Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

badakijii'igewataadiwin ni [BL] cribbage

badakininjiishin vai h/ hand is stuck by something sharp

badakise vii it falls on or hits something and sticks into it

Paired with: badakise vai

badakise vai s/he falls on or hits something and sticks into it

Paired with: badakise vii

badakisidoon vti2 stick, set it in something; plant it in the ground

Paired with: badakishim vta

(detransitive) badakisijige vai s/he sticks, sets things in something; plants things in the ground (verb of undergoing) badakisijigaade vii it is stuck in something, planted in the ground (by someone) (verb of undergoing) badakisijigaazo vai s/he is stuck in something, planted in the ground (by someone)
badakisijigaade vii it is stuck in something, planted in the ground (by someone)

badakisijigaazo vai s/he is stuck in something, planted in the ground (by someone)

badakisijige vai s/he sticks, sets things in something; plants things in the ground

badakisin vii it sticks into something, sticks out of something

Paired with: badakishin vai

badakishim vta stick, set h/ in something; plant h/ in the ground

Paired with: badakisidoon vti2

badakishin vai s/he sticks into, sticks out of something

Paired with: badakisin vii

badakizh vta erect, plant it (animate); set it (animate) up, stand it (animate) up

Paired with: badakidoon vti2

badakizideshin vai s/he steps on something sharp which sticks in h/ foot

badakizo vai it (animate) sticks up, stands up (from a surface), is planted in

Paired with: badakide vii

bagaka'amaazo vai s/he sings clearly

bagakaabam vta see h/ clearly, spot h/ right away

Paired with: bagakaabandan vti

bagakaaban vii it is daybreak, is light at dawn

bagakaabandan vti see it clearly, spot it right away

Paired with: bagakaabam vta

bagakaabi vai s/he sees clearly

bagakaagamin vii it (a liquid) is clear and bright

bagakaagonagaa vii there is bright snow

bagakaanzhe vai it (animate) shines brightly

bagakaasige vai it (animate) shines brightly

bagakaate vii it has a bright clear light, shines brightly

bagakaatese vii it flashes brightly

bagakendam vai2 s/he has a clear mind, is aware

bagaki- pv lex bright

bagaki-ozaawadowe vai s/he has yellow fur

bagaki-ozaawaa vii it is bright yellow

Paired with: bagaki-ozaawizi vai

bagaki-ozaawaakigane vai s/he has a bright yellow chest, is yellow-breasted

bagaki-ozaawegad vii [BL] it (sheet-like) is yellow

Paired with: bagaki-ozaawegizi vai [BL]

bagaki-ozaawegizi vai [BL] it (animate; sheet-like) is yellow

Paired with: bagaki-ozaawegad vii [BL]

bagaki-ozaawi-miigwan na a yellow feather

bagaki-ozaawigwan na a yellow feather

bagaki-ozaawigwane vai [BL] s/he (a bird) has yellow feathers

bagaki-ozaawikoozhe vai s/he has a yellow beak or bill

bagaki-ozaawitigwaane vai [BL]
  1. s/he has a yellow head
  2. s/he has blond hair

bagaki-ozaawizi vai it (animate) is bright yellow

Paired with: bagaki-ozaawaa vii

bagaki-ozaawizide vai [BL] s/he has yellow feet or (hind)paws

bagakinaagozi vai
  1. s/he is seen clearly
  2. it (animate) is bright (in color)

Paired with: bagakinaagwad vii

bagakinaagwad vii
  1. it is seen clearly, appears obvious
  2. it looks bright, looks clear

Paired with: bagakinaagozi vai

bagakipogozi vai s/he has a sharp, clean taste

Paired with: bagakipogwad vii

bagakipogwad vii it has a sharp, clean taste

Paired with: bagakipogozi vai

bagakitam vai2 s/he has acute hearing

bagakitan vti hear, understand it clearly

Paired with: bagakitaw vta

bagakitaw vta hear, understand h/ clearly

Paired with: bagakitan vti

(reciprocal) bagakitaadiwag vai they hear, understand each other clearly
bagakitaadiwag vai they hear, understand each other clearly

bagakitaagozi vai s/he or it (animate) sounds clear, is heard clearly; s/he is understandable

