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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

minose vai s/he has things go well for h/, gets along well, has good luck

Paired with: minose vii

minose vii it goes well

Paired with: minose vai

minosidoon vti2 put it in the right position; perform, express it well (speaking, singing, or writing)

Paired with: minoshim vta

minosin vii it lies in a good position, fits well in place

Paired with: minoshin vai

minoshim vta put h/ in the right position

Paired with: minosidoon vti2

minoshin vai s/he lies comfortably, lies in a good position

Paired with: minosin vii

minotam vai2 s/he likes hearing something, likes the sound

minotan vti like hearing it, like how it sounds

Paired with: minotaw vta

minotaw vta like hearing h/, like how s/he sounds

Paired with: minotan vti

minotaagozi vai s/he sounds good

Paired with: minotaagwad vii

minotaagwad vii it sounds good

Paired with: minotaagozi vai

minotoon vti2 make it nice, build it well

(detransitive) minochige vai s/he does things well, does a good job
minowe vai s/he has a good voice, speaks well

minoz vta cook h/ well

Paired with: minozan vti

minozan vti cook it well

Paired with: minoz vta

minozekwe vai s/he cooks well

minozo vai s/he is well cooked

minookamii vai s/he is sure-footed

minoonagad vii it is nice boat

minwabi vai s/he sits comfortably

minwadaawangaa vii it is nice and sandy

minwadinaa vii it is a nice hill

minwadowe vai s/he has nice fur

minwa'amaazo vai s/he sounds happy singing

minwakamigaa vii it is nice ground, level ground

minwakide vii it stands upright, stands well

Paired with: minwakizo vai

minwakizo vai it (animate) stands upright, stands well

Paired with: minwakide vii

minwamanji'o vai s/he feels good, is in good health

See also: minomanji'o vai

minwamon vii it is a good road or trail

minwanaamo vai s/he breathes well, has good breathing

minwanjige vai s/he eats well, likes what s/he eats

(causative) minwanjige' vta feed h/ well (with a good diet)
(reflexive) minwanjige'idizo vai s/he feds h/ self well, has a good diet
minwanjige' vta feed h/ well (with a good diet)

minwanjige'idizo vai s/he feds h/ self well, has a good diet

minwapidoon vti2 tie it well

minwapikaade vii it is nicely braided

Paired with: minwapikaazo vai

minwapikaazh vta braid h/ hair well

minwapikaazo vai s/he has nice braids; it (animate) is nicely braided

Paired with: minwapikaade vii

minwapike vai s/he braids things well

(applicative) minwapikaazh vta braid h/ hair well
minwashkime vai s/he weaves snowshoe webbing nicely

minwashkine vii it fits well; it is well filled

Paired with: minwashkine vai

minwashkine vai s/he fits well; s/he is well filled

minwashkiigaa vii it is a nice and level muskeg

minwate vii it is a nice house, is a nice room; it (a dwelling) is in good order

minwaabadad vii it is very useful, is of good use

Paired with: minwaabadizi vai

minwaabadizi vai s/he is very useful, is of good use

Paired with: minwaabadad vii

minwaabaji' vta get good use of h/

Paired with: minwaabajitoon vti2

minwaabajitoon vti2 get good use of it

Paired with: minwaabaji' vta

minwaabam vta like the look of h/

Paired with: minwaabandan vti

minwaabamewizi vai s/he is admired, is respected

minwaabaminaagozi vai s/he or it (animate) looks good, looks nice

Paired with: minwaabaminaagwad vii

minwaabaminaagwad vii it looks good, looks nice

Paired with: minwaabaminaagozi vai

minwaabandan vti like the look of it

Paired with: minwaabam vta

minwaabewizi vai he has a good build

minwaabi vai s/he has good eyesight, sees well

minwaabide vai s/he has good teeth

minwaabikad vii it is good (as something mineral)

Paired with: minwaabikizi vai

minwaabikizi vai s/he is good (as something mineral)

Paired with: minwaabikad vii

minwaabiiga'ige vai

minwaadizi vai s/he is a good person (leads a good life, has a good character, is honest)

minwaadiziwin ni good character, kindness

minwaadodan vti tell good news of it

Paired with: minwaajim vta

minwaagamide vii it is well brewed

minwaagamin vii it (a liquid) tastes good

minwaagamipidan vti like the taste of it (liquid)

minwaagamitoon vti2 make it (a liquid) good

minwaagiyawe vai s/he has a nice body build, has good posture

minwaajim vta tell good news of h/

Paired with: minwaadodan vti

minwaajimo vai s/he tells good news, tells a good story

minwaakide vii it is nicely pictured, looks good in a picture; it is nicely cooked, toasted, or smoked

Paired with: minwaakizo vai

minwaakizo vai s/he or it (animate) is nicely pictured, looks good in a photo; it (animate) is nicey cooked, toasted, or smoked

Paired with: minwaakide vii

minwaakozi vai s/he is good (as something stick- or wood-like)

Paired with: minwaakwad vii

minwaakwad vii it is good (as something stick- or wood-like)

Paired with: minwaakozi vai

minwaakwadin vii it freezes or is frozen nice and smooth

Paired with: minwaakwaji vai

minwaakwaji vai it (animate) freezes or is frozen nice and smooth

Paired with: minwaakwadin vii

minwaande vii it is a good color

Paired with: minwaanzo vai

minwaanikwe vai s/he has nice hair

minwaanimad vii there is a good breeze

minwaanzo vai it (animate) is a good color

Paired with: minwaande vii

minwaapi vai s/he laughs happily

minwaate vii it has a good light, shines well

minwaatese vii it is a good movie; it flashes nicely

minwegad vii it (sheet-like) is good, is nice

Paired with: minwegizi vai

minwegizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is good, is nice

Paired with: minwegad vii

minwendam vai2 s/he is happy, is joyous, is glad, has a good time

minwendan vti like it

Paired with: minwenim vta

minwendaagozi vai s/he is likeable, is agreeable, is fun

Paired with: minwendaagwad vii

minwendaagwad vii it is likeable, is fun

Paired with: minwendaagozi vai

minwenim vta like h/

Paired with: minwendan vti

minwewebagaasin vii leaves sound nice blowing in the wind

minwewebide vii it sounds good running [motor]

Paired with: minwewebizo vai

minwewebizo vai it (animate) sounds good running [motor]

Paired with: minwewebide vii

minwewebiisaan vii [BL] the rain sounds nice

minwewejiwan vii its flow sounds nice

minwewenaamo vai h/ breathing sounds good

minwewengwaamo vai [BL] s/he sounds good in h/ sleep

minwewenjige vai s/he sounds good chewing

minwewesin vii it sounds nice ringing

Paired with: minweweshin vai

minweweshin vai s/he sounds nice ringing or hitting

Paired with: minwewesin vii

minweweyaandagaasin vii the boughs sound nice blowing in the wind

minweweyaanimad vii the wind has a nice sound, sounds good

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.