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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

imaa adv loc there

imbaabaa nad my father

in= pf I, me [the one or ones speaking, the first person]; my [the one or ones speaking, the first person]

ina pc disc [yes-no question word]

See also: na pc disc

inabi vai s/he sits a certain way, lives a certain way at home

inadaawangose s/he walks to a certain place on sand

inademo vai s/he cries a certain way, goes to a certain place crying

inadewe vai s/he goes, walks to a certain place on the snow crust

inadinaa vii it is a certain kind of hill

inadis vta dye, color h/, it (animate) a certain color

Paired with: inadisan vti

inadisan vti dye, color it a certain color

Paired with: inadis vta ; inadiswi vta

inadiswi vta

► inadis vta

inadite vii it is dyed, colored a certain color

inagakeyaa adv deg [RL] a certain way or direction

See also: akeyaa adv loc

inagim vta charge a certain price for, set a certain price for h/

Paired with: inagindan vti

inagindamaw vta charge a certain price, set a certain price on (it) for h/

inagindan vti charge a certain price for, set a certain price for it

Paired with: inagim vta

(benefactive) inagindamaw vta charge a certain price, set a certain price on (it) for h/
inaginde vii it has a certain cost, price, or value

Paired with: inaginzo vai See also: inangide vii

inaginzo vai
  1. s/he has a certain cost, has a certain price
  2. it is a certain date (of a month)

Paired with: inaginde vii See also: inangizo vai

inagoode vii it hangs a certain way

Paired with: inagoojin vai

inagoodoon vti2 hang it a certain way

Paired with: inagoozh vta

inagoojin vai
  1. s/he hangs a certain way
  2. the moon is in a certain phase

Paired with: inagoode vii

inagoozh vta hang h/ a certain way

Paired with: inagoodoon vti2

ina'adoo vai s/he walks a certain way or to a certain place on a trail

ina'adoon vti2 follow it as a trail to a certain place

Paired with: ina'azh vta

ina'am vai2 s/he sings a certain way

ina'amaw vta sing something a certain way for h/

ina'amaazo vai s/he goes to a certain place singing, sings to h/ self a certain way

ina'amii vai s/he walks, steps a certain way

ina'an vti sing it a certain way

ina'azh vta follow h/ trail to a certain place

Paired with: ina'adoon vti2

ina'e vai s/he aims or shoots in a certain way or direction

ina'o vai s/he paddles a certain way or to a certain place

ina'oodoo vai s/he poles a boat to a certain place

ina'oodoon vti2 take it to a certain place by boat

Paired with: ina'oozh vta

ina'oozh vta take h/ to a certain place by boat

Paired with: ina'oodoon vti2

ina'oozh vta distribute (it) so to h/

inakamigad vii it is a certain event, happens a certain way

Paired with: inakamigizi vai

inakamigaa vii it is ground of a certain slope or condition

inakamigizi vai s/he does a certain thing, has certain things happen to h/

Paired with: inakamigad vii

inakeya'ii adv deg [BL] that way

inakizine vai s/he wears certain footwear

inakii'ige vai s/he poles a boat to a certain place

inakwazhiwe vai
  1. s/he paddles a certain way, paddles to a certain place
  2. s/he swims to a certain place (as a fish)

inam vta eat, bite h/ a certain way

Paired with: inandan vti

inamanji'o vai s/he feels a certain way

inamochige vai s/he makes a road or trail going to a certain place

inamon vii it leads to a certain place (as a road or trail)

inamotoon vti2 make it (a road or trail) going to a certain place

(detransitive) inamochige vai s/he makes a road or trail going to a certain place
inanaamo vai s/he breathes a certain way, uses h/ voice a certain way, utters a certain way

inanaandam vai2 s/he goes to a certain place hungry

inandan vti eat, bite it a certain way

Paired with: inam vta

(detransitive) inanjige vai s/he eats a certain way, has a certain diet
inangide vii it costs a certain amount, has a certain price

Paired with: inangizo vai

inangizo vai s/he has a certain cost, has a certain price

Paired with: inangide vii

inanjige vai s/he eats a certain way, has a certain diet

inanokii vai s/he works a certain way, does a certain kind of work, has a certain job

(applicative) inanokiitaw vta do a certain job for h/
inanokiitaw vta do a certain job for h/

inanokiiwin ni a certain job, kind of work, or occupation

inanookii vai s/he hires for a certain job

inanoozh vta hire h/ to do a certain job, hire h/ to go to a certain place

inanoozo vai s/he goes there smoking tobacco

inapide vii it is tied a certain way

Paired with: inapizo vai

inapidoon vti2 tie it a certain way

Paired with: inapizh vta

(detransitive) inapijige vai s/he ties things a certain way
inapijige vai s/he ties things a certain way

inapizh vta tie h/ a certain way

Paired with: inapidoon vti2

inapizo vai s/he is tied a certain way

Paired with: inapide vii

inapizowin ni a kitchen apron

inasham vta feed h/ a certain way

inashke pc disc look!

inashkine vai s/he is so full; s/he fills something a certain way

Paired with: inashkine vii

inashkine vii it is so full; it fills something a certain way

Paired with: inashkine vai

inataw vta play such a game with h/

(detransitive) inataage vai s/he plays such a game (reciprocal) inataadiwag vai they play such a game or such games with each other
inataadiwag vai they play such a game or such games with each other

inataage vai s/he plays such a game

inaw vta look like, resemble h/ a certain way

(reciprocal) inaadiwag vai they look like, resemble each other
inawem vta be related to h/

(derived noun) inawemaagan na a relative, a kinsman (reciprocal) inawendiwag vai they are related to each other
inawemaagan na a relative, a kinsman

inawendaaso vai s/he is related a certain way

inawendiwag vai they are related to each other

inaa pc emph [emphatic particle]

inaabadad vii it is used in a certain way, is employed in a certain way

Paired with: inaabadizi vai

inaabadizi vai s/he is used in a certain way, is employed in a certain way

Paired with: inaabadad vii

inaabajichige vai s/he uses things a certain way

inaabaji' vta use, employ h/ a certain way

Paired with: inaabajitoon vti2

inaabajitoon vti2 use, employ it a certain way

Paired with: inaabaji' vta

(detransitive) inaabajichige vai s/he uses things a certain way
inaabam vta see h/ a certain way as in a dream; have such a dream about h/

Paired with: inaabandan vti

inaabaminaagozi vai s/he appears a certain way (especially as in a dream)

inaabaminaagwad vii it appears a certain way (especially as in a dream); it has a certain look or appearance

inaabandam vai2 s/he dreams a certain way; s/he has a certain view of something, has a certain belief about something

inaabandamowin ni a vision

inaabandan vti see it a certain way as in a dream; have such a dream about it

Paired with: inaabam vta

inaabasige vai s/he sends smoke to a certain place

inaabaso vai h/ smoke goes a certain way

Paired with: inaabate vii

inaabate vii it (smoke) goes a certain direction

inaabi vai s/he looks to a certain place, peeks

inaabide vai s/he has such a tooth or teeth, has a tooth or teeth in a certain condition

inaabikad vii it is a certain way (as something mineral)

Paired with: inaabikizi vai

inaabikaa vii there is a certain kind of rock

inaabikinan vti set it (a machine, a stove) a certain way

inaabikizi vai it (animate; mineral) is of a certain kind, goes a certain way

Paired with: inaabikad vii

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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Speakers & Regions Key

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.