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gaa-ishpaandaweg ni-v [BL] an elevator

See also: gaa-ishpaandawebideg ni-v [BL]

gaa-izhi-zhiibaajiwang ni-v a culvert

See also: zhiibaajiwan vii

gaa-miskwaag dagwanjigan ni-v [BL] ketchup, catsup

gaa-niizhoogaaded na-v
  1. a being with two legs; a biped
  2. a two-wheeled vehicle: a bicycle, a motocycle

gaa-ototoseg ni-v jello

See also: ototose vii

gaa-ozaawaag dagwanjigan ni-v [BL] mustard

gaa-ozaawiminagizid na-v [BL] an orange

See also: ozaawi-mishiimin na [N] ; wezaawiminagizid na-v

gaa-ozaawizigwaag giziibiiga'igan ni-v yellow laundry soap

gaa-waabishkaagamig ni-v [BL] vinegar

See also: waabishkaagamin vii

gaa-waagijiiyaag ni-v [BL] a banana

gaa-wiisagang ni-v pepper

gaa-ziiwiskaagamig ni-v [BL] vinegar

See also: ziiwiskaagamin vii [BL]

gaachida'an vti manage to grab on to it (using a stick)

gaachidinamaw vta catch (it) for h/; get, contract (an illness) from h/

gaachijibidoon vti2 grab it in time, manage to grab it

gaachijibizh vta grab h/ or it (animate) in time, manage to grab h/ or it (animate)

gaachiji' vta anage to catch or capture h/. manage to catch h/ attention, manage to start a relationship with h/ (as a friend, partner, etc.)

gaachimo vai s/he is tearful, is almost crying, cries easily, is fussy

(verb of addiction) gaachimoshki vai s/he is always crying, is a crybaby (applicative) gaachimotaw vta be fussy and weepy over h/
(detransitive) gaachimotaage vai s/he is fussy and weepy over someone
gaachimoshki vai s/he is always crying, is a crybaby

gaachimotaw vta be fussy and weepy over h/

gaachimotaage vai s/he is fussy and weepy over someone

gaachitoon vti2

gaadamaw vta hide something from h/

gaadamaazo vai s/he hides (something) from h/ self

gaadaw vta hide (it) from h/

gaadawinzo vai s/he hides berries being picked

gaadoon vti2 hide, conceal it

Paired with: gaazh vta

(benefactive) gaadamaw vta hide something from h/
(reflexive) gaadamaazo vai s/he hides (something) from h/ self
(benefactive) gaadaw vta hide (it) from h/ (verb of undergoing) gaajigaade vii it is hidden (by someone), "they" hide it (verb of undergoing) gaajigaazo vai s/he is hidden (by someone), "they" hide h/ (detransitive) gaajige vai s/he hides things
gaag na a porcupine

[
Erethizon dorsatum
]

gaagaagi na a raven

[
common raven
; 
Corvus corax
]

See also: gaagaagiw na [ML]

gaagaagiw na [ML] a raven

[
common raven
; 
Corvus corax
]

See also: gaagaagi na

gaagaagiwayaan na a ravenskin

gaagaagiwazison ni a raven's nest

gaagaagiwaandag na a juniper bush

[
common juniper
; 
Juniperus communis
]

gaagaagiwaandagomin ni a juniper berry

[
common juniper
; 
Juniperus communis
]

gaagaagiishib na a cormorant

[
double-crested cormorant
; 
Phalacrocorax auritus
]

gaagige- pv lex forever

gaagige-bimaadiziwin ni everlasting life [church usage]; the full cycle of life

gaagiidaawigan vai [S] s/he has a sore back

See also: gaagiidaawigane vai [N]

gaagiidaawigane vai [N] s/he has a sore back

See also: gaagiidaawigane vai [N]

gaagiidizi vai s/he is sore

gaagiigido vai s/he talks, speaks (for some time); gives a speech

(derived noun) gaagiigidowin ni talking; a speech; song lyrics; a language
gaagiigidongwaam vai [S] s/he talks in h/ sleep

