Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

yardstick
n
yardstick
diba'aatigwaan ni a measuring used for measuring: a yardstick, a timber measuring stick, [esp. diminutive] a ruler

dibaakwa'iganaak ni a measuring used for measuring: a yardstick, a timber measuring stick, [esp. diminutive] a ruler

yarn
n
yarn
miskogaadeyaab ni yarn

ball of twine or yarn
bikoojaan ni a ball of twine or yarn

yawn
vi
yawn
naanibaayawe vai s/he yawns

year
n
year
biboon qnt num a year; a winter

► daso-biboon qnt num

gikinoonowin adv tmp a year

► daso-gikinoonowin adv tmp

year passes
biboonagad vii it is a winter, it (a year) passes

► daso-biboonagad vii

certain number of years
daso-biboon qnt num a certain number of years; so many years; a certain number of winters; so many winters

daso-biboonagad vii it is a certain number of years; it is so many years

daso-gikinoonowin adv tmp a certain number of years; so many years

so many years
daso-biboon qnt num a certain number of years; so many years; a certain number of winters; so many winters

daso-biboonagad vii it is a certain number of years; it is so many years

daso-gikinoonowin adv tmp a certain number of years; so many years

one year
ningo-biboon qnt num one year

See also: ingo-biboon qnt num

ingo-biboon qnt num one year; one winter

See also: ningo-biboon qnt num

ningo-gikinoonowin qnt num one year

See also: ingo-gikinoonowin qnt num

ingo-gikinoonowin qnt num one year

See also: ningo-gikinoonowin qnt num

ningo-biboonagad vii it is one year

See also: ingo-biboonagad vii

ingo-biboonagad vii it is one year

See also: ningo-biboonagad vii

ningo-biboonagizi vai s/he is one year old

Paired with: ningo-biboonagad vii See also: ingo-biboonagizi vai

ingo-biboonagizi vai s/he is one year old

See also: ningo-biboonagizi vai

two years
niizho-biboon qnt num two years; two winters

niizho-biboonagad vii it is two years

Paired with: niizho-biboonagizi vai

niizho-gikinoonowin qnt num two years

three years
niso-biboon qnt num three years; three winters

niso-biboonagad vii it is three years

niso-gikinoonowin qnt num three years

four years
niiwo-biboon qnt num four years; four winters

See also: niiyo-biboon qnt num

niiwo-biboonagad vii it is four years

Paired with: niiwo-biboonagizi vai See also: niiyo-biboonagad vii

niiyo-biboon qnt num four years; four winters

See also: niiwo-biboon qnt num

niiyo-biboonagad vii it is four years

Paired with: niiyo-biboonagizi vai See also: niiwo-biboonagad vii

niiyo-gikinoonowin qnt num four years

five years
naano-biboon qnt num five years; five winters

naano-biboonagad vii it is five years

naano-gikinoonowin qnt num five years

niiyo-gikinoonowin qnt num four years

six years
ingodwaaso-biboon qnt num six years; six winters

See also: ningodwaaso-biboon qnt num

ningodwaaso-biboon qnt num six years; six winters

ingodwaaso-biboonagad vii it is six years

ingodwaaso-gikinoonowin qnt num six years

See also: ningodwaaso-gikinoonowin qnt num

seven years
niizhwaaso-biboon qnt num seven years; seven winters

niizhwaaso-biboonagad vii it is seven years

Paired with: niizhwaaso-biboonagizi vai

niizhwaaso-gikinoonowin qnt num seven years

eight years
nishwaaso-biboon qnt num eight years; eight winters

See also: ishwaaso-biboon qnt num

ishwaaso-biboon qnt num eight years; eight winters

See also: nishwaaso-biboon qnt num

nishwaaso-biboonagad vii it is eight years

Paired with: nishwaaso-biboonagizi vai See also: ishwaaso-biboonagad vii

ishwaaso-biboonagad vii it is eight years

Paired with: ishwaaso-biboonagizi vai See also: nishwaaso-biboonagad vii

ishwaaso-gikinoonowin qnt num eight years

See also: nishwaaso-gikinoonowin qnt num

nine years
zhaangaso-biboon qnt num nine years; nine winters

zhaangaso-biboonagad vii it is nine years

Paired with: zhaangaso-biboonagizi vai

zhaangaso-gikinoonowin qnt num nine years

ten years
midaaso-biboon qnt num ten years; ten winters

midaaso-biboonagad vii it is ten years

midaaso-gikinoonowin qnt num ten years

yellow
adj
The root /ozaaw-/ is the initial element in words for colors ranging from yellow to brown.
yellow
ozaawi- pv lex brown; yellow

