Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

biiwaabiko-miikana ni a train track

biiwaabiko-moona'igan ni an iron mine

biiwaabiko-moozhwaagan ni tinsnips, metal shears

biiwaabiko-zagapijigan ni a chain

biiwaabiko-zaka'on ni a metal cane

biiwaabikokaan ni a mine

biiwaabikoke vai s/he mines, produces metal or iron

biiwaabikokewinini na a miner

biiwaabikonaagan ni a metal bowl

biiwaabikowan vii it is metal, of metal

Paired with: biiwaabikowi vai

biiwaabikowi vai s/he is metal, of metal

Paired with: biiwaabikowan vii

biiwaabikoons ni
  1. wire
  2. a can, a tin
  3. a telephone

biiwaabikwadaawewigamig ni a hardware store

See also: biiwaabiko-adaawewigamig ni

biiwaakoboojigan na a wood scrap left over from sawing, sawdust

biiwaanag na flint

biiwaandagaasin vii the boughs are scattered by the wind

biiwaasin vii it is scattered in wind

Paired with: biiwaashi vai

biiwaashi vai it (animate) is scattered by wind

biiwaawangisin vii it (something fine) is scattered, is dispersed

Paired with: biiwaawangishin vai

biiwaawangishin vai it (something fine) is scattered, is dispersed

Paired with: biiwaawangisin vii

biiwaawangiwebin vta scatter h/ (somethine fine)

Paired with: biiwaawangiwebinan vti

biiwaawangiwebinan vti scatter it (something fine)

Paired with: biiwaawangiwebin vta

biiwega'igan ni a chip (left from chopping)

biiwibagaasin vii leaves are scattered by the wind

biiwiboodoon vti2 saw or grind it into small particles

Paired with: biiwiboozh vta

biiwiboojigan ni a scrap or particles left from sawing or filing, sawdust
biiwiboojigan ni a scrap or particles left from sawing or filing, sawdust

biiwiboozh vta saw or grind it (animate) into small particles

Paired with: biiwiboodoon vti2

biiwide na a visitor, a guest, a stranger

(verb of being) biiwidewi vai s/he is a visitor, is a guest, is a stranger (verb of possession) obiiwidemi vai s/he has a visitor or visitors, has a guest or guests
biiwidewi vai s/he is a visitor, is a guest, is a stranger

biiwiga'an vti chop it into chips

(detransitive) biiwiga'ige vai s/he chops something into chips (derived noun) biiwiga'igan ni a chip (left from chopping)
biiwiga'igan ni a chip (left from chopping)

biiwiga'ige vai s/he chops something into chips

biiwiga'wi vta [NI] chop it (animate) into chips

Paired with: biiwiga'an vti

biiwikojigan ni a shaving (left from carving)

biiwipon vii there are snow flurries; fine snow falls

biiwise vii it scatters, disperses

Paired with: biiwise vai

biiwise vai s/he scatters, disperses

Paired with: biiwise vii

biiwisidoon vti2 scatter, disperse it

Paired with: biiwishim vta

biiwisin vii it is scattered, is dispersed

Paired with: biiwishin vai

biiwishim vta scatter, disperse h/

Paired with: biiwisidoon vti2

biiwishin vai s/he is scattered, dispersed

Paired with: biiwisin vii

biiwiwebin vta scatter, disperse h/

Paired with: biiwiwebinan vti

biiwiwebinan vti scatter, disperse it

Paired with: biiwiwebin vta

biiwizhan vti cut it into scraps

biiwizhigan ni a scrap (left from cutting); a remnant; a quilt piece
biiwizhigan ni a quilt piece; a remnant; a scrap (left from cutting)

biizh vta bring h/

Paired with: biidoon vti2

biizikamoozh vta dress h/ (with it), put (it; clothing) on h/

biizikan vti wear it, have it on (the body), put it on (the body)

Paired with: biizikaw vta

biizikaw vta wear it (animate), have it (animate) on (the body), put it (animate) on (the body),

