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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

bazhinazh vta put h/ at risk of injury or death

bazhine vai s/he has a close call, narrowly escapes serious harm or death

baa- pv dir about a place (locally distributed)

baabagonan vti strip it off a tree (as bark)

baabagonige vai s/he takes birch bark off the tree
baabagonige vai s/he takes birch bark off the tree

baabaapi vai s/he keeps laughing, laughs and laughs

baabaapi' vta keep laughing at h/

baabaapi'idiwag vai they keep laughing at each other

baabige adv tmp already; so soon; so suddenly; in such a short time

baabiibaagi vai s/he keeps calling, keep shouting

baabii' vta keep waiting for h/

Paired with: baabiitoon vti2

baabii'o vai s/he keeps waiting

baabiijiwane vai s/he keeps bringing a pack

baabiina' vta put h/, it (animate) in repeatedly

Paired with: baabiina'an vti

baabiina'an vti put it in repeatedly

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

baabiina'wi vta [NI]

► baabiina' vta

baabiindige vai s/he comes or goes in and out

baabiiniganzhii vai s/he has clean nails

baabiisiga'ise vai s/he makes kindling

baabiitoon vti2 keep waiting for it

Paired with: baabii' vta

baabiitoozigwaa vii

baabiiwaandagaasin vii the boughs are scattered by the wind

See also: biiwaandagaasin vii

baabiiwaashi vai s/he is scattered here and there by wind

baaboodawe vai s/he keeps building fires

baaboodaadan vti keep blowing on it

baaboodaazh vta keep blowing on h/

Paired with: baaboodaadan vti

baaboozhoo' vta say hello to each of them, say hello to h/ repeatedly

baaga' vta pound, knock on h/

baaga'adowaan ni a lacrosse stick

baaga'adowaanaatig ni a lacrosse stick

baaga'adowe vai s/he plays lacrosse

(derived noun) baaga'adowewin ni the game of lacrosse, playing lacrosse (derived noun) baaga'adowaan ni a lacrosse stick
baaga'adowewin ni the game of lacrosse, playing lacrosse

baaga'adowewinini na a lacrosse player

baaga'akokwaan ni a drumstick for a hand drum

baaga'akokwaanaak ni a drumstick

baaga'akokwe vai s/he beats a drum

baaga'akokwaan ni a drumstick for a hand drum
baaganowe vai s/he has h/ cheek or cheeks swell up, has a swollen cheek or swollen cheeks

baagaabi vai s/he has h/ eye or eyes swell up, has a swollen eye or swollen eyes

baagaabide vai s/he is swollen at a tooth

baagidaamikane vai s/he has a swollen jaw or chin

baagidenaniwe vai s/he has a swollen tongue

baagidoon vai [S] s/he has a swollen mouth

See also: baagidoone vai

baagidoondane vai s/he has a swollen heel or swollen heals

baagidoone vai s/he has a swollen mouth

baagidooskwane vai [S] s/he has a swollen elbow

baagigaade vai s/he has a swollen leg or swollen legs

baagigidigwe vai s/he has a swollen knee or swollen knees

baagigondashkwe vai h/ throat swells, s/he has a swollen throat

baagijaane vai s/he has h/ nose swell up, has a swollen nose

baagijigaade vii it is struck with lightning

Paired with: baagijigaazo vai

baagijigaazo vai s/he is struck with lightning

Paired with: baagijigaade vii

baagimisade vai s/he has a swollen belly

baaginawe vai s/he has h/ cheek or cheeks swell up, has a swollen cheek or swollen cheeks

baaginaade vii it is struck by lightning

Paired with: baaginaazo vai

baaginaazo vai s/he, it (animate) is struck by lightning

Paired with: baaginaade vii

baagindibe vai s/he has a swollen head

baaginewaatig na [BL] a tree struck by lightning

baaginike vai s/he has a swollen arm

baagininjii vai s/he has h/ hand or hands swell up, has a swollen hand or swollen hands

baaginiishkwe vai s/he has his gland (lymph node) or glands swell up, has a swollen gland (lymph node) or glands

baagisin vii it swells up, is swollen

Paired with: baagishi vai

baagishi vai s/he swells up, is swollen

Paired with: baagisin vii

baagishkiinzhigwe vai s/he has h/ eye or eyes swell up, has a swollen eye or swollen eyes

baagitawage vai s/he has a swollen ear or swollen ears

baagizide vai s/he has h/ foot or feet swell up, has a swollen foot or swollen feet

baagiingwe vai s/he has h/ face swell up, has a swollen face

baagwaa vii it is shallow

baakadawaabi vai s/he opens h/ eyes (from sleep)

baakagoode vii it hangs wide open

Paired with: baakagoojin vai

baakagoojin vai s/he hangs wide open

Paired with: baakagoode vii

baaka'aakwenh na a chicken

baaka'aakwenh-naboob ni chicken soup

baaka'aakwenh-wiiyaas ni chicken meat

baaka'aakwenhwaaboo ni chicken soup

baaka'aakwenhwigamig ni a chicken coop

baakawan vii fog lifts

baakaabika'an vti open it with a key

baakaabikizhigan ni [BL] a can opener

baakaabowen vta lift the cover or lid off it (animate) (something containing a liquid)

Paired with: baakaabowenan vti

baakaabowenan vti lift the cover or lid off it (something containing a liquid)

Paired with: baakaabowen vta

baakaakobidoon vti2 pull it (stick-like or wooden) open; push it (stick-like or wooden) open

baakaakogwaadan vti pry it up with a stick

Paired with: baakaakogwaazh vta

baakaakogwaazh vta pry h/ up with a stick

Paired with: baakaakogwaadan vti

baakaakonamaw vta open (it) for h/ (as something stick- or wood-like, e.g., a door)

baakaakonan vti open it (something solid or of wood)

(verb of undergoing) baakaakonigaade vii it is opened (as something stick- or wood-like, e.g., a door) (by someone), "they" open it (benefactive) baakaakonamaw vta open (it) for h/ (as something stick- or wood-like, e.g., a door)
baakaakonigaade vii it is opened (as something stick- or wood-like, e.g., a door) (by someone), "they" open it

baakaakose vii it flies open (as something stick- or wood-liken e.g., a door)

baakaakosidoon vti2 open it by dropping or hitting against something; set it (something stick-like, as a door) open

baakaakosin vii it is open (as something stick- or wood-like, e.g., a door)

baakaakoshkaa vii it (door) opens

baakaakoweba'an vti pry it open (forcefully using something)

baakaakowebinamaw vta fling, shove something open for h/

baakaakowebinan vti fling, shove it open (as something stick- or wood-like, e.g., a door)

(benefactive) baakaakowebinamaw vta fling, shove something open for h/
baakaakowebishkan vti kick it open

baakaakozhigan ni a can opener

baakaakwa'an vti pry it open (using something stick-like)

baakibidoon vti2 pull it (stick-like or wooden) open; uncover it (by pulling)

Paired with: baakibizh vta

baakibizh vta pull h/ open, uncover h/ (by pulling)

Paired with: baakibidoon vti2

baakibii'an vii ice clears off the lake

baakidoonebizh vta pull h/ mouth open

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.