Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

zhaangasoopidoon vti2 tie nine of them (inanimate) together

Paired with: zhaangasoopizh vta

zhaangasoopizh vta tie, hitch nine of them (animate) together

Paired with: zhaangasoopidoon vti2

zhaangasoopizowag vai nine of them (animate) are tied together, are hitched together

Paired with: zhaangasoopidewan vii

zhaangasooshinoog vai nine of them lie together

zhaangasooshkimod adv num nine bags

zhaangasooshkin adv num nine bags

zhaangaswaginzo vai [BL] it is the ninth (of the month)

zhaangaswaabik adv num nine dollars

zhaangaswaak adv num nine hundred

zhaangasweg adv num nine pieces of something sheet-like

zhaangaswemikwaanens adv num nine spoonfuls

zhaangaswewaan adv num nine pairs; nine sets

zhaangaswi adv num nine

zhaangweshi na a mink

[
Mustela vison
]

zhaangweshiwanii'igan ni a mink trap

zhaangweshiwayaan na a mink hide

zhaashaaginizide vai s/he is barefoot

zhaashaaginizidebatoo vai s/he runs barefoot

zhaashaagwam vta chew on, gnaw h/

See also: zhaashaagwandan vti

zhaashaagwamikiwe vai s/he chews gum

zhaashaagwandan vti chew it

Paired with: zhaashaagwam vta

(detransitive) zhaashaagwanjige vai s/he chews things
zhaashaagwanjige vai s/he chews things

zhaashaawanibiisens na a martin

[
Purple martin
; 
Progne subis
]

zhaashaawanibiisi na a swallow

zhaawani-noodin na south wind

zhaawani-noodin vii there is a south wind

zhaawanong adv loc in, to, from the south

zhaazhiibaayaamikaa vii there are tunnels, passages, or trenches in the bottom (of a body of water)

zhaazhiibigaadeni vai s/he stretches h/ legs

zhebaa adv tmp this morning (just past)

zhede na a pelican

[
American White Pelican
; 
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
]

See also: azhede na [RL]

zhegon vta stick h/ in a tight place, insert h/

Paired with: zhegonan vti

zhegonamaw vta stick (it) in a tight place for h/, insert (it) for h/

zhegonan vti

Paired with: zhegon vta

(detransitive) zhegonige vai s/he sticks things in a tight place, inserts things (benefactive) zhegonamaw vta stick (it) in a tight place for h/, insert (it) for h/ (verb of undergoing) zhegonigaade vii it is stuck in a tight place (by someone), "they" stick it in a tight place (verb of undergoing) zhegonigaazo vai s/he is stuck in a tight place (by someone), "they" stick it in a tight place
zhegonigaade vii it is stuck in a tight place (by someone), "they" stick it in a tight place

zhegonigaazo vai s/he is stuck in a tight place (by someone), "they" stick it in a tight place

zhegonige vai s/he sticks things in a tight place, inserts things

zhegoninjiini vai s/he sticks a hand in a tight place

zhegosagidiyeshin vai s/he gets a sliver in h/ rear

zhegosagigaadeshin vai s/he gets a sliver in h/ leg

zhegosaginikeshin vai s/he gets a sliver in h/ arm

zhegosagininjiishin vai s/he gets a sliver in h/ hand

zhegosagizideshin vai s/he gets a sliver in h/ foot

zhegosidoon vti2 put it in a tight place

Paired with: zhegoshim vta

zhegosin vii it lies in a tight place

See also: zhegoshin vai

zhegoshim vta put h/ in a tight place

Paired with: zhegosidoon vti2

zhegoshin vai s/he lies in a tight place

See also: zhegosin vii

zhegozideni vai s/he sticks h/ toe into a tight place

zhegozidese vai s/he gets h/ toe stuck in a tight place

zhegozideshin vai h/ toe is stuck in a tight place

zhegoode vai s/he crawls in a tight place

zhegwanzon vai + o s/he tucks it under h/ belt

zhegwaabide'o vai s/he picks h/ teeth

(derived noun) zhegwaabide'on ni a toothpick
zhegwaabide'on ni a toothpick

zhegwaakosidoon vti2 stick it in a crack in the wood

Paired with: zhegwaakoshim vta

zhegwaakoshim vta stick it (animate) in a crack in the wood

Paired with: zhegwaakosidoon vti2

zhegwii vai s/he gets in under something, gets in a tight place

zhemaag adv tmp [BL] immediately; right now, right away

See also: zhemaag igo adv tmp

zhemaag igo adv tmp immediately; right now, right away

See also: zhemaag adv tmp [BL]

