Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

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.