Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

boodawe vai s/he builds a fire

(applicative) boodawaadan vti build a fire in it; fire it up [as stove] (applicative) boodawaazh vta build a fire at h/
boodawewinini na a maintenance engineer; a school custodian

boodaadamaw vta blow on or at (it) for h/

boodaadan vti blow on or at it

Paired with: boodaazh vta

(detransitive) boodaajige vai s/he blows on or at something (benefactive) boodaadamaw vta blow on or at (it) for h/ (derived noun) boodaajigan ni [BL] something blown: a horn, [diminutive] a whistle
boodaajigan ni [BL] something blown: a horn, [diminutive] a whistle

boodaajiganens ni [BL] a whistle

boodaajige vai s/he blows on or at something

boodaajii' vta inflate h/

Paired with: boodaajii'an vti

boodaajii'amaw vta inflate (it) for h/

boodaajii'an vti inflate it

Paired with: boodaajii' vta

(detransitive) boodaajii'ige vai s/he inflates things (verb of undergoing) boodaajii'igaade vii it is inflated (by someone), "they" inflate it (verb of undergoing) boodaajii'igaazo vai s/he is inflated (by someone), "they" inflate h/ (derived noun) boodaajii'igan ni an air pump, a tire pump (benefactive) boodaajii'amaw vta inflate (it) for h/
boodaajii'igan ni an air pump, a tire pump

boodaajii'igaade vii it is inflated (by someone), "they" inflate it

boodaajii'igaazo vai s/he is inflated (by someone), "they" inflate h/

boodaajii'ige vai s/he inflates things

boodaakwe vai s/he puts (something) in the kettle

boodaakwe' vta put h/ in the pot (using something); put h/ into a hole

Paired with: boodaakwe'an vti

boodaakwe'an vti put it in the pot (using something)

Paired with: boodaakwe' vta

boodaakwe'wi vta [NI]

► boodaakwe' vta

boodaakwen vai + o put (it) in the kettle, put (it) in a hole in something

boodaakwese vii it slips, falls in the kettle

Paired with: boodaakwese vai

boodaakwese vai s/he slips, falls in the kettle

Paired with: boodaakwese vii

boodaakwewebin vta throw h/ in the kettle

Paired with: boodaakwewebinan vti

boodaakwewebinan vti throw it in the kettle

Paired with: boodaakwewebin vta

boodaazh vta blow on or at h/

Paired with: boodaadan vti

boodewaadamii na a Potawatomi

boodoonh na a tadpole

boogidaapi vai s/he farts from laughing so hard

boogidi vai s/he farts

boogidingwaam vai [S] s/he farts in h/ sleep

See also: boogidingwaamo vai [BL]

boogidingwaamo vai [BL] s/he farts in h/ sleep

See also: boogidingwaam vai [S]

boogijibatoo vai s/he farts running

boogijidan vti fart on it

Paired with: boogijizh vta

boogijizh vta fart on h/; spray h/ as a skunk does

Paired with: boogijidan vti

boogijiiwii vai s/he farts lifting or in exertion

boohay pc interj yuck! [what you say when you smell something that stinks]

See also: poohay pc interj

bookadinigan na a doughnut

bookobidoon vti2 break it in two (with hands)

Paired with: bookobizh vta

(detransitive) bookobijige vai s/he breaks something in two (with hands)
bookobijige vai s/he breaks something in two (with hands)

bookobizh vta break h/ in two (with hands)

Paired with: bookobidoon vti2

bookoboodoon vti2 saw it in two

Paired with: bookoboozh vta

bookoboozh vta saw h/ in two

Paired with: bookoboodoon vti2

bookodoondaneshin vai s/he falls and breaks her heel

bookodoone vai s/he stops talking abruptly

bookoga' vta chop h/ breaking h/ in two

Paired with: bookoga'an vti

bookoga'an vti chop it breaking it in half

Paired with: bookoga' vta

(detransitive) bookoga'ige vai s/he chops breaking things in half
bookoga'ige vai s/he chops breaking things in half

bookoganaam vta break h/ in two (by hitting)

