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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

independent
adj
independent
dibenindizo vai s/he is independent, is h/ own master

index finger
n
index finger
izhinoo'iganininj ni an index finger

Indian
n
Indian
anishinaabe na
  1. a person, a human (in contrast to a non-human being)
  2. an Indian (in contrast to a non-Indian), a Native (in contrast to a non-Native)
  3. an Ojibwe

Indian center
anishinaabe-maawanjii'idiiwigamig ni an Indian center

Indian country
anishinaabewaki ni Indian country

live the Indian way
anishinaabe-bimaadizi vai s/he lives the Indian way

many Indians
anishinaabekaa vii
  1. there are (a lot of) Ojibwes
  2. there are (a lot of) Indians, Natives
  3. there are (a lot of) people, humans

Indian woman
anishinaabekwe na an Indian woman; an Ojibwe woman

anishinaabekwewi vai s/he is an Indian woman

ojibwekwe na an Ojibwe woman

Indian
[language]
n
call in Indian
anishinaabewinikaadan vti call it in Indian (Ojibwe)

Paired with: anishinaabewinikaazh vta

anishinaabewinikaade vii it is called in Indian (Ojibwe)

Paired with: anishinaabewinikaazo vai

anishinaabewinikaazh vta call h/ in Indian (Ojibwe)

Paired with: anishinaabewinikaadan vti

anishinaabewinikaazo vai s/he is called in Indian (Ojibwe); s/he has a spirit name

Paired with: anishinaabewinikaade vii

Indian language
anishinaabemowin ni an Indian language, the Ojibwe language

anishinaabemo vai s/he speaks Ojibwe, speaks an Indian language

anishinaabemonodaw vta [N] speak Ojibwe to h/; speak an Indian language to h/

See also: anishinaabemotaw vta [ML]

Indian writing
anishinaabewibii'igan ni something written in Indian (Ojibwe), Indian (Ojibwe) writing

speak Indian language
anishinaabemo vai s/he speaks Ojibwe, speaks an Indian language

anishinaabemotaw vta [ML] speak Ojibwe to h/; speak an Indian language to h/

anishinaabe-gaagiigido vai s/he speaks in an Indian language (especially in Ojibwe)

write in Indian
anishinaabewibii'an vti write it in Indian, write it in Ojibwe

anishinaabewibii'amaw vta write (it) in Indian (Ojibwe) to h/, write (it) in Ojibwe to h/

anishinaabewibii'igaade vii it is written in Indian (Ojibwe) by someone, "they" write it in Indian (Ojibwe)

anishinaabewibii'igan ni something written in Indian (Ojibwe), Indian (Ojibwe) writing

anishinaabewisidoon vti2 write it in Indian (Ojibwe) (e.g., a book or document); express it in Indian (Ojibwe)

anishinaabewisin vii it is written in Indian (Ojibwe) (e.g., a book or document)

Indian name
n
Indian name
anishinaabe-izhinikaazowin ni an Anishinaabe name, a spirit name

anishinaabe-wiinzowin ni an Anishinaabe name, a spirit name

indoors
adv
indoors
biindig adv loc inside, indoors

bring indoors
biindigadoon vti2
  1. bring it inside / indoors, take it inside / indoors
  2. introduce it (as a resolution or legislation)

Paired with: biindigazh vta

biindigazh vta bring h/ inside / indoors, take h/ inside / indoors

Paired with: biindigadoon vti2

come indoors
biindige vai s/he enters, goes inside / indoors, comes inside / indoors

dark indoors
bishagiishkate vii it is dark indoors

gashkiidibikate vii it is a pitch-dark indoors

go indoors
biindige vai s/he enters, goes inside / indoors, comes inside / indoors

take indoors
biindigadoon vti2
  1. bring it inside / indoors, take it inside / indoors
  2. introduce it (as a resolution or legislation)

Paired with: biindigazh vta

biindigazh vta bring h/ inside / indoors, take h/ inside / indoors

Paired with: biindigadoon vti2

ineffective
adj
ineffective
zhaagwaadad vii it is weak in power, is ineffective

Paired with: zhaagwaadizi vai

aanawewizi vai s/he is inadequate, is ineffective, fails

zhaagwaadizi vai s/he is weak in power, is ineffective

Paired with: zhaagwaadad vii

infant
n
infant
oshkabinoojiinh na a newborn baby, an infant

infect
vt
infect
aazhookoodin vta infect h/ with something

infected
adj
infected
miniiwan vii it has pus, is inflected

Paired with: miniiwi vai

miniiwi vai s/he or it (animate) has pus, is infected

Paired with: miniiwan vii

infected ear
miniiwitawage vai s/he has an infected ear

infected eye
miniingwe vai s/he has an infected eye

infected foot
miniiwizide vai s/he has an infected foot

infected hand
miniiwininjii vai s/he has an infected hand or finger

infected leg
miniiwigaade vai s/he has an infected leg

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.