Paradigm classes are a way of grouping similar words. This dictionary groups words into paradigm classes according to how the words pattern when inflected. Understanding how to use one word in a paradigm class, allows one to apply that knowledge to other words in the same class.
Below are the paradigm classes used in this Dictionary.
| Abbreviation | Label |
|---|---|
| Noun Class 1 | consonant noun stems |
| Noun Class 1A | regular consonant noun stems: jiimaan |
| Noun Class 1B | shorter consonant noun stems: nika |
| Noun Class 1C | consonant /ny/ noun stems: awesiinh |
| Noun Class 1D | consonant /y/ noun stems: nimaamaa |
| Noun Class 2 | long vowel-w noun stems |
| Noun Class 2A | w-loss noun stems: anishinaabe |
| Noun Class 2B | /w/ noun stems: ikwe |
| Noun Class 3 | short vowel-w noun stems: inini |
| Noun Class 4 | consonant-w noun stems |
| Noun Class 4A | /oo/ noun stems: mitig |
| Noun Class 4B | /w/ noun stems: amik |
| Noun Class 4C | shorter consonant-w noun stems: makwa |
| Noun Class 5 | consonant-y noun stems |
| Noun Class 5A | regular consonant-y noun stems: asin |
| Noun Class 5B | shorter consonant-y noun stems: aki |
| Noun Class 6 | special /aa/ noun stems |
| VAI | intransitive animate verbs |
| VAI Class 1 | vai vowel stem |
| VAI Class 1A | vai long vowel stems |
| VAI Class 1B | vai short vowel stems |
| VAI Class 2 | vai consonant stems |
| VAI Class 2A | vai consonant /n/ stems |
| VAI Class 2B | vai consonant /m/ stems |
| VAI2 | vai2 /am/ stems |
| VII | intrasitive inanimate verbs |
| VII Class 1 | vii long vowel stems |
| VII Class 2 | vii short vowel stems |
| VII Class 2A | vii short vowel stems; no /n/ |
| VII Class 2B | vii short vowel stems; some /n/ |
| VII Class 2C | vii short vowel stems; always /n/ |
| VII Class 3 | vii consonant stems |
| VII Class 3A | vii consonant /d/ stems |
| VII Class 3B | vii consonant /n/ stems |
| VTA | transitive animate verbs |
| VTA Class 1 | vta consonant stems |
| VTA Class 1A | vta regular consonant stems |
| VTA Class 1B | vta shorter consonant stems |
| VTA Class 2 | vta changeable /N/ stems |
| VTA Class 2A | vta regular changeable /N/ stems |
| VTA Class 2B | vta shorter changeable /N/ stems |
| VTA Class 3 | vta changeable /s/ stems |
| VTA Class 3A | vta regular changeable /s/ stems |
| VTA Class 3B | vta shorter changeable /s/ stems |
| VTA Class 4 | vta changeable /Nn/ stems |
| VTA Class 4A | vta regular changeable /Nn/ stems |
| VTA Class 4B | vta shorter changeable /Nn/ stems |
| VTA Class 5 | vta /aw/ stems |
| VTA Class 6 | vta consonant-w stems |
| VTA Class 6A | vta regular consonant-w stems |
| VTA Class 6B | vta shorter consonant-w stems |
| VTA Class 7 | vta glottal-w stems |
| VTA Class 8 | vta irregular stems |
| VTI | transitive inanimate verbs |
| VTI1 | vti /am/ stems |
| VTI2 | vti /oo/ stems |
| VTI3 | vti /i/ stems |
| VTI4 | vti /aa/ stems |