Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

gaashaabiigizi vai it (animate; string-like) is rough, is prickly

Paired with: gaashaabiigad vii

gaashaagonagaa vii there is sharp-crusted snow

gaashaakizo vai it (animate) gets sharp and prickly from the sun

gaashaandagizi vai it (animate; tree) has prickly needles

gaashibagad vii it is a pricky leaf

gaashibiiwaye vai it (animate) has prickly hair

gaashiboode vii it is sharpened (by abrasion)

gaashiboodoon vti2 sharpen it (by abrasion)

(derived noun) gaashiboojigan na a whetstone; a grindstone
gaashiboojigan na a whetstone; a grindstone

gaashiganzhii vai s/he has a sharp nail or claw, has sharp nails or claws

gaashikomaan ni a sharp knife

gaashikomaane vai s/he has a sharp knife

gaashizi vai it (animate) is sharp; s/he wears things out easily; it (animate) is rough, prickly in texture

Paired with: gaashaa vii

gaashizigozi vai it (animate) has a sharp prickly crust of ice

gaashizigwaa vii there is sharp ice

gaashizigwaate vii there is sharp ice from the sun shining on it

gaashiigad vii it (sheet-like) is rough, is prickly

Paired with: gaashiigizi vai

gaashiigizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is rough, is prickly

Paired with: gaashiigad vii

gaashka' vta scrape h/ off something using something

Paired with: gaashka'an vti

gaashka'an vti scrape it off something using something

gaashka'wi vta [BL] scrape h/ off something using something

► gaashka' vta

gaashkakamiga'igan ni a hoe

gaashkakokwe'igan ni a paddle for stirring boiling maple sap

gaashkanagekwa'wi vta scrape the bark from it (animate)

gaashkaabika'akokwe vai s/he scrapes the pot to the bottom

gaashkaabika'an vti scrape it out of something (with a spoon)

gaashkaabikibidoon vti2 scrape it off something metal with hands

gaashkaashkibijige vai

gaashkibaajigan ni a razor

gaashkibaazh vta shave, trim h/ (with a blade)

gaashkibaazo vai s/he shaves

gaashkibidoon vti2 scratch it with hands

Paired with: gaashkibizh vta

(detransitive) gashkibijige vai s/he wraps and ties things in bundle
gaashkibijige vai s/he scratches something with hands

gaashkibizh vta scratch h/ with hands

Paired with: gaashkibidoon vti2

gaashkisaga'an vti scrape it off the floor

gaawam vta be jealous of h/

gaaway na a porcupine quill

gaawaa vii it is rough (in texture), is prickly

Paired with: gaawizi vai

gaawaabikad vii it is rough (as something mineral)

Paired with: gaawaabikizi vai

gaawaabikizi vai s/he is rough (as something mineral)

Paired with: gaawaabikad vii

gaawaandag na a white spruce

[
Picea glauca
]

See also: mina'ig na [BL]

gaawe vai s/he is jealous

(verb of addiction) gaaweshki vai s/he is always jealous
gaawegad vii it (sheet-like) is rough

Paired with: gaawegizi vai

gaawegizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is rough

Paired with: gaawegad vii

gaawendam vai2 s/he is jealous

gaawesaa pc disc impossible!, no way!, can't be done!

gaaweshki vai s/he is always jealous

gaawizi vai s/he is rough

Paired with: gaawaa vii

gaawiin adv neg no, not

See also: gaawiin awiya pron indf ; gaawiin ganage adv man ; gaawiin gegoo pron indf ; gaawiin geyaabi adv tmp ; gaawiin giiyaabi adv tmp [RL] ; gaawiin ingodinoo pc disc ; gaawiin mashi adv tmp ; gaawiin ningoji adv loc ; gaawiin wiikaa adv tmp

gaawiin awiya pron indf anybody; nobody, no one

gaawiin aapiji adv deg not very

See also: aapiji adv deg

gaawiin ganabaj adv man I don't think that...

See also: ganabaj adv man

gaawiin ganage adv man not in the least; in no way; not even

gaawiin geget adv phr sure not, really not

gaawiin gegoo pron indf anything; nothing

gaawiin geyaabi adv tmp no more, no longer, not any more

gaawiin giiyaabi adv tmp [RL] no longer; not any more

gaawiin ingodinoo pc disc I don't care; forget it, forget about it; no matter; it's okay that...

gaawiin ingoji adv loc not anywhere; nowhere

See also: gaawiin ningoji adv loc

gaawiin mashi adv tmp not yet

See also: gaa mashi adv tmp

gaawiin memwech adv man it's not necessary, you don't have to

See also: gego memwech adv pred ; memwech adv man

gaawiin ningoji adv loc not anywhere; nowhere

See also: gaawiin ingoji adv loc

gaawiin wiikaa adv tmp never

See also: gaa wiikaa adv tmp

gaazh vta hide h/

Paired with: gaadoon vti2

gaazhage vai s/he is a greedy eater, is gluttonous

gaazhagens na a cat

(verb of possession) ogaazhagensimi vai s/he has a cat or cats
gaazhagensiwi-miijim ni cat food

See also: gaazhagensiwi-wiisininiwin ni

gaazhagensiwi-wiisininiwin ni cat food

See also: gaazhagensiwi-miijim ni

gaazo vai s/he hides h/ self

(applicative) gaazootaw vta hide from h/
(detransitive) gaazootaage vai s/he hides (from people) (reciprocal) gaazootaadiwag vai they hide from each other; they play hide and seek
gaazootaw vta hide from h/

gaazootaadiwag vai they hide from each other; they play hide and seek

gaazootaage vai s/he hides (from people)

ge adv conj also; as for, also, too, and; too

ge- pv tns future tense (in changed conjunct verbs)

gebaakwa'ond na-v a prisoner

gechinaawendam vai2 s/he feels sure, feels certain, feels positive

ged- pv tns

► ge- pv tns

gegabe-giizhik adv tmp all day every day

gegapii adv tmp after a while, eventually, finally

gegaa adv deg nearly, almost

gegaa go adv deg nearly, almost

See also: gegaa adv deg

geget adv man sure, certainly, really, indeed

See also: gaawiin geget adv phr

gegiin pron per as for you [singular]; you too [singular]

See also: gaye giin pron per

gegiinawaa pron per you too [plural]; as for you [plural]

See also: gaye giinawaa pron per

gegiinawind pron per as for us; us too; we too

See also: gaye giinawind pron per

gego adv neg don't

gego bina adv gram just don't

gego ganage adv man don't in any way

gego mashi adv tmp don't ... yet

gego memwech adv pred you don't have to

See also: gaawiin memwech adv man ; memwech adv man

gego wiikaa adv tmp don't ever

gegoo pron indf something, anything

See also: gaawiin gegoo pron indf ; gakina gegoo pron indf

gekek na a hawk

gekinoo'amawind na-v a student

gekinoo'amaaged na-v a teacher

gemaa adv conj or, or maybe

See also: gemaa gaye adv man

gemaa gaye adv man or maybe

genapii adv tmp finally

geniin pron per I too; me too; as for me

See also: gaye niin pron per

geniinawind pron per as for us; us too; we too

See also: gaye niinawind pron per

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.