Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

bazagwaagamin vii it (a liquid) is thick and viscous

bazagwaanikwe vai h/ hair is sticky

bazagwiingwe vai h/ face is sticky

bazangwaababi vai s/he sits with h/ eyes closed

bazangwaabi vai s/he shuts h/ eyes

bazangwaabishimo vai s/he dances with h/ eyes closed, does the shut-eye dance

(derived noun) bazangwaabishimowin ni shut-eye dance
bazangwaabishimowin ni shut-eye dance

bazangwaabishin vai s/he lies with eyes closed

bazhiba' vta stab, prick h/; spear h/ (a fish)

Paired with: bazhiba'an vti

(reciprocal) bazhiba'odiwag vai they stab each other (reflexive) bazhiba'odizo vai s/he stabs h/ self
bazhiba'amaw vta spear something for h/

bazhiba'an vti stab, prick it

Paired with: bazhiba' vta

(detransitive) bazhiba'ige vai s/he stabs, spears things (benefactive) bazhiba'amaw vta spear something for h/ (derived noun) bazhiba'igan ni something to stab or spear with: a fishing harpoon, a fishing spear with a long attached line
bazhiba'igan ni something to stab or spear with: a fishing harpoon, a fishing spear with a long attached line

bazhiba'ige vai s/he stabs, spears things

bazhiba'odiwag vai they stab each other

bazhiba'odizo vai s/he stabs h/ self

bazhiba'wi vta [BL]

► bazhiba' vta

bazhidebii vii it (a liquid) overflows

bazigonjise vai [MN] s/he stands up suddenly, leaps to h/ feet

See also: bazigwinjise vai [NI]

bazigonjiwebishkaw vta kick or shove h/ to a standing position

bazigwa'o vai s/he takes off into the air, takes flight

bazigwinjise vai [NI] s/he stands up suddenly, leaps to h/ feet

See also: bazigonjise vai [MN]

bazigwii vai s/he stands up, gets up (to a standing position)

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; [plural] they come in one by one

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

See also: babwedaadan vti

baaboodaazh vta breathe on, blow on on h/ or it (animate)

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

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.