Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

baapaakininjiibizh vta pull each of h/ hands or paws open

baapaasaganaandiwag vai they crack, shatter each other

baapaasaabiganizo vai clay cracks or is cracked from heat

baapaase na a red-headed woodpecker

[
red-headed woodpecker; downy woodpecker; hairy woodpecker
; 
Melanerpes erythrocephalus; Picoides pubescens; Picoides villosus
]

baapaashkiz vta keep shooting h/

baapaashkizan vti keep shooting it (with a gun)

baapaashkizige vai s/he keeps shooting (with a gun)

baapaashkizige-giizhigad vii it is the Fourth of July, is Independence Day

baapaashkizige-giizis na July

baapaashkizodiwag vai they keep shooting each other

baapaashkizwi vta [NI]

► baapaashkiz vta

baapaashkwewebizonike vai s/he drives and h/ car backfires

baapaawa'an vti brush or knock something it off something, brush or knock something off it

baapaawaange vai it (animate) flaps or shakes its wings

baapaawin vta shake it (animate) off

Paired with: baapaawinan vti

baapaawinan vti shake it off

Paired with: baapaawin vta

baapaawiwebin vta shake h/ or it (animate) off or off forcefully

Paired with: baapaawiwebinan vta

baapaawiwebinan vta shake it out or off forcefully

Paired with: baapaawiwebin vta

baapaazagobidoon vti2 keep scratching it

baapaazagobizh vta keep scratching h/

Paired with: baapaazagobidoon vti2

baapaazagogaade vai s/he has scratches on h/ legs

baapaazagojiizi vai s/he has scratches on h/ belly

baapaazagonike vai s/he has scratches on h/ arms

baapaazagozide vai s/he has scratches on h/ feet

baapaazagwaawigane vai s/he has scratches on h/ back

baapaazhida'an vti step over and over it

baapaazhida'wi vta step over h/ or it (animate) repeatedly

baapaazhidaabiigiwebishkige vai

baapaazhidaabiigiwebishkigewi-zhinoodaagan ni [NI] a jump rope

baapaazhijigwaashkwani vai

baapi vai s/he laughs

(verb of pretending) baapikaazo vai s/he pretends to laugh (verb of addiction) baapishki vai s/he keeps laughing, is always laughing (applicative) baapi' vta laugh at h/
(reciprocal) baapi'idiwag vai they laugh at each other
(derived noun) baapi'idiwin ni humor
(reflexive) baapi'idizo vai s/he laughs at h/ self
(applicative) baapitoon vti2 laugh at it
(verb of undergoing) baapichigaade vii it is being laughed at (by someone), "they" laugh at it (verb of undergoing) baapichigaazo vai s/he is being laughed at (by someone), "they" laugh at h/
(applicative) baapinodaw vta make fun of, ridicule h/; mock h/ disrespectfully; show disrespect for h/
baabaapi vai s/he keeps laughing, laughs and laughs
(applicative) baabaapi' vta keep laughing at h/
(reciprocal) baabaapi'idiwag vai they keep laughing at each other
baapichigaade vii it is being laughed at (by someone), "they" laugh at it

baapichigaazo vai s/he is being laughed at (by someone), "they" laugh at h/

baapi' vta laugh at h/

Paired with: baapitoon vti2

baapi'idiwag vai they laugh at each other

baapi'idiwin ni humor

baapi'idizo vai s/he laughs at h/ self

baapikaazo vai s/he pretends to laugh

baapinakamigad vii there are festivities

Paired with: baapinakamigizi vai

baapinakamigizi vai s/he is excited, is hopeful

Paired with: baapinakamigad vii

baapinendan vti lack respect for it; make fun of, ridicule it

Paired with: baapinenim vta

baapinenim vta lack respect for h/; make fun of, ridicule h/

Paired with: baapinendan vti

(reciprocal) baapinenindiwag vai they make fun of, ridicule each other; they lack respect for each other
baapinenindiwag vai they make fun of, ridicule each other; they lack respect for each other

baapingwaamo vai [BL] s/he laughs in h/ sleep

baapiniziwaagan pc interj beware!; danger!

See also: abaapiniziwaagan pc interj

baapinodaw vta make fun of, ridicule h/; mock h/ disrespectfully; show disrespect for h/

baapish adv man by the time, in due time

See also: abaapish adv man

baapishki vai s/he keeps laughing, is always laughing

baapitoon vti2 laugh at it

Paired with: baapi' vta

baapiingweni vai s/he makes a happy face, has a happy smile

baas vta dry h/ or it (animate) (using something)

Paired with: baasan vti See also: baaswi vta [BL]

baasada' vta crack or shatter h/ (hitting with a stick or tool)

Paired with: baasada'an vti

baasada'an vti crack or shatter it (hitting with a stick or tool)

Paired with: baasada' vta

baasada'wi vta [NI]

► baasada' vta

baasadin vii it cracks from freezing

Paired with: baasaji vai

baasaganaam vta crack, shatter h/, it (animate) (by hitting)