zhesin vii it is partially open, is ajar

Paired with: zheshin vai

zheshegwaabide'o vai s/he picks h/ teeth

zheshin vai s/he is partially open, is ajar

Paired with: zhesin vii

zheyaabowesidoon vti2 leave the lid open on it (a liquid or something holding a liquid)

Paired with: zheyaaboweshim vta

zheyaabowesin vii the lid is open on it (a liquid or something holding a liquid)

Paired with: zheyaaboweshin vai

zheyaaboweshim vta leave the lid open on h/ (something holding a liquid such as a kettle)

Paired with: zheyaabowesidoon vti2

zheyaaboweshin vai the lid is open on h/ (something holding a liquid such as a kettle)

Paired with: zheyaabowesin vii

zheyaakose vii it slides open

zheyaakosidoon vti2 leave it [door] open a little bit

zheyaakosin vii it lies partly open (as something stick-like)

zhezhawitaa vai s/he exercises, gets flexible

zhezhaangaswi adv num nine each

zhigabi vai s/he urinates sitting

zhigadam vta be tired of eating h/

Paired with: zhigadandan vti

zhigadandan vti be tired of eating it

Paired with: zhigadam vta

zhigadendan vti be disgusted with it; be tired of it

Paired with: zhigadenim vta

zhigadenim vta be disgusted with h/; be tired of h/

Paired with: zhigadendan vti

zhigagowe vai s/he vomits

zhigajibii' vta be tired of waiting for h/

Paired with: zhigajibiitoon vti2

zhigajibii'o vai s/he is tired of waiting

zhigajibiitoon vti2 be tired of waiting for it

Paired with: zhigajibii' vta

zhigajimaam vta get tired of h/ smell

Paired with: zhigajimaandan vti

zhigajimaandan vti get tired of its smell

Paired with: zhigajimaam vta

zhigajitan vti be tired of hearing it

Paired with: zhigajitaw vta See also: zhigazitan vti

zhigajitaw vta be tired of hearing h/

Paired with: zhigajitan vti See also: zhigazitaw vta

zhigajii vai s/he is impatient, grows tired of something

zhigazitan vti be tired of hearing it

Paired with: zhigazitaw vta See also: zhigajitan vti

zhigazitaw vta be tired of hearing h/

Paired with: zhigazitan vti See also: zhigajitaw vta

zhigaag na a skunk

[
striped skunk
; 
Mephitis mephitis
]

zhigaagawanzh na an onion

See also: zhigaagawinzh na [LL] ; zhingaangawinzh na

zhigaagawinzh na [LL] an onion

See also: zhigaagawanzh na ; zhingaangawinzh na

zhigaapi vai s/he pees from laughing

zhigidan vti urinate on it

Paired with: zhigizh vta

zhigi' vta make h/ urinate

zhigingwaam vai [ML] s/he wets the bed

See also: zhigingwaami vai [RL] ; zhigingwaamo vai [NI]

zhigingwaami vai [RL] s/he wets the bed

See also: zhigingwaam vai [ML] ; zhigingwaamo vai [NI]

zhigingwaamo vai [NI] s/he wets the bed

See also: zhigingwaam vai [ML] ; zhigingwaami vai [RL]

zhiginidizo vai s/he urinates on h/ self

zhigiwin ni urine

zhigizh vta urinate on h/

Paired with: zhigidan vti

(reflexive) zhiginidizo vai s/he urinates on h/ self
zhigiiwii vai s/he urinate while straining h/ self or lifting

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.

  • Audio recordings
  • Images
  • Video
  • Documents

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.