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biimaabika' vta twist h/ (mineral) (using something); wind h/ (a clock)

biimaakwad ni a vine

biimidoon vai s/he has a twisted or crooked mouth (as from a stroke)

See also: biimidoone vai [N]

biimidoone vai [N] s/he has crooked mouth

See also: biimidoon vai

biimigwaazh vta sew h/ askew

biimijaane vai s/he has a crooked nose

biimin vta twist, turn h/ (around a central point)

Paired with: biiminan vti

biiminakwaan ni rope, a rope

biiminakwaanens ni string, a string

biiminakwe vai s/he makes rope, makes string

biiminakwaan ni rope, a rope
biiminakwaanens ni string, a string
biiminan vti turn, twist it (by hand)

Paired with: biimin vta

biiminigan ni a brace and bit
biiminigan ni a brace and bit

biimiskodisii na a snail

biimiskon vta turn, twist h/ (by hand); twist, turn h/ (around a central point)

Paired with: biimiskonan vti

biimiskonan vti turn, twist it (by hand)

Paired with: biimiskon vta

(derived noun) biimiskonigan ni a screw
biimiskonigan ni a screw

biimiskonikeshin vai s/he falls and twists h/ arm

biimiskwa'an vti twist, screw it (using something)

See also: biimaskwa'an vti

(derived noun) biimiskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench biimiskwa'igaans ni a screw
biimiskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench

See also: biimaskwa'igan ni

biimiskwa'igaans ni a screw

biinabi vai s/he lives in a clean place

biinad vii it is clean

Paired with: biinizi vai

biina' vta put h/ in (something)

Paired with: biina'an vti

biina'amaw vta put (it) in (something) for h/

biina'an vti put it in (something)

Paired with: biina' vta

(detransitive) biina'ige vai s/he puts things in (something) (verb of undergoing) biina'igaade vii it is put in (by someone), "they" put it in (verb of undergoing) biina'igaazo vai s/he is put in (by someone), "they" put h/ in (benefactive) biina'amaw vta put (it) in (something) for h/
biina'ashkimode vai s/he puts something in a bag or pack

biina'igaade vii it is put in (by someone), "they" put it in

Paired with: biina'igaazo vai

biina'igaazo vai s/he is put in (by someone), "they" put h/ in

Paired with: biina'igaade vii

biina'ige vai s/he puts things in (something)

biina'wi vta

► biina' vta

biinakamigaa vii it is clean ground

biinate vai s/he has a clean house or room

biinazhe vai s/he has clean skin

biinaabaawadoon vti2 wash it clean

Paired with: biinaabaawazh vta

biinaabaawazh vta wash h/ clean

biinaabaawazo vii s/he cleans h/ self with water, rinses off, takes a shower

biinaabaawe vai s/he is washed off clean

biinaabaawe vii it is washed off clean

Paired with: biinaabaawe vai

biinaabide vai s/he has clean teeth; h/ teeth are clean

biinaabikad vii it (mineral) is clean

Paired with: biinaabikizi vai

biinaabikizi vai s/he is clean (as something mineral)

Paired with: biinaabikad vii

biinaabiigad vii it (something string-like) is clean

Paired with: biinaabiigizi vai

biinaabiigizi vai s/he (something string-like) is clean

See also: biinaabiigad vii

biinaagamin vii it (a liquid) is clean

biinaakiz vta clean h/ by burning

Paired with: biinaakizan vti

biinaakizan vti clean it by burning

Paired with: biinaakiz vta

(detransitive) biinaakizige vai s/he burns something clean, sterilizes something
biinaakizige vai s/he burns something clean, sterilizes something

biinaakizwi vta [NI]

► biinaakiz vta

biinaakogwe vai s/he has a clean neck; h/ neck is clean

biinaanziye vai s/he has a clean diaper

biinaanziye' vta put a clean diaper on h/

biinaasindoon vti2 clean it in the wind, winnow it

biinda'oodoon vti2 put it in a case

biinda'oojigan ni [N]
  1. a gun case
  2. a condom

biinda'oozh vta put h/ in a case or narrow opening; thread h/

Paired with: biinda'oodoon vti2

biindakade'an vti load it with gunpowder

biindasaagan na a raft; a winter net setting board

biindasinaan ni a bag for ammunition: a shell bag, a shot pouch

biindashkwaadan vti stuff it

Paired with: biindashkwaazh vta

biindashkwaazh vta stuff h/

Paired with: biindashkwaadan vti

biindaabaawajigan ni an enema syringe

biindaabaawazh vta give h/ an enema

biindaabaawazo vai s/he gets an enema

biindaabika' vta [BL] bake h/ in an oven

Paired with: biindaabika'an vti [BL]

biindaabika'an vti [BL] bake, roast it in the oven

Paired with: biindaabika' vta [BL]

biindaabika'wi vta [NI]