Paired with: bookoganaandan vti

bookoganaandan vti break it in two (by hitting)

Paired with: bookoganaam vta

bookogane vai s/he has a broken bone

bookoganeshin vai s/he falls and breaks a bone

bookogaade vai s/he breaks h/ (own) leg, has a broken leg

bookogaadeshin vai s/he falls and breaks h/ leg

bookogidigweshin vai s/he falls and breaks h/ kneecap

bookogwebizh vta wring h/ neck

bookogweshin vai s/he falls and breaks h/ neck

bookojaane vai s/he has a broken nose

bookojaaneshin vai s/he falls and breaks h/ nose

bookojiibidoon vti2 break, tear it (body or something bag-like) in two

Paired with: bookojiibizh vta

bookojiibizh vta break, tear h/ or it (animate; a body or something soft and bag-like) in two

Paired with: bookojiibidoon vti2

bookonike vai s/he breaks h/ (own) arm, has a broken arm

bookonikeshin vai s/he falls and break h/ arm

bookoningwii vai s/he breaks h/ wing, has a broken wing

bookoningwiishin vai s/he breaks h/ wing falling or hitting against

bookoninjii vai s/he breaks h/ hand, has a broken hand

bookoninjiishin vai s/he falls and breaks h/ hand

bookoshkan vti break it in two (by foot or body)

Paired with: bookoshkaw vta

bookoshkaw vta break h/ in two (by foot or body)

Paired with: bookoshkan vti

bookoshkaa vii it breaks in two, is broken in two

Paired with: bookoshkaa vai

bookoshkaa vai s/he breaks in two, is broken in two

Paired with: bookoshkaa vii

bookozide vai s/he breaks h/ foot, has broken foot

bookozideshin vai s/he falls and breaks h/ foot

bookwaboye vai s/he breaks a paddle

bookwa' vta break h/ or it (animate) in two (using something)

Paired with: bookwa'an vti

bookwa'an vti break it in two (using something)

Paired with: bookwa' vta ; bookwa'wi vta [NI]

bookwa'wi vta [NI]

► bookwa' vta

bookwam vta bite h/ in two

Paired with: bookwandan vti

bookwanaka'an vti break off the top or tip of it

Paired with: bookwanaka'wi vta [NI]

bookwanaka'igaade vii the top or tip of it is broken off (by someone)

bookwanaka'wi vta [NI] break off the top or tip of it (animate)

Paired with: bookwanaka'an vti

bookwandan vti bite it in two

Paired with: bookwam vta

bookwaabide vai s/he has a broken tooth or had broken teeth, breaks h/ tooth or teeth

bookwaabideganaam vta break h/ tooth or teeth by hitting with force

bookwaabidesidoon vti2 break teeth or blade it by dropping or hitting it against something

(detransitive) bookwaabidesijige vai s/he breaks h/ teeth or a blade against something
bookwaabidesijige vai s/he breaks h/ teeth or a blade against something

bookwaabideshin vai s/he falls and breaks a tooth or teeth, breaks his tooth or teeth on something

bookwaabik ni piece of metal

bookwaabikiboodoon vti2 break it (mineral.metal) by filing or sawing

bookwaabikiboozh vta break it (animate; [mineral/metal) by filing or sawing

Paired with: bookwaabikiboodoon vti2

bookwaagime vai s/he breaks the frame of h/ snowshoe or snowshoes

bookwaanowebizh vta snap off h/ tail

bookwaasin vii it breaks in two in the wind

Paired with: bookwaashi vai

bookwaashi vai s/he breaks in two in the wind

Paired with: bookwaasin vii

bookwaawigane vai s/he has a broken back, breaks h/ back, is hunchbacked

bookwaawiganebizh vta break h/ back (with hands)

bookwaawiganeshin vai s/he falls and break h/ back

boome vai s/he recovers (from fright), regains composure, is relieved (from worry)

boona'amaazo vai s/he stops singing

boonakadoon vti2 anchor it

(derived noun) boonakajigan ni an anchor
boonakajigan ni an anchor

boonam vai2 s/he lays an egg

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.