Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

bagiwayaaneshkimod ni a cloth bag

bagiwayaanish ni (a piece of) cloth, a rag

bagiwayaanishi-jiimaan ni a canvas canoe

bagiwaan ni [BL] a shirt, (a piece of) cloth

bagiwaanegamig ni [BL] a tent

See also: bagwaanegamig ni [BL]

bagiwaanegamigwegino-jiimaan ni a canvas canoe

bagiwaaniigin ni [BL] (a piece of) cloth, a rag; fabric; material; yardage

See also: babagiwayaaniigin ni

bagizo vai s/he bathes, goes swimming

(derived noun) bagizowin ni a bathtub, a swimming pool
bagizowin ni a bathtub, a swimming pool

bagizoo-midaas ni [BL] (a pair of) swim trunks

bagizoowayaan ni a swimsuit

bagizoowigamig ni a bathroom (a room for bathing)

bagoganaam vta punch a hole in h/ (by hitting)

Paired with: bagoganaandan vti

bagoganaandan vti punch a hole in it (by hitting)

Paired with: bagoganaam vta

bagogidigweshin vai s/he wears a hole at h/ knee

bagojiibidoon vti2 pull or poke a hole in it (something soft and hollow)

Paired with: bagojiibizh vta

bagojiibizh vta poke or pull a hole in it (animate; something soft and hollow)

Paired with: bagojiibidoon vti2

bagojiin vta gut h/

bagoneboodoon vti2 saw or drill a hole in it

Paired with: bagoneboozh vta

(detransitive) bagoneboojige vai s/he saws or drills holes (derived noun) bagoneboojigan ni a drill
bagoneboojigan ni a drill

bagoneboojige vai s/he saws or drills holes

bagoneboozh vta saw or drill a hole in it (animate)

Paired with: bagoneboodoon vti2

bagone' vta drill it (animate), make a hole in h/ or it (animate) (using something)

Paired with: bagone'an vti See also: bagone'wi vta [NI]

(derived noun) bagone'igan ni a drill
bagone'an vti drill it, make a hole in it (using something)

Paired with: bagone' vta

(derived noun) bagone'igan ni a drill (verb of use) bagone'igaagen vai + o use it to make a hole in something
bagone'igan ni a drill

bagone'igaade vii it has a hole drilled in it, "they" drill a hole in it

bagone'igaagen vai + o use it to make a hole in something

bagone'igaazo vai it (animate) has a hole drilled in it, "they" drill a hole in it (animate)

bagone'ige vai s/he drills a hole in something

bagone'wi vta [NI] drill it (animate), make a hole in h/ or it (animate) (using something)

Paired with: bagone'an vti See also: bagone' vta

bagonewebishkan vti stamp hole through it

bagoneyaa vii it has a hole in it

Paired with: bagonezi vai

bagoneyaanakwad vii there is a hole in the cloud

bagoneyaanike vai s/he digs a hole or trench

bagonezh vta cut hole in h/

Paired with: bagonezhan vti

bagonezhan vti cut hole in it

Paired with: bagonezh vta

bagonezi vai it (animate) has a hole in it

Paired with: bagoneyaa vii

bagonezigoboojigan ni [BL] an ice auger

bagonezigwa'igan ni an ice auger

bagonezigwaa vii there is a (natural) hole in the ice

bagosagandan vti chew a hole in it (board)

bagosendam vai2 s/he wishes, hopes

bagosendan vti wish for, hope for, want, desire it (something difficult to get)

Paired with: bagosenim vta

bagosenim vta wish of, have hope for h/; wish for, hope for h/

Paired with: bagosendan vti

bagosidoon vti2 make a hole in it (by dropping or hitting)

Paired with: bagoshim vta

bagosin vii [BG] [BL] it gets a hole in it (on impact)

bagoshi' vta
  1. beg or wish to be fed or given something by h/
  2. bum something off h/

(detransitive) bagoshi'iwe vai
  1. s/he begs or wishes to be fed or given something by people
  2. s/he bums off people
bagoshi'iweshki vai s/he habitually begs people for things
bagoshi'iwe vai
  1. s/he begs or wishes to be fed or given something by people
  2. s/he bums off people

bagoshi'iweshki vai s/he habitually begs people for things

bagoshim vta make a hole in h/ or it (animate) (by dropping or hitting)

Paired with: bagosidoon vti2

bagoshkan vti wear a hole in it (with foot or body)

