na’vi. Outside its use in independent sentences, the subjunctive is highly grammaticalized, that is, its use is simply required in certain grammatical constructions without necessarily hinting at an *irrealis* sense.

## 6.8.1 - Optative

It is used to indicate a wish, **oeyä swizaw nìngay tivakuk** *let my arrow strike true*.

## 6.8.2 - Nìrangal

Unrealizable wishes use the adverb **nìrangal** followed by the imperfective subjunctive to indicate an unattainable wish in the present, with the perfective subjunctive for an unattainable wish in the past. This can be expressed in English with phrases like, “if only” or “I wish,” **nìrangal lirvu oeyä frrnenur lora sanhì** *I wish my children had pretty stars*, **nìrangal oel tslilvam nì’ul** *if only I had understood more*.

## 6.8.3 - Modal Complement

The verbal complement to a modal verb, such as **zene** *must*, **tsun** *can*, etc., will take the subjunctive, as in **ayngari zene hivum** *you must leave*, **oe new nìtxan ayngaru fyawivìntxu** *I want very much to guide you*, **fmawn a tsun oe ayngaru tivìng** *news which I can give to you*.

**6.8.3.1** The verb controlled by the modal will only takes the pre-first position infixes (the reflexive and causative, 3.6.2) and the subjunctive. It will not take tense, aspect, or affect infixes. So, marking for these should go on the modal, **oe namew tsive’a** *I wanted to see*, never **\*oe new tsimve’a**.

* **Pori mesyokx rìkxi, ha ke tsayun yerikit tivakuk.** *His hands tremble, so he will not be able to hit the hexapede.*
* **Furia tsolun oe ngahu pivängkxo, oeru prrte’ lu nìngay.** *It was really a pleasure to speak with you.*
* **Fteria oel lì’fyati leNa’vi, slä mi ke tsängun pivlltxe na hufwe.** *I’m studying Na’vi, but I’m afraid I still can’t speak it fluently.*

Except in poetry or ceremonial language, the modal verb will always come before the controlled verb.

**6.8.3.2** Known modal verbs and verbs with modal syntax:

**6.8.3.3** Note that the modal verbs are considered intransitive with the subject of the modal phrase in the subjective case, regardless of the transitivity of the controlled verb, **oe new yivom teylut** *I want to eat teylu*. But see “word order effects,” 7.1.3.1, for some exceptional patterns. If the modal is one capable of taking a subclause, however, then it behaves transitively, **oel new futa nga srew** *I want you to dance* (6.8.4).

**6.8.3.4** When **ke** is used with modal verbs, it may go either in front of the modal verb or in front of the controlled verb. In some cases, this changes the meaning as with **ke zene kivä** *do not have to go* versus **zene ke kivä** *must not go* or **po ke tsun yivom** *they are not able to eat* versus **po tsun ke yivom** *they are able to not eat*.

## 6.8.4 - Modals with Subclauses

Several of the modals may also take subclauses introduced with **futa** or **a fì’ut** (3.4.2). Normally when the subject of the modal and the controlled verb are the same, you do not need to use one of the conjunctions, but it is possible.

* **Oel new futa nga srivew.** *I want to dance.*
* **Oel new futa srew.** *I want to dance, lit., I want that I dance.*

Note here than the sublcause does not require the subjunctive. However, due to analogy with the very common pattern seen in **oe new srivew**, it is permitted to use the subjunctive as well, **oel new futa srivew**. This also applies if the the subject of the subclause is different from the main clause:

* **Oel new futa nga srew.** *I want you to dance.*
* **Oel new futa nga srivew.** *I want you to dance.*

* **Poel stolatso futa mefo tivaron tsaha’ngir.** *She must have refused (their request) to hunt that afternoon.*

The verbs which permit this variation in the subclause are: **fmi, kan, may’, new, nulnew**, and **sto**.

**6.8.4.1** The causative of transitive **new** will also take a **futa** clause, **pol oeru neykew futa oel yivom teyluti** *he made me want to eat teylu*, lit. *he made me want that I eat teylu*.

## 6.8.5 - Other Uses

The subjunctive is also used in purpose clauses with **fte** (6.17.2), conditional sentences (6.19), and with the conjunction **tsnì** when used with certain verbs (6.20.8).

1. ↑ https://naviteri.org/2011/03/word-order-and-case-marking-with-modals/