► biindaabika' vta [BL]

biindaabikibidoon vti shift it (a car)

Paired with: biindaabikibizh vta

biindaabikibijigan ni a gear shift

biindaabikibijige vai s/he shifts gears

biindaabikibizh vta shift h/ (a car)

Paired with: biindaabikibidoon vti

biindaabikin vta put h/ in the oven

Paired with: biindaabikinan vti

biindaabikinan vti put it in oven

Paired with: biindaabikin vta

biindaabikiwebin vta shove h/ into a metal container; throw h/ into an incinerator or stove

Paired with: biindaabikiwebinan vti

biindaabikiwebinan vti shove it into a metal container; throw it in an incinerator or stove

Paired with: biindaabikiwebin vta

biindaagana' vta [BL] put h/ in your pocket

Paired with: biindaagana'an vti [BL]

biindaagana'an vti [BL] put it in your pocket

Paired with: biindaagana' vta [BL]

biindaagana'wi vta [NI]

► biindaagana' vta [BL]

biindaagibagizo vai s/he does a hoop dance

biindaagibagizowin ni hoop dance

biindaagipikwan adv loc [BL] inisde the ribcage

biindaagone vai s/he gets snow in h/ footwear or clothing

biindaa'an vii it gets water splashed in it by the waves

biindaakoodoon vti2 make an offering of tobacco to it

Paired with: biindaakoozh vta

(detransitive) biindaakoojige vai s/he makes an offering of tobacco
biindaakoojige vai s/he makes an offering of tobacco

biindaakoozh vta make an offering of tobacco to h/

Paired with: biindaakoodoon vti2

biindaakwaan na snuff

biindaakwe vai s/he chews tobacco

(derived noun) biindaakwaan na snuff
biindaanikaan adv loc in a pit

biindaanimad vii the wind blows in

biindaasowin ni a pocket

biinde vii it is in (something)

Paired with: biinzo vai

biindig adv loc inside, indoors

biindigadamaw vta bring (it) in for h/

biindigadoon vti2
  1. bring it inside / indoors, take it inside / indoors
  2. introduce it (as a resolution or legislation)

Paired with: biindigazh vta

biindigajigaade vii it is brought in (by someone), "they" bring it in

biindigajigaazo vai s/he is brought in (by someone), "they" bring h/ in

biindigaw vta enter into where h/ is, come in on h/

biindigazh vta bring h/ inside / indoors, take h/ inside / indoors

Paired with: biindigadoon vti2

biindige vai s/he enters, goes inside / indoors, comes inside / indoors

(applicative) biindigadoon vti2
  1. bring it inside / indoors, take it inside / indoors
  2. introduce it (as a resolution or legislation)
(benefactive) biindigadamaw vta bring (it) in for h/ (verb of undergoing) biindigajigaade vii it is brought in (by someone), "they" bring it in (verb of undergoing) biindigajigaazo vai s/he is brought in (by someone), "they" bring h/ in
(benefactive) biindigaw vta enter into where h/ is, come in on h/ (applicative) biindigazh vta bring h/ inside / indoors, take h/ inside / indoors
biindigeba' vta make h/ run in, run h/ in

The Ojibwe People's Dictionary is developed and maintained by:
Nora Livesay, Editor
John D. Nichols, Founder and Linguistic Editor

with support and collaboration from the University of Minnesota's Department of American Indian Studies and University Libraries.

Additional Resources

Many of the words in the Ojibwe People's Dictionary have related resources. Click through to the full dictionary entry to hear audio recordings, see images, read documents and watch videos. Here's a key to resource icons.

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Individual speakers and speakers from different regions use different words when speaking. Each audio recording is marked with the initials of the Ojibwe speaker. Click on a speaker's initials to go to the speaker's bio page. If an Ojibwe word is particular to a certain region, it will be marked with a region code. Click on the region code to go to the Regions page.