See also: gaagiigidongwaamo vai [BL]

gaagiigidongwaamo vai [BL] s/he talks in h/ sleep

See also: gaagiigidongwaam vai [S]

gaagiigidowin ni song lyrics; a speech; talking; a language

gaagiigidoo-bineshiinh na a parrot

gaagiigidoo-makakoons ni a device that speaks: a radio, a phonograph, a record player, a cd player. a musical instrument

gaagiigidoomagad vii

gaagiigidoowinini na a speaker

gaagiijidaamikane vai s/he has a sore jaw or chin

gaagiijidenaniwe vai h/ tongue is sore

gaagiijidiye vai s/he has a sore rear

gaagiijidoondane vai s/he has a sore heel or sore heels

gaagiijidoone vai [N] s/he has a sore mouth or lips

gaagiijidooskwan vai s/he has a sore elbow

See also: gaagiijidooskwane vai [N]

gaagiijidooskwane vai [N] s/he has a sore elbow

Paired with: gaagiijidooskwan vai

gaagiijigaade vai s/he has a sore leg

gaagiijigidigwe vai s/he has a sore knee or sore knees

gaagiijigwayawe vai s/he has a sore neck

gaagiiji' vta appease, apologize to, show respect to h/

gaagiijijaane vai s/he has a sore nose

gaagiijindibe vai s/he has a sore head

gaagiijinike vai s/he has a sore arm

gaagiijininjii vai s/he has a sore hand, has a sore finger

gaagiijishkiinzhigwe vai s/he has sore eyes

gaagiijitawage vai s/he has a sore ear or sore ears

gaagiijizide vai s/he has a sore foot

gaagiijiiwagizi vai s/he has sore muscles

gaagiimaa' vta sneak up to h/, come up to h/ quietly or stealthily, stalk h/

gaagiimaazi vai s/he sneaks around

gaagiimikaw vta

gaagiimoojitaa vai s/he does things secretly

gaagiiwe vai s/he goes home off and on

gaagiizitaagozi vai s/he asks for forgiveness; s/he prays; s/he makes amends

gaagiizhiitaa vai s/he finishes getting everything ready

gaagiizom vta appease h/, apologize to h/, make amends with h/

gaago-wiiyaas ni porcupine meat

gaagobiiway ni a porcupine hair

gaagowi vai it (animate) is a porcupine

gaagozow ni a porcupine tail

gaa'- pv tns [past tense with initial change]: -ed, did, was

gaajibani'o vai s/he jumps quickly into hiding

gaajigaade vii it is hidden (by someone), "they" hide it

gaajigaazo vai s/he is hidden (by someone), "they" hide h/

gaajige vai s/he hides things

gaajisidoon vti2 put it somewhere hidden

Paired with: gaajishim vta

gaajishim vta put h/ somewhere hidden

Paired with: gaajisidoon vti2

gaajiwebin vta shove or throw h/ to hide h/ quickly

Paired with: gaajiwebinan vti

gaajiwebinamaw vta shove or throw something to hide it from h/ quickly

gaajiwebinan vti shove or throw it to hide it quickly

Paired with: gaajiwebin vta

(benefactive) gaajiwebinamaw vta shove or throw something to hide it from h/ quickly
gaajiwebishkan vti shove or kick it (with foot or body) to hide it quickly

Paired with: gaajiwebishkaw vta

gaajiwebishkaw vta shove or kick h/ (with foot or body) to hide h/ quickly

Paired with: gaajiwebishkan vti

gaakaabishiinh na a screech-owl

[
eastern screech owl
; 
Otus asio
]

gaakaawadabi vai

gaakaawam vta chew it (animate; something crisp or crunchy)

Paired with: gaakaawandan vti

gaakaawandan vti chew it (something crisp or crunchy)

Paired with: gaakaawam vta

(detransitive) gaakaawanjige vai s/he chews something crisp or crunchy
gaakaawanjige vai s/he chews something crisp or crunchy

gaakaazootaadiwag vai they play hide-and-go-seek

gaaki' vta get closer to h/, be in close pursuit of h/, be hot on h/ trail

gaana adv man actually

gaanda' vta push h/ (using something)

Paired with: gaanda'an vti

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
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  • 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.