ozaawaa vii it is yellow, is brown

Paired with: ozaawizi vai

ozaawizi vai s/he or it (animate) is yellow, is brown

Paired with: ozaawaa vii

yellow (globular)
ozaawiminagad vii it (something small and round) is yellow or brown

See also: ozaawiminagizi vai

ozaawiminagizi vai it (animate; something small and round) is yellow or brown

See also: wezaawiminagizid na-v

yellow (liquid)
ozaawaagamin vii it (a liquid) is yellow, is brown

yellow (mineral)
ozaawaabikad vii it is (of) brass; it is yellow, is brown (as something mineral)

Paired with: ozaawaabikizi vai

ozaawaabikizi vai it (animate) is (of) brass; it (animate; mineral) is yellow, is brown

Paired with: ozaawaabikad vii

yellow (sheet-like)
ozaawegad vii it (sheet-like) is yellow or brown

Paired with: ozaawegizi vai

ozaawegizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is yellow or brown

Paired with: ozaawegad vii

yellow (stick-like)
ozaawaakwad vii it (stick-like) is yellow, is brown

Paired with: ozaawaakozi vai

ozaawaakozi vai it (animate; stick-like) is yellow, is brown

Paired with: ozaawaakwad vii

yellow (string-like)
ozaawaabiigad vii it (string-like) is yellow or brown

Paired with: ozaawaabiigizi vai

ozaawaabiigizi vai it (animate; string-like) is yellow or brown

Paired with: ozaawaabiigad vii

appear yellow
ozaawinaagozi vai s/he or it (animate) looks yellow, appears yellow; s/he or it (animate) looks brown, appears brown

Paired with: ozaawinaagwad vii

ozaawinaagwad vii it looks yellow, appears yellow; it looks brown, appears brown

Paired with: ozaawinaagozi vai

color yellow
ozaawaanzan vti color it yellow, color it brown

Paired with: ozaawaanz vta

ozaawaanz vta color h/ yellow, color h/ brown

Paired with: ozaawaanzan vti

ozaawaande vii it is colored yellow, is colored brown

Paired with: ozaawaanzo vai

ozaawaanzo vai it (animate) is colored yellow, is colored brown

Paired with: ozaawaande vii

look yellow
ozaawinaagozi vai s/he or it (animate) looks yellow, appears yellow; s/he or it (animate) looks brown, appears brown

Paired with: ozaawinaagwad vii

ozaawinaagwad vii it looks yellow, appears yellow; it looks brown, appears brown

Paired with: ozaawinaagozi vai

yellow-breasted
ozaawaakigane vai s/he has a yellow or brown chest, is yellow-breasted

See also: bagaki-ozaawaakigane vai

bagaki-ozaawaakigane vai s/he has a bright yellow chest, is yellow-breasted

yellow feather
ozaawigwan na a brown feather; a yellow feather

See also: ozaawi-miigwan na

ozaawigwane vai s/he (a bird) has brown or yellow feathers

bagaki-ozaawigwan na a yellow feather

bagaki-ozaawigwane vai [BL] s/he (a bird) has yellow feathers

wear yellow
ozaawi'o vai s/he wears yellow, wears brown

ozaawikonaye vai s/he wears yellow, wears brown

yellow bark
ozaawanagekozi vai it (animate) has brown or yellow bark

Paired with: ozaawanagekwad vii

ozaawanagekwad vii it has brown or yellow bark

Paired with: ozaawanagekozi vai

yellow leaves
ozaawibagaa vii there are brown or yellow leaves

yellow snow
ozaawaagonagaa vii there is yellow snow

yellow birch
n
yellow birch
wiinizik na a yellow birch

[
yellow birch
; 
Betula alleghaniensis
]

yellow-breasted
adj
yellow-breasted
ozaawaakigane vai s/he has a yellow or brown chest, is yellow-breasted

