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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

mazina'ige vai s/he owes something, gets or has credit, buys on credit, charges to an account, goes into debt

mazina'igewin ni something owed: a bill, a debt, credit

mazinanoweshin vai

mazinashkibijigan na a doll of hay or grass

mazinaabidoo'an vti bead it on a loom

(derived noun) mazinaabidoo'igan ni an item of woven beadwork (detransitive) mazinaabidoo'ige vai s/he beads things on a loom (verb of undergoing) mazinaabidoo'igaade vii it is decorated with with loom beadwork (by someone) (verb of undergoing) mazinaabidoo'igaazo vai it (animate) is decorated with loom beadwork (by someone); s/he is wearing loomed beadwork
mazinaabidoo'igan ni an item of woven beadwork

mazinaabidoo'iganaatig ni a bead loom

mazinaabidoo'igani-naabikaagan ni [BL] a loom-woven beaded necklace

mazinaabidoo'igaade vii it is decorated with with loom beadwork (by someone)

mazinaabidoo'igaazo vai s/he is wearing loomed beadwork; it (animate) is decorated with loom beadwork (by someone)

mazinaabidoo'ige vai s/he beads things on a loom

mazinaabidoo'igeyaatig ni [BL] a bead loom

mazinaabikinigan ni a rock painting

mazinaabikiwebinan vti type it

(detransitive) mazinaabikiwebinige vai s/he types (derived noun) mazinaabikiwebinigan ni a typewriter, a computer
mazinaabikiwebinigan ni a typewriter, a computer

mazinaabikiwebinige vai s/he types

mazinaadin vta make an image of h/

mazinaagonesin vii it leaves an mark, image, design, or pattern in the snow

mazinaagoneshin vai s/he or it (animate) leaves a mark, image, design, or pattern in the snow

mazinaakide vii it is pictured, is photographed

Paired with: mazinaakizo vai

mazinaakiz vta take a picture of, photograph h/

Paired with: mazinaakizan vti

mazinaakizan vti take a picture of, photograph it

Paired with: mazinaakiz vta

(detransitive) mazinaakizige vai s/he takes a picture or pictures, photographs things
(derived noun) mazinaakizigan ni
  1. a camera
  2. a picture, a photograph
mazinaakizigan ni
  1. a camera
  2. a picture, a photograph

mazinaakizige vai s/he takes a picture or pictures, photographs things

mazinaakizo vai s/he or it (animate) is pictured, is photographed

Paired with: mazinaakide vii

(derived noun) mazinaakizon ni a picture (of someone), a photograph (of someone) (derived noun) mazinaakizowin ni a picture (of someone), a photograph (of someone)
mazinaakizon ni a picture (of someone), a photograph (of someone)

mazinaakizowin ni a picture (of someone), a photograph (of someone)

mazinaakizwi vta [NI]

► mazinaakiz vta

mazinaanakwad vii it is fancy cloud

mazinaanakwagoode vii it (cloud) forms an image

mazinaande vii it has a multicolored design, has a colorful pattern

Paired with: mazinaanzo vai

mazinaanzo vai s/he has a muticolored design, has a colorful pattern

Paired with: mazinaande vii

mazinaate vii it is an image formed by light; it is projected

mazinaatebiigisin vii it is reflected in the water

Paired with: mazinaatebiigishin vai

mazinaatebiigishin vai s/he casts a shadow on the water, is reflected in the water

Paired with: mazinaatebiigisin vii

mazinaatebiisin vii it is reflected in the water

Paired with: mazinaatebiishin vai

mazinaatebiishin vai s/he or it (animate) is reflected in the water

mazinaatese vii it is a movie

mazinaatesewigamig ni a movie theater

mazinaatesewin vii

mazinaatesidoon vti2 project an image of, film it

(detransitive) mazinaatesijige vai s/he shows a movie, watches a movie (derived noun) mazinaatesijigan ni a television
mazinaatesijigan ni a television

mazinaatesijige vai s/he shows a movie, watches a movie

mazinaateshin vai s/he is in a movie; s/he is on television; s/he casts a shadow

mazinaateshinowin ni a shadow

mazinaatewebinigan ni a movie projector

mazinibaganjigan ni a dental pictograph on a leaf

mazinibaganjige vai s/he makes a dental pictograph on a leaf

mazinibii' vta draw, paint a picture of h/

Paired with: mazinibii'an vti

mazinibii'amaw vta draw (it) for h/

mazinibii'an vti draw it

Paired with: mazinibii' vta

(benefactive) mazinibii'amaw vta draw (it) for h/ (detransitive) mazinibii'ige vai s/he draws, paints a picture of something (verb of undergoing) mazinibii'igaade vii it is drawn (by someone), "they" draw it (verb of undergoing) mazinibii'igaazo vai s/he is drawn (by someone), "they" draw h/ (derived noun) mazinibii'igan ni something drawn: a drawing, a sketch, a design
mazinibii'igan ni something drawn: a drawing, a sketch, a design