Paired with: baasaganaandan vti

baasaganaandan vti shatter, crack it (by hitting)

Paired with: baasaganaam vta

baasa' vta crack, shatter h/ (using something)

Paired with: baasa'an vti

baasa'an vti crack, shatter it (using something)

Paired with: baasa' vta

(detransitive) baasa'ige vai s/he cracks, shatters things (using something) (verb of undergoing) baasa'igaade vii it is cracked, shattered (by someone using something), "they" crack, shatter it (using something) (verb of undergoing) baasa'igaazo vai s/he is cracked, shattered (by someone using something), "they" crack, shatter it (using something)
baasa'igan ni marrow

baasa'igane vai s/he breaks up bones for marrow

baasa'igaade vii it is cracked, shattered (by someone using something), "they" crack, shatter it (using something)

baasa'igaazo vai s/he is cracked, shattered (by someone using something), "they" crack, shatter it (using something)

baasa'ige vai s/he cracks, shatters things (using something)

baasaji vai it (animate) cracks from freezing

Paired with: baasadin vii

baasam vta crack h/ with the mouth (using teeth or a beak)

Paired with: baasandan vti

baasamaw vta dry (it) for h/

baasan vti dry it

Paired with: baas vta

(verb of undergoing) baasigaade vii it is dried (by someone), "they" dry it (verb of undergoing) baasigaazo vai s/he is dried (by someone), "they" dry h/ (detransitive) baasige vai s/he dries something (benefactive) baasamaw vta dry (it) for h/
baasandan vti crack it with mouth (using teeth or a beak)

Paired with: baasam vta

baasaabideshin vai s/he cracks a tooth against something

baasaabikide vii it (mineral) cracks or is cracked from fire or blasting

Paired with: baasaabikizo vai

baasaabikiz vta crack it (animate; mineral) with fire or blasting

Paired with: baasaabikizan vti

baasaabikizan vti crack it (mineral) with fire or blasting

Paired with: baasaabikiz vta

(detransitive) baasaabikizige vai s/he blasts things (derived noun) baasaabikizigan ni an explosive, dynamite
baasaabikizigan ni an explosive, dynamite

baasaabikizige vai s/he blasts things

baasaabikizo vai it (animate; mineral) cracks or is cracked (from fire or blasting)

Paired with: baasaabikide vii

baasaakadode vii it dries up and cracks or splits

Paired with: baasaakadozo vai

baasaakadozo vai it (animate) dries up and cracks or splits

Paired with: baasaakadode vii

baasaakwadin vii it (something stick-like or solid) cracks from freezing

Paired with: baasaakwaji vai

baasaakwaji vai it (animate; something stick-like or solid) cracks from freezing

Paired with: baasaakwadin vii

baasibidamaw vta crack or shatter (it) (with hands) for h/

baasibidoon vti2 crack or shatter it (with hands)

Paired with: baasibizh vta

(benefactive) baasibidamaw vta crack or shatter (it) (with hands) for h/ (detransitive) baasibijige vai s/he cracks, shatters things (with hands) (verb of undergoing) baasibijigaade vii it is cracked or shattered (by someone, with hands), "they" crack or shatter it (with hands) (verb of undergoing) baasibijigaazo vai it (animate) is cracked or shattered (by someone, with hands), "they" crack or shatter it (animate) (with hands)
baasibijigaade vii it is cracked or shattered (by someone, with hands), "they" crack or shatter it (with hands)

baasibijigaazo vai it (animate) is cracked or shattered (by someone, with hands), "they" crack or shatter it (animate) (with hands)

baasibijige vai s/he cracks, shatters things (with hands)

baasibizh vta crack or shatter h/ (with hands)

Paired with: baasibidoon vti2

baaside vii it cracks, shatters (from heat)

Paired with: baasizo vai

baasiga' vta chop h/ into small pieces (as something of wood)

Paired with: baasiga'an vti

baasiga'an vti chop it into small pieces (as something of wood)

Paired with: baasiga' vta

baasigaade vii it is dried (by someone), "they" dry it

Paired with: baasigaazo vai

baasigaazo vai s/he is dried (by someone), "they" dry h/

Paired with: baasigaade vii

baasige vai s/he dries something

baasige-makak ni [BL] a clothes dryer

baasikan vti crack, shatter it (with foot or body)

Paired with: baasikaw vta

baasikaw vta crack, shatter h/ (with foot or body)

Paired with: baasikan vti

baasikaa vii it cracks, shatters (e.g., glass or china)

baasikoode vii it shatters, cracks (from weight)

Paired with: baasikoozo vai

baasikoodoon vti2 shatter it (with weight)

Paired with: baasikoozh vta

baasikoozh vta shatter h/ (with weight)

Paired with: baasikoodoon vti2

baasikoozo vai it (animate) shatters, cracks (from weight)

Paired with: baasikoode vii

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.