See also: bagaki-ozaawaakigane vai

bagaki-ozaawaakigane vai s/he has a bright yellow chest, is yellow-breasted

yes
adv
yes
en' pc disc yes

enyanh' pc disc yes

eya' pc disc yes

yes-no question
ina pc disc [yes-no question word]

See also: na pc disc

na pc disc [yes-no question word]

See also: ina pc disc

yesterday
adv
day before yesterday
awasinaago adv tmp [BL] day before yesterday

awasonaago adv tmp day before yesterday

yesterday
bijiinaago adv tmp yesterday

yet
adv
yet
mashi adv tmp yet

geyaabi adv tmp still, yet

See also: gaawiin geyaabi adv tmp ; giiyaabi adv tmp [RL]

giiyaabi adv tmp [RL] still, yet

See also: geyaabi adv tmp

don't yet
gego mashi adv tmp don't ... yet

not yet
gaawiin mashi adv tmp not yet

See also: gaa mashi adv tmp

gaa mashi adv tmp not yet

See also: gaawiin mashi adv tmp

yoke
yoke
nibinaadwaaganaatig ni [BL] a yoke for carrying water pails

naada'ibiiwaatig ni [BL] a yoke for carrying water pails

you
pron
you
giin pron per you [singular]

See also: gaye giin pron per ; gegiin pron per

giinawaa pron per you [plural]

See also: gaye giinawaa pron per ; gegiinawaa pron per

gi= pf you [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]; your [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]

gid= pf you [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]; your [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]

g= pf you [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]; your [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]

giy= pf you [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]; your [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]

just you
giineta pron per only you, just you [singular]

giinetawaa pron per only you, just you [plural]

only you
giineta pron per only you, just you [singular]

giinetawaa pron per only you, just you [plural]

you next
giinitam pron per your turn, you next [singular]

giinitamawaa pron per your turn, you next [plural]

young
adj
young
oshki- pv lex
  1. new, young, fresh
  2. for the first time

oshkaya'aawi vai it (animate) is new; s/he is young, is an adolescent

See also: oshki-aya'aawi vai

oshkayi'iiwan vii it is new, is young

oshki-bimaadizi vai s/he is young, is an adolescent

oshkiniigii vai s/he is young, is an adolescent

look young
oshkiinaagozi vai s/he or it (animate) looks young, looks new

Paired with: oshkiinaagwad vii

oshkiinaagwad vii it looks new

Paired with: oshkiinaagozi vai

someone young
oshkaya'aa na something (animate) new; someone young

oshki-aya'aa na something (animate) new; someone young

young man
n
young man
oshki-inini na a young man, an adolescent boy

oshki-ininiiwi vai he is a young man, an adolescent boy

oshkinawe na a young man, an adolescent boy

oshkinawewi vai he is a young man, an adolescent boy

young woman
n
young woman
oshki-ikwe na a young woman, an adolescent girl

oshkiniigikwe na a young woman, an adolescent girl

oshkiniigikwewi vai she is a young woman, an adolescent girl

younger brother
n
younger brother
nishiime nad my younger sibling (brother or sister); my younger parallel cousin (mother's sister's child; father's brother's child)

gishiime nad your younger sibling (brother or sister); your younger parallel cousin (father's brother's child; mother's sister's child)

oshiimeyan nad h/ younger sibling (brother or sister); h/ younger parallel cousin (mother's sister's child; father's brother's child)

younger sister
n
younger sister
nishiime nad my younger sibling (brother or sister); my younger parallel cousin (mother's sister's child; father's brother's child)

gishiime nad your younger sibling (brother or sister); your younger parallel cousin (father's brother's child; mother's sister's child)

oshiimeyan nad h/ younger sibling (brother or sister); h/ younger parallel cousin (mother's sister's child; father's brother's child)

youngest
adj
youngest child
ishkwejaagan na a last born child, the youngest child

See also: ishkwejiiyaagan na [NI]

your
pron
your
gi= pf you [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]; your [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]

gid= pf you [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]; your [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]

g= pf you [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]; your [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]

giy= pf you [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]; your [the one or ones spoken to; the second person]

your turn
giinitam pron per your turn, you next [singular]

giinitamawaa pron per your turn, you next [plural]

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.