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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

iniw pron dem those (inanimate plural)

See also: iniwe pron dem [N]

iniwe pron dem that (animate obviative); those (animate obviative)

See also: iniw pron dem ; iniwen pron dem

iniwe pron dem [N] those (inanimate plural)

See also: iniw pron dem

iniwedi pron dem that over there (animate obviative); those over there (animate obviative)

See also: iniwedin pron dem

iniwedin pron dem that over there (animate obviative); those over there (animate obviative); those over there (inanimate plural)

iniwen pron dem [RL] those (inanimate plural)

iniwen pron dem that (animate obviative); those (animate obviative)

See also: iniw pron dem ; iniwe pron dem

iniz vta cook h/ a certain way; heat h/ a certain way

Paired with: inizan vti

inizh vta cut h/ a certain way

Paired with: inizhan vti

inizhamaw vta cut (it) a certain way for h/

inizan vti cook it a certain way; heat it a certain way

Paired with: iniz vta

(detransitive) inizige vai s/he cooks (things) a certain way
inizhan vti cut it a certain way

Paired with: inizh vta ; inizhwi vta [NI]

(benefactive) inizhamaw vta cut (it) a certain way for h/ (detransitive) inizhige vai s/he cuts (things) a certain way (verb of undergoing) inizhigaade vii it is cut a certain way (verb of undergoing) inizhigaazo vai s/he is cut a certain way (by someone), "they" cut h/ a certain way
inizekwe vai s/he cooks a certain way

inizhigaade vii it is cut a certain way

inizhigaazo vai s/he is cut a certain way (by someone), "they" cut h/ a certain way

inizhige vai s/he cuts (things) a certain way

inizige vai s/he cooks (things) a certain way

inizo vai s/he is cooked a certain way

Paired with: inide vii

inizhwi vta [NI]

► inizh vta

inizwi vta [NI]

► iniz vta

injaanzh nid [S] my nose

See also: ninjaan nid [N]

injiingwan nad my lap; my (front of) thigh

inose vai s/he walks in a certain way, walks to a certain place

inoode vai s/he crawls a certain way, crawls to a certain place

inoo' vta [BL] point to h/ a certain way

Paired with: inoo'an vti [BL] See also: izhinoo' vta

inoo'amaw vta [BL] point something out to h/, point a certain way for h/

See also: izhinoo'amaw vta

inoo'an vti [BL] point to it

See also: izhinoo'an vti

inoo'ige vai [BL] s/he a certain way

inoo'wi vta [NI]

► inoo' vta [BL]

inoom vta carry h/ to a certain place on h/ back

Paired with: inoondan vti

inoomaawaso vai s/he carries a baby to a certain place on h/ back

inoomigo vai s/he rides to a certain place on horseback

inoondan vti carry it to a certain place on h/ back

Paired with: inoom vta

inootaw vta quote h/ a certain way

(detransitive) inootaage vai s/he quotes people, reports what people say
inootaage vai s/he quotes people, reports what people say

inwe vai s/he makes a characteristic call (of an animal or bird); s/he speaks a certain language

(derived noun) inwewin ni a way of speaking, a language, a dialect
inwewe vii it makes a certain noise

inwewebagaasin vii its leaves sound a certain way blowing in the wind

inweweba'idiwag vai they are heard running to a certain place together

inwewebatoo vai s/he is heard running to a certain place

inwewebizo vai s/he drives, flies, speeds to a certain place making noise

inwewebiisaa vii [MN] the rain sounds a certain way

See also: inwewebiisaan vii [BL]

inwewebiisaan vii [BL] the rain sounds a certain way

See also: inwewebiisaa vii [MN]

inwewesidoon vti2 drop and make it sound a certain way

Paired with: inweweshim vta

inwewesin vii it sounds a certain way falling or hitting

Paired with: inweweshin vai

inweweshim vta drop and make h/ sound a certain way

Paired with: inwewesidoon vti2

inweweshin vai s/he sounds a certain way falling, hitting, or stepping

Paired with: inwewesin vii

inwewetoo vai s/he goes to a certain place speaking publicly, making sounds

inweweyaadagaa vai s/he is heard swimming to a certain place

inweweyaadagaako vai s/he is heard going to a certain place on the ice

inweweyaadagaazii vai s/he is heard wading to a certain place

inweweyaanimad vii the wind is heard blowing a certain way

inweweyaashkaa vii waves make a certain sound

inwewidam vai s/he is heard speaking going to a certain place

inwewin ni a way of speaking, a language, a dialect

inzid nid my foot

See also: nizid nid

inzigos nad my aunt (cross-aunt: father's sister)

inzigozis nad my mother-in-law

inzinis nad my father-in-law

See also: nizhinis nad [N]

inzhishenh nad my uncle (cross-uncle: mother's brother)

ipa'igo vai s/he rides to a certain place, drives to a certain place (drawn by horse or dog)

See also: apa'igo vai

ipide vii it speeds, drives, flies to a certain place

Paired with: ipizo vai

ipizo vai s/he speeds, drives, flies to a certain place

Paired with: ipide vii

ipizo' vta [BL] drive h/ to a certain place

ipizoni' vta drive h/ to a certain place

Paired with: ipizonitoon vti2

ipizonitoon vti2 drive it to a certain place

Paired with: ipizoni' vta

ipogozi vai s/he has a certain taste

Paired with: ipogwad vii

ipogwad vii it has a certain taste

Paired with: ipogozi vai

ipwi vta taste h/ and find h/ tastes a certain way

isa pc emph [emphatic word]

ise pc disc for shame!

iska'amaw vta bail it out for h/

iska'an vti take water off it, bail it out

iska'amaw vta bail it out for h/ iska'ige vai s/he takes water off something, bails something out
iska'ibaan ni something to bail with or to soak up water with

iska'ibii vai s/he bails

(derived noun) iska'ibaan ni something to bail with or to soak up water with
iska'ige vai s/he takes water off something, bails something out

iskandan vti drain it dry (drinking it)

iskaso vai s/he is stranded by low water level, left high and dry

Paired with: iskate vii

iskate vii it goes down, dries up (of a body of water)

Paired with: iskaso vai

iskaabii vii it dries up, drains out, the water in it recedes

iskaakizige vai s/he runs out of fuel

iskigamide vii it boils down

Paired with: iskigamizo vai

iskigamizan vti boil it down

(detransitive) iskigamizige vai s/he boils things down (e.g., maple sap), is sugaring (verb of undergoing) iskigamizigaade vii it is boiled down (by someone), "they" boil it down (derived noun) iskigamizigan ni a sugar bush, a sugar camp
iskigamizigan ni a sugar bush, a sugar camp

iskigamiziganaak ni a frame for holding sap-boiling kettles

iskigamiziganaatig ni a sap-boiling pole

iskigamizigaade vii it is boiled down (by someone), "they" boil it down

iskigamizige vai s/he boils things down (e.g., maple sap), is sugaring

iskigamizige-giizis na April

iskigamizigewigamig ni a sap-boiling lodge

iskigamizo vai s/he boils down

ishkabi vai s/he is tired of sitting

ishkaabam vta tire of looking at h/

Paired with: ishkaabandan vti

ishkaabandan vti tire of looking at, watching it

Paired with: ishkaabam vta

ishkaabi vai s/he tires of looking or watching

ishkaakodiyebi vai s/he is tired of sitting on his rear end on something hard

ishkendam vai2 s/he feels tired about something, is disturbed, is upset

ishkendan vti feel tired of it

ishkigaabawi vai s/he is tired of standing

ishkigaade vai h/ leg is tired, legs are tired

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.

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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.