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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

bizikoode vii it gets hit by something falling

Paired with: bizikoozo vai

bizikoozo vai s/he gets hit by something falling, gets run over

Paired with: bizikoode vii

bizindam vai2 s/he listens

(derived noun) bizindamowin ni a radio
bizindamowin ni a radio

bizindamoo-makak ni a radio

bizindan vti listen to it

Paired with: bizindaw vta

bizindaw vta listen to h/

Paired with: bizindan vti

(reciprocal) bizindaadiwag vai they listen to each other (reflexive) bizindaadizo vai s/he listens to h/ self (detransitive) bizindaage vai s/he listens to someone, listens to people babizindaw vta listen to h/ paying close attention
(reciprocal) babizindaadiwag vai they keep listening to each other
bizindaadiwag vai they listen to each other

bizindaadizo vai s/he listens to h/ self

bizindaage vai s/he listens to someone, listens to people

bizhishigojiimaane vai s/he has an empty boat

bizhishigozi vai s/he is empty

Paired with: bizhishigwaa vii

bizhishigwate vii it (a room or house) is empty, is vacant

bizhishigwaa vii it is empty

Paired with: bizhishigozi vai

bizhishigwaabikad vii it (something of metal) is empty

bizhishigwaabikinan vti empty it (as something metal or mineral)

bizhishigwaabikishin vai it (animate; mineral) lies empty

bizhishigwaakosin vii

bizhiw na a lynx

[
Lynx lynx
]

bizhiwayaan na a lynx hide

bizhiins na [BL] a cat

(verb of possession) obizhiinsimi vai [BL] s/he has a cat or cats
bizogeshin vai s/he stumbles, trips

bizogeshkaw vta trip h/

bizogewebishkaw vta trip h/ (deliberately)

bizojiishkiweshin vai s/he stumbles, trips in the mud

bizokan vti stumble, trip on it

Paired with: bizokaw vta

bizokaw vta stumble on h/ or it (animate)

Paired with: bizokan vti

bizowebishkan vti stumble, trip on it

bizozideshin vai s/he stubs h/ toe, trips

bizwaabam vta catch a glimpse of h/

Paired with: bizwaabandan vti

bizwaabandan vti catch a glimpse of it

Paired with: bizwaabam vta

biibaagadaandim vai there is a public sale or auction

biibaagadaawaage vai s/he sells at a public sale or auction

biibaagadaawe vai s/he sells at an auction sale

biibaagi vai s/he calls out, shouts, yells

(applicative) biibaagim vta call out to h/; shout at h/
(reciprocal) biibaagindiwag vai they hollar at each other
(applicative) biibaagindan vti call out to it; shout at it baabiibaagi vai s/he keeps calling, keep shouting
biibaagim vta call out to h/; shout at h/

Paired with: biibaagindan vti

(reciprocal) biibaagindiwag vai they hollar at each other
biibaagindan vti call out to it; shout at it

Paired with: biibaagim vta

biibaagindiwag vai they hollar at each other

biibaagishe vai s/he has ringing in h/ ears

biibiiwi vai s/he is a baby

biibiiyens na a baby

(verb of being) biibiiwi vai s/he is a baby
biichaa vii it is far away

biichi- pv lex a long stretch of time; a long distance, far

biichi-biboon vii it is a long winter

biichi-dagwaagin vii it is a long fall

biichi-dibikad vii it is a long night

biichi-giizhigad vii it is a long day

biichi-niibin vii it is a long summer

biichi-ziigwan vii it is a long spring

biichibabagiwayaane vai s/he puts on h/ shirt

biichibabiinzikawaagane vai s/he puts on h/ coat or jacket

See also: biichibiinzikawaagane vai [BL]

biichibagiwayaane vai [LLC] s/he puts on h/ shirt

See also: biichibabagiwayaane vai

biichibiinzikawaagane vai [BL] s/he puts on h/ coat or jacket

See also: biichibabiinzikawaagane vai

biichibiitooshkigane vai s/he puts on underwear

biichidaase vai [BL] s/he puts on h/ pants

biichigiboodiyegwaazone vai s/he puts on h/ pants

biichigoodaase vai she puts on a dress

biichikonaye vai [BL] s/he dresses, gets dressed, puts h/ clothes on

(causative) biichikonaye' vta [BL] dress h/, get h/ dressed, get h/ clothes on h/
(reflexive) biichikonaye'idizo vai s/he dresses h/ self, gets h/ self dressed
biichikonaye' vta [BL] dress h/, get h/ dressed, get h/ clothes on h/

biichikonaye'idizo vai s/he dresses h/ self, gets h/ self dressed

biichiminjikaawane vai s/he puts on h/ mittens

biichiwakwaane vai s/he puts on h/ hat

biichiwiiwakwaane vai [BL] s/he puts on h/ hat

biidadaawangose vai s/he walks here on sand

biidademo vai s/he comes crying

biidadewe vai s/he comes, walks here on the snow crust

biida'adoo vai s/he follows a trail here

biida'adoon vti2 follow it as a trail here

Paired with: biida'azh vta

biida'amaazo vai s/he comes singing

biida'azh vta follow h/ trail here

Paired with: biida'adoon vti2

biida'oodoo vai s/he paddles here

biida'oodoon vti2 bring it here by boat

Paired with: biida'oozh vta

biida'oozh vta bring h/ or it (animate) here by boat

Paired with: biida'oodoon vti2

biidakii'ige vai [S] s/he poles a boat here

See also: biidakii'o vai [BL]

biidakii'o vai [BL] s/he poles a boat here

See also: biidakii'ige vai [S]

biidakwazhiwe vai
  1. s/he paddles here
  2. s/he swims here (as a fish)

biidamaw vta bring something for h/

See also: biidaw vta

biidamaage vai s/he brings (it) for (people)

biidanaamo vai s/he takes h/ first breath

biidanaandam vai2 s/he comes hungry

biidanoozo vai s/he comes smoking tobacco

biidaw vta bring (it) for h/

See also: biidamaw vta

biidaaban vii dawn comes; it is daybreak

biidaabaso vai s/he smells the aroma

biidaabate vii it (smoke) comes here

biidaabogo vai s/he floats or drifts here with the current

biidaaboode vii it drifts here on the current

Paired with: biidaaboozo vai

biidaaboono vai s/he comes carried on the rapids or another moving medium (snow, sand, etc.)

biidaaboozo vai s/he drifts here on the current

Paired with: biidaaboode vii

biidaadaga'oodoon vti2 pull, tow it here through the water

biidaadagaa vai s/he swims here

See also: biidaadage vai [BL]

biidaadagaako vai s/he lands coming off the ice

biidaadagaakobatoo vai s/he runs here on the ice

biidaadagaazii vai s/he wades here

biidaadage vai [BL] s/he swims here

See also: biidaadagaa vai

biidaada'e vai s/he skates here

biidaadodan vti come and tell of it; bring the news about it

Paired with: biidaajim vta

(verb of undergoing) biidaadojigaade vii the news of it is brought (by someone), "they" bring the news of it; it is forecasted (by someone), "they" forecast it
biidaadojigaade vii the news of it is brought (by someone), "they" bring the news of it; it is forecasted (by someone), "they" forecast it

biidaagime vai [S] s/he snowshoes here, comes snowshoeing

biidaagimose vai [BL] s/he snowshoes here, comes snowshoeing

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.