Paired with: biizikan vti

biizikigan ni an item of clothing

See also: biizikiigan ni

biizikiigan ni an item of clothing

See also: biizikigan ni

biizikonaye vai s/he dresses, is dressed, puts on clothes

(causative) biizikonaye' vta put clothes on, dress h/
biizikonaye' vta put clothes on, dress h/

biizikoozh vta dress h/ (with it), put (it) on h/ (to wear)

booch adv man it is certain; it is necessary; no matter what

boodawazo vai s/he builds a fire to warm up

boodawaadamii na a Potawatomi

boodawaadan vti build a fire in it; fire it up [as stove]

Paired with: boodawaazh vta

boodawaade vii there is a fire made in a fireplace

boodawaan ni a fireplace

boodawaanaabik ni a stove; a firepit; a fireplace

boodawaanaatigoons ni a kindling stick

boodawaanikaan ni an electric fireplace

boodawaazh vta build a fire at h/

Paired with: boodawaadan vti

boodawe vai s/he builds a fire

(applicative) boodawaadan vti build a fire in it; fire it up [as stove] (applicative) boodawaazh vta build a fire at h/
boodawewinini na a maintenance engineer; a school custodian

boodaadamaw vta blow on or at (it) for h/

boodaadan vti blow on or at it

Paired with: boodaazh vta

(detransitive) boodaajige vai s/he blows on or at something (benefactive) boodaadamaw vta blow on or at (it) for h/ (derived noun) boodaajigan ni [BL] something blown: a horn, [diminutive] a whistle
boodaajigan ni [BL] something blown: a horn, [diminutive] a whistle

boodaajiganens ni [BL] a whistle

boodaajige vai s/he blows on or at something

boodaajii' vta inflate h/

Paired with: boodaajii'an vti

boodaajii'amaw vta inflate (it) for h/

boodaajii'an vti inflate it

Paired with: boodaajii' vta

(detransitive) boodaajii'ige vai s/he inflates things (verb of undergoing) boodaajii'igaade vii it is inflated (by someone), "they" inflate it (verb of undergoing) boodaajii'igaazo vai s/he is inflated (by someone), "they" inflate h/ (derived noun) boodaajii'igan ni an air pump, a tire pump (benefactive) boodaajii'amaw vta inflate (it) for h/
boodaajii'igan ni an air pump, a tire pump

boodaajii'igaade vii it is inflated (by someone), "they" inflate it

boodaajii'igaazo vai s/he is inflated (by someone), "they" inflate h/

boodaajii'ige vai s/he inflates things

boodaakwe vai s/he puts (something) in the kettle

boodaakwe' vta put h/ in the pot (using something); put h/ into a hole

Paired with: boodaakwe'an vti

boodaakwe'an vti put it in the pot (using something)

Paired with: boodaakwe' vta

boodaakwe'wi vta [NI]

► boodaakwe' vta

boodaakwen vai + o put (it) in the kettle, put (it) in a hole in something

boodaakwese vii it slips, falls in the kettle

Paired with: boodaakwese vai

boodaakwese vai s/he slips, falls in the kettle

Paired with: boodaakwese vii

boodaakwewebin vta throw h/ in the kettle

Paired with: boodaakwewebinan vti

boodaakwewebinan vti throw it in the kettle

Paired with: boodaakwewebin vta

boodaazh vta blow on or at h/

Paired with: boodaadan vti

boodewaadamii na a Potawatomi

boodoonh na a tadpole

boogidaapi vai s/he farts from laughing so hard

boogidi vai s/he farts

boogidingwaam vai [S] s/he farts in h/ sleep

See also: boogidingwaamo vai [BL]

boogidingwaamo vai [BL] s/he farts in h/ sleep

See also: boogidingwaam vai [S]

boogijibatoo vai s/he farts running

boogijidan vti fart on it

Paired with: boogijizh vta

boogijizh vta fart on h/; spray h/ as a skunk does

Paired with: boogijidan vti

boogijiiwii vai s/he farts lifting or in exertion

boohay pc interj yuck! [what you say when you smell something that stinks]

See also: poohay pc interj

bookadinigan na a doughnut

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.