Paired with: bagoshkaw vta

bagoshkaw vta wear a hole in h/ (with foot or body)

Paired with: bagoshkan vti

bagoshkaa vai it (animate) has a hole, gets a hole in it

Paired with: bagoshkaa vii

bagoshkaa vii it has a hole, gets a hole (in it)

Paired with: bagoshkaa vai

bagoshkoode vii it has a hole (from weight or pressure)

bagoshkoodoon vti2 make hole in it (by weight or pressure)

Paired with: bagoshkoozh vta

bagoshkoozh vta make hole in h/ (by weight or pressure)

Paired with: bagoshkoodoon vti2

bagozh vta cut a hole in h/ or it (animate)

Paired with: bagozhan vti See also: bagozhwi vta [BL]

bagozhan vti cut a hole in it

Paired with: bagozh vta ; bagozhwi vta [BL]

bagozigoshkige vai s/he makes holes in the ice with foot or body (as a beaver does)

bagozigwa'an vti make a hole in the ice at it

(detransitive) bagozigwa'ige vai s/he makes a hole in the ice
bagozigwa'ige vai s/he makes a hole in the ice

bagozhwi vta [BL] cut a hole in h/ or it (animate)

Paired with: bagozhan vti See also: bagozh vta

bagooneshin vai s/he puts a hole in h/ boat by hitting something

bagwadakamig adv loc in the wilderness

bagwa' vta patch it (animate), mend it (animate) with a patch

Paired with: bagwa'an vti See also: bagwa'wi vta [NI]

bagwa'akizine vai s/he mends shoes

bagwa'amaw vta patch (it) for h/

bagwa'an vti patch it, mend it with a patch

Paired with: bagwa' vta ; bagwa'wi vta [NI]

(benefactive) bagwa'amaw vta patch (it) for h/ (detransitive) bagwa'ige vai s/he patches things, mends things with patches (verb of undergoing) bagwa'igaade vii it is patched (by someone), "they" patch it (verb of undergoing) bagwa'igaazo vai it (animate) is patched (by someone), "they" patch it (animate); s/he wears patches bagwa'igan ni a patch
bagwa'asabii vai s/he patches a net

bagwa'igan ni a patch

bagwa'igaade vii it is patched (by someone), "they" patch it

bagwa'igaazo vai it (animate) is patched (by someone), "they" patch it (animate); s/he wears patches

bagwa'ige vai s/he patches things, mends things with patches

bagwa'wi vta [NI] patch it (animate), mend it (animate) with a patch

Paired with: bagwa'an vti See also: bagwa' vta

bagwaj adv loc in the wilderness

bagwaj-aya'ii adv loc in the wilderness or a deserted place

bagwaji- pv lex wild

bagwajipin na a wild potato

bagwakizineshin vai s/he wears a hole in h/ shoe or moccasin

bagwam vta chew a hole in h/

Paired with: bagwandan vti

bagwana adv man at random; without direct evidence, not seeing or knowing, assuming, wondering

bagwanad vii it has a hole from rotting

bagwanawizi vai s/he is ignorant, is stupid, is dumb

bagwandan vti chew a hole in it

Paired with: bagwam vta

(detransitive) bagwanjige vai s/he chews a hole in something
bagwanem vta chew a hole in h/

Paired with: bagwanendan vti

bagwanendan vti chew a hole in it

Paired with: bagwanem vta

bagwanjige vai s/he chews a hole in something

bagwanom vta tell about h/ in h/ absence

bagwaabikishkaa vii it (something mineral or metal) has a hole, gets a hole (in it)

bagwaakide vii it has a hole burned in it

Paired with: bagwaakizo vai

bagwaakiz vta burn a hole in h/

Paired with: bagwaakizan vti

bagwaakizan vti burn a hole in it

Paired with: bagwaakiz vta

bagwaakizo vai s/he has a hole burned in h/

Paired with: bagwaakide vii

bagwaanegamig ni [BL] a tent

See also: bagiwaanegamig ni [BL]

bagwaasin vii it is blown open (with a hole in it)

Paired with: bagwaashi vai

bagwaashi vai it (animate) is blown open (with a hole in it)

Paired with: bagwaasin vii

bagwegad vii it (sheet-like) has a hole in it

Paired with: bagwegizi vai

bagwega' vta make a hole in it (animate; sheet-like) with something

Paired with: bagwega'an vti

bagwega'an vti make hole in it (sheet-like) with something

Paired with: bagwega' vta

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.