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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

dakoboode vii it is sawn short

Paired with: dakoboozo vai

dakoboozo vai s/he is sawn short

Paired with: dakoboode vii

dakogaade vai s/he has a short leg or short legs

dakojiiminagizi vai s/he is short and stubby, is a runt

dakokaadan vti step on it

Paired with: dakokaazh vta

dakokaazh vta step on h/

Paired with: dakokaadan vti

dakokii vai s/he steps, takes a step

(applicative) dakokaadan vti step on it (applicative) dakokaazh vta step on h/ (derived noun) dakokiiwin ni a pace, a step (taken)
dakokiiwin ni a pace, a step (taken)

dakokodan vti cut, carve it short

Paired with: dakokozh vta

dakokode vii it is cut, carved short

Paired with: dakokozo vai

dakokozh vta cut, carve h/ short

Paired with: dakokodan vti

dakokozo vai s/he is cut, carved short

Paired with: dakokode vii

dakokoozhe vai s/he has a short bill

dakon vta
  1. hold, take hold of h/
  2. arrest h/

Paired with: dakonan vti

(detransitive) dakoniwe vai s/he arrests (people)
dakonamaw vta hold (it) for h/; take hold of (it) for h/

dakonan vti hold, take hold of it

Paired with: dakon vta

(benefactive) dakonamaw vta hold (it) for h/; take hold of (it) for h/ (detransitive) dakonige vai s/he holds, takes hold of things (verb of undergoing) dakonigaade vii it is held (by someone), "they" hold it (verb of undergoing) dakonigaazo vai
  1. s/he is held (by someone), "they" hold h/
  2. s/he is arrested, "they" arrest h/
dakonaawaso vai s/he holds a baby

(derived noun) dakonaawaswaan na a baby in a bundle (to be held)
dakonaawaswaan na a baby in a bundle (to be held)

dakonigaade vii it is held (by someone), "they" hold it

dakonigaazo vai
  1. s/he is held (by someone), "they" hold h/
  2. s/he is arrested, "they" arrest h/

dakonige vai s/he holds, takes hold of things

dakoningwii vai s/he has a short wing or short wings

dakoniwe vai s/he arrests (people)

dakoniwewidaabaan na a police car

dakoniwewigamig ni a police station

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.