mazinibii'iganaak ni [S] something to draw with: crayon, colored marker, chalk

mazinibii'iganaak na [BL] something to draw with: crayon, colored marker, chalk

See also: mazinibii'iganaak ni [S]

mazinibii'igaade vii it is drawn (by someone), "they" draw it

mazinibii'igaazo vai s/he is drawn (by someone), "they" draw h/

mazinibii'ige vai s/he draws, paints a picture of something

mazinibii'ige-mazina'igan ni (a sheet of) art or craft paper

mazinibii'igewikwe na a (female) artist

mazinibii'igewinini na a (male) artist

mazinibii'wi vta [BL]

► mazinibii' vta

mazinichigan na a statue, a figurine, an effigy, a doll

mazinichigaade vii it is repesented or depicted in an image; it is decorated

mazinichigaazo vai s/he is represented or depicted in an image

mazinichige vai s/he makes a decoration

mazinigwaadan vti embroider, bead it

Paired with: mazinigwaazh vta

mazinigwaade vii it is sewn with designs, is embroidered

Paired with: mazinigwaazo vai

mazinigwaaso vai s/he embroiders, beads something

(derived noun) mazinigwaasowin ni an embroidered craft item
mazinigwaasowin ni an embroidered craft item

mazinigwaazh vta embroider, bead h/

Paired with: mazinigwaadan vti

mazinigwaazo vai it (animate) is sewn with designs, is embroidered

Paired with: mazinigwaade vii

mazini' vta make a representation or image of h/

Paired with: mazinitoon vti

mazinijiishkiwaga'wi vta make an image in it (animate; mud-like) (using something)

mazinijiishkiwagin vta mold image of h/ with clay

Paired with: mazinijiishkiwaginan vti

mazinijiishkiwaginan vti mold image of it with clay

Paired with: mazinijiishkiwagin vta

(detransitive) mazinijiishkiwaginige vai s/he molds images with clay
mazinijiishkiwaginige vai s/he molds images with clay

mazinijiishkiweba'wi vta

mazinikodan vti carve it in designs, sculpt it (by carving)

(derived noun) mazinikojigan na a carving; a statue; sculpture (detransitive) mazinikojige vai s/he carves, sculpts something (detransitive) mazinikodaaso vai s/he carves designs
mazinikodaaso vai s/he carves designs

mazinikojigan na a carving; sculpture; a statue

mazinikojige vai s/he carves, sculpts something

mazinisin vii it is imprinted, has a pattern or design

mazinishin vai s/he is imprinted, has a pattern or design

Paired with: mazinisin vii

mazinitoon vti make a representation or image of it; decorate it

Paired with: mazini' vta

(detransitive) mazinichige vai s/he makes a decoration (verb of undergoing) mazinichigaade vii it is repesented or depicted in an image; it is decorated (verb of undergoing) mazinichigaazo vai s/he is represented or depicted in an image (derived noun) mazinichigan na a statue, a figurine, an effigy, a doll
maziniigad vii it (sheet-like) has a design or pattern

Paired with: maziniigizi vai

maziniigizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) has a design or pattern

Paired with: maziniigad vii

maziniingweshin h/ face has lines on it from lying on something

mazhiwe vai s/he has sexual intercourse

mazhii'an vti clear it (land) off, brush it

(detransitive) mazhii'ige vai s/he clears land, brushes (derived noun) mazhii'igan ni a cut-over clearing
Mazhii'iganing name place Garrison, Minnesota
mazhii'igan ni a cut-over clearing

mazhii'ige vai s/he clears land, brushes

mazhiiyaabide vai s/he is toothless

mazhiiyaabidebizh vta pull all of h/ teeth out

mazhiiyaabideganaam vta punch h/ teeth out

mazhoomin na [RL] a grape

mazhoominaaboo ni [RL] wine

See also: zhoominaaboo ni

maadadaawangose vai s/he starts walking on the beach

maadademo vai s/he starts to cry

maadagim vta start counting them (animate)

Paired with: maadagindan vti

maadagindan vti start counting, reading it

Paired with: maadagim vta

(detransitive) maadagindaaso vai s/he starts counting, starts reading

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

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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.