Paired with: bagakitaagwad vii

bagakitaagwad vii it sounds clear, is heard clearly; it is understandable

Paired with: bagakitaagozi vai

bagakowe vai s/he has a clear voice, speaks clealy

bagamademo vai s/he arrives crying

bagama'adoo vai s/he arrives walking on the road or trail

bagama'amaazo vai s/he arrives singing

bagama'oodoon vti2 arrive transporting it (especially by boat)

Paired with: bagama'oozh vta

bagama'oozh vta arrive transporting h/ (especially by boat)

bagamakwazhiwe vai s/he arrives swimming (as fish); sh/e arrives paddling

bagamanaandam vai2 s/he arrives hungry

bagamaabate vii it (smoke, an aroma) arrives

bagamaabaagwe vai s/he arrives thirsty

bagamaadagaa vai s/he arrives swimming

See also: bagamaadage vai [BL]

bagamaadagaako vai s/he arrives on the ice

bagamaadagaazii vai s/he arrives wading

bagamaadage vai [BL] s/he arrives swimming

See also: bagamaadagaa vai

bagamaada'e vai ss/he arrives skating

bagamaagan ni a war club

bagamaagimose vai [BL] s/he arrives snowshoeing, gets somewhere snowshoeing

bagamaagiwebishkige vai [BL] s/he gets here bicycling, arrives riding a bicycle

bagamaagonagii vai s/he arrives coming through the snow

bagamaa'an vii it arrives drifting on the waves

Paired with: bagamaa'ogo vai

bagamaa'ogo vai s/he arrives drifting on the waves

Paired with: bagamaa'an vii

bagamaajim vta have news of h/ arrive

bagamaajimo vai s/he arrives with news

bagamaakwii vai s/he arrives holding on (to something stick-like such as a railing or a handle)

bagamaamo vai s/he arrives in flight seeking refuge

bagamaanagidoon vai [S] s/he arrives talking

bagamaanike vai s/he arrives, gets to a place by digging

bagamaanimad vii there is a gust of wind

bagamaanimanishi vai s/he gets caught in a gust of wind

bagamaanimizi vai s/he arrives in fear

bagamaapi vai s/he arrives laughing

bagamaapine vai s/he arrives sick

bagamaasin vii it is blown in (by the wind), sails, soars in; it arrives by air

Paired with: bagamaashi vai

bagamaashi vai s/he is blown in (by the wind); sails, soars in (to a destination); s/he arrives by air

Paired with: bagamaasin vii

bagamaashkaa vii waves move in, come in

bagamaawanidiwag vai they arrive in a group

bagami- pv lex arriving

bagami-ayaa vai s/he arrives, gets somewhere

Paired with: bagami-ayaa vii

bagami-ayaa vii
  1. it arrives
  2. it comes to be

Paired with: bagami-ayaa vai

bagamiba'idiwag vai they arrive together running

bagamiba'igo vai s/he arrives riding on a horse, arrives driving (drawn by horse or dog)

bagamiba'iwe vai s/he arrives fleeing from people

bagamibatoo vai s/he arrives running

bagamibide vii it arrives speeding, driving, flying

Paired with: bagamibizo vai

bagamibizo vai s/he arrives speeding, driving, flying

Paired with: bagamibide vii

bagamibizonike vai s/he arrives driving

bagamibii vai s/he arrives drunk

bagamibiisaa vii rain is on the way

bagamibiisaan vii rain is on the way

See also: bagamibiisaa vii

bagamidaabaadan vti arrive dragging it

Paired with: bagamidaabaazh vta

bagamidaabaade vii it arrives, gets here pulled, pushed, or dragged (on something)

Paired with: bagamidaabaazo 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.

  • 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.