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biimaskogaabawi vai s/he twista around standing

biimaskogi vai s/he grows twisted

Paired with: biimaskogin vii

biimaskogin vii it grows twisted

Paired with: biimaskogi vai

biimaskokan vti twist it, turn it around (with foot or body)

Paired with: biimaskokaw vta

biimaskokaw vta twist h/, turn h/ around (with foot or body)

Paired with: biimaskokan vti

biimaskon vta twist, turn h/ (around a central point)

Paired with: biimaskonan vti

biimaskonan vti twist, turn it (around a central point)

Paired with: biimaskon vta

biimaskowebin vta spin h/ around

Paired with: biimaskowebinan vti

biimaskowebinan vti spin it around

Paired with: biimaskowebin vta

biimaskwa' vta twist, screw h/ (using something)

Paired with: biimaskwa'an vti

biimaskwa'an vti twist, screw it (using something)

See also: biimiskwa'an vti

biimaskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench
biimaskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench

See also: biimiskwa'igan ni

biimaskwaakwa'an vti turn it (a log) (using something)

biimaskwaakwa'igan ni something used to turn logs: a cant hook

biimaskwaasin vii it shifts, turns in the wind

Paired with: biimaskwaashi vai

biimaskwaashi vai s/he shifts, turns in the wind

Paired with: biimaskwaasin vii

biimashkwemaginigan ni a bark torch

biimaya'ii adv loc off side, off to the side

biimaabide'an vti set the teeth on it (a saw)

biimaabide'igan ni a saw set

biimaabika' vta twist h/ (mineral) (using something); wind h/ (a clock)

biimaakwad ni a vine

biimaakwa'an vti twist it with a stick, wring it out by twisting it with a stick

biimaakwa'ige vai s/he twists something with a stick, wrings something out by twisting it with a stick

biimaakwa'o vai s/he is buttoned up crooked

biimaatig ni a vine

(verb of making) biimaatigoke vai s/he harvest vines
biimaatigoke vai s/he harvest vines

biimidoon vai s/he has a twisted or crooked mouth (as from a stroke)

See also: biimidoone vai [N]

biimidoone vai [N] s/he has a crooked mouth

See also: biimidoon vai

biimidooneni vai s/he twists h/ mouth sideways

biimigwaadan vti sew it crooked

Paired with: biimigwaazh vta

biimigwaade vii it is sewn crooked

Paired with: biimigwaazo vai

biimigwaaso vai s/he sews things crooked

biimigwaazh vta sew it (animate) crooked

Paired with: biimigwaadan vti

biimigwaazo vai it (animate) is sewn crooked

Paired with: biimigwaade vii

biimigweshin vai s/he lies with t h/ neck crooked

biimijaane vai s/he has a crooked nose

biimin vta twist, turn h/ (around a central point)

Paired with: biiminan vti

biiminakwaan ni rope, a rope

biiminakwaanens ni string, a string

biiminakwaanike vai s/he makes cord, rope, string, or twine

biiminakwe vai s/he twists fiber to make cord, string, rope, or twine

biiminakwaan ni rope, a rope
biiminakwaanens ni string, a string (verb of making) biiminakwaanike vai s/he makes cord, rope, string, or twine
biiminan vti turn, twist it (around a central point)

Paired with: biimin vta

biiminigan ni a brace and bit
biiminigan ni a brace and bit

biimiskodisii na a snail

biimiskon vta turn, twist h/ (by hand); twist, turn h/ (around a central point)

Paired with: biimiskonan vti

biimiskonan vti turn, twist it (around a central point)

Paired with: biimiskon vta

(derived noun) biimiskonigan ni a screw
biimiskonigan ni a screw

biimiskonikeshin vai s/he falls and twists h/ arm

biimiskwa'an vti twist, screw it (using something)

See also: biimaskwa'an vti

(derived noun) biimiskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench biimiskwa'igaans ni a screw
biimiskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench

See also: biimaskwa'igan ni

biimiskwa'igaans ni a screw

biimishkan vti wear it sideways or askew

biimitaagozi vai s/he or it (animate) sounds off, sounds distorted

Paired with: biimitaagwad vii

biimitaagwad vii it sounds off, sounds distorted

Paired with: biimitaagozi vai

biinabi vai s/he lives in a clean place

biinad vii it is clean

Paired with: biinizi vai

biinadaawangad vii it (granular) is clean

biinadowe vai s/he has clean fur

biina' vta lay or put put h/ or it (animate) in something

Paired with: biina'an vti

biina'amaw vta put (it) in (something) for h/

biina'an vti lay or put it in something

Paired with: biina' vta

(detransitive) biina'ige vai s/he puts things in (something) (verb of undergoing) biina'igaade vii it is put in (by someone), "they" put it in (verb of undergoing) biina'igaazo vai s/he or it (animate) is put in (by someone), "they" put h/ or it (animate) in (benefactive) biina'amaw vta put (it) in (something) for h/
biina'ashkimode vai s/he puts something in a bag or pack

biina'igaade vii it is put in (by someone), "they" put it in

Paired with: biina'igaazo vai

biina'igaazo vai s/he or it (animate) is put in (by someone), "they" put h/ or it (animate) in

Paired with: biina'igaade vii

biina'ige vai s/he puts things in (something)

biina'wi vta

► biina' vta

biinakamigaa vii it is clean ground

biinate vii it is a clean house or room

biinazhe vai s/he has clean skin

biinaabaawadoon vti2 wash it clean

Paired with: biinaabaawazh vta

biinaabaawazh vta wash h/ clean

biinaabaawazo vii s/he cleans h/ self with water, rinses off, takes a shower

biinaabaawe vai s/he or it (animate) is washed off clean

biinaabaawe vii it is washed off clean

Paired with: biinaabaawe vai

biinaabide vai s/he has clean teeth; h/ teeth are clean

biinaabikad vii it (mineral) is clean

Paired with: biinaabikizi vai

biinaabika'an vti wipe it (mineral) clean (using something)

biinaabikizi vai it (animate; mineral) is clean

Paired with: biinaabikad vii

biinaabiigad vii it (string-like) is clean

Paired with: biinaabiigizi vai

biinaabiigizi vai it (animate; string-like) is clean

See also: biinaabiigad vii

biinaagamin vii it (a liquid) is clean

biinaagongaa vii there is clean snow

biinaakiz vta clean h/ by burning

Paired with: biinaakizan vti

biinaakizan vti clean it by burning

Paired with: biinaakiz vta

(detransitive) biinaakizige vai s/he burns something clean, sterilizes something
biinaakizige vai s/he burns something clean, sterilizes something

biinaakizwi vta [NI]

► biinaakiz vta

biinaakogwe vai s/he has a clean neck; h/ neck is clean

biinaakwaani-wajiw ni mountain of combs

biinaanziye vai s/he has a clean diaper

biinaanziye' vta put a clean diaper on h/

biinaasindoon vti2 clean it in the wind, winnow it

biinda'oodoon vti2 put it in a case

biinda'oojigan ni [N]
  1. a gun case
  2. a condom

biinda'oozh vta put h/ in a case or narrow opening; thread h/

Paired with: biinda'oodoon vti2

biindakade'an vti load it with gunpowder

biindasaagan na a raft; a winter net setting board

biindasinaan ni a bag for ammunition: a shell bag, a shot pouch

biindashkwaadan vti stuff it

Paired with: biindashkwaazh vta

biindashkwaade vii it is stuffed

Paired with: biindashkwaazo vai

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.