Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

nikaad nid my leg

nikaakigan nid my chest

nikibii vai it (animate) is flooded

Paired with: nikibii vii

nikibii vii it is flooded

Paired with: nikibii vai

nikidin nad my vulva

nikon nid my liver

nikonaas nid my blanket

nikwegan nid my neck

nim= pf I, me [the one or ones speaking, the first person]; my [the one or ones speaking, the first person]

nimaamaa nad my mother

niminaako vai s/he goes out from shore on the ice

niminaakobizo vai s/he drives out on the ice

niminaawa'o vai s/he paddles out from shore

niminaawa'oodoon vti2 transport it out into the lake (by paddling, etc.)

Paired with: niminaawa'oozh vta

niminaawa'oozh vta take h/ out into the lake (by paddling, etc.)

Paired with: niminaawa'oodoon vti2

niminaawaandawaagan ni a dock

See also: niminaaweyaandawaagan ni

niminaawegwinde vii it is in the water out from shore, is floating in the water out from shore

Paired with: niminaawegwinjin vai

niminaawegwinjin vai s/he or it (animate) is in the water out from shore, is floating in the water out from shore

Paired with: niminaawegwinde vii

niminaawe'o vai s/he paddles out from shore

niminaawekawe vai s/he leaves tracks going out from shore (on the ice)

niminaawekii vii it grows out into the lake

niminaawekwazhiwe vai s/he paddles out from shore

niminaawenan vti launch it

niminaawesaa vai [BL] s/he sets a net out from the shore

niminaaweshimo vai s/he dances out into the arena

niminaaweshkaa vai s/he goes out into the lake or an open area

niminaaweshkiiga'am vai2 s/he walks out into a muskeg or swamp

niminaawewebinan vti launch it (by pushing)

niminaaweyaadagaa vai [MN] s/he swims out from shore

niminaaweyaadagaako vai s/he goes out from shore on the ice

niminaaweyaadagaazii vai s/he wades out from shore

niminaaweyaandawaagan ni a dock

See also: niminaawaandawaagan ni

niminaaweyaanimad vii the wind blows offshore

niminaaweyaasin vii it blows out into the lake, offshore

Paired with: niminaaweyaashi vai

niminaaweyaashi vai s/he is blown down the lake, is blown offshore

Paired with: niminaaweyaasin vii

niminaazii vai s/he goes out into the water

nimisad nid my belly, stomach

nimisenh nad my older sister

nimishoo nad grampa

See also: nimishoomis nad

nimishoomenh nad my stepfather; my uncle (parallel uncle: father's brother)

nimishoomis nad my grandfather

nimitaama'am vai2 [BL] s/he paddles at the bow

nimiishigwaan nid my (single) pubic hair

ninagaskway nid my palate

ninagaakininj nid my palm

ninagaakizid nid my sole

ninagizh nid my intestine, gut

ninagway nid my sleeve

ninaw nid [N] my cheek

See also: ninow nid [ML]

ninaabem nad my husband

ninaan nad my calf

ninaan nid [LL] [RL] my calf

nind= pf I, me [the one or ones speaking, the first person]; my [the one or ones speaking, the first person]

nindawaa adv man consequently; rather; therefore

See also: indawaa adv man ; indawaaj adv man

nindawemaa my brother; my sibling of the opposite sex; my sister

nindaangwe nad my sister-in-law (a female's sister-in-law)

See also: indaangwe nad

nindaanis nad my daughter

nindaashaan pc disc come here!

See also: indaashaan pc disc

nindengway nid [ML] my face

nindengwaan nid [N] my face

nindenigom nad my nostril

nindigo adv man as if; just like, seems like

nindiniigan nid my shoulder blade (scapula)

See also: indiniigan nid

nindoon nid my mouth

nindoozhim nad
  1. my nephew (parallel nephew: a male's brother's son or a female's sister's son)
  2. my stepson

See also: indoozhim nad

nindoozhimikwem nad my stepdaughter

nindoozhimis nad my niece (parallel niece: female's sister's daughter or male's brother's daughter)

ninga nad my mother

ningagwinde vii it thaws in the water

ningagwinjidoon vti2 [BL] thaw it in the water

Paired with: ningagwinjim vta [BL]

ningagwinjim vta [BL] thaw it (animate) in the water

Paired with: ningagwinjidoon vti2 [BL]

ningagwinjin vai it (animate) thaws in the water

Paired with: ningagwinde vii

ningakamigaa vii it (the ground) is thawed

ningakamigide vii the ground thaws

ninganem vta melt h/ in the mouth

Paired with: ninganendan vti

ninganendan vti melt it in the mouth

Paired with: ninganem vta

ningashkiigide vii the muskeg thaws

ningaabaawadoon vti2 dissolve it, melt it in a liquid

Paired with: ningaabaawazh vta

ningaabaawazh vta dissolve h/, melt h/ in a liquid

Paired with: ningaabaawadoon vti2

ningaabaawe vai it (animate) dissolves

Paired with: ningaabaawe vii

ningaabaawe vii it dissolves

Paired with: ningaabaawe vai

ningaabikide vii it (mineral) melts

Paired with: ningaabikizo vai

ningaabikiz vta melt h/ (mineral)

Paired with: ningaabikizan vti

ningaabikizan vti melt it (mineral)

Paired with: ningaabikiz vta

(detransitive) ningaabikizige vai s/he melts things (mineral )
ningaabikizige vai s/he melts things (mineral )

ningaabikizo vai it (animate; mineral) melts

Paired with: ningaabikide vii

ningaabikizwi vta [NI]

► ningaabikiz vta

ningaabii'an ni west

ningaabii'an vii there is a west wind

ningaabii'anong adv loc in or to the west

ningaagonaso vai the snow is melting off h/; the snow is melting

Paired with: ningaagonate vii

ningaagonate vii the snow is melting off it

Paired with: ningaagonaso vai

ningaasimoo-jiimaan ni a sailboat

ningaasimoono vai s/he sails (in a boat)

(derived noun) ningaasimoonowin ni a sail
ningaasimoonowin ni a sail

ningaasimoowinini na a sailor

ningide vii it melts, thaws

Paired with: ningizo vai

ningidig nid [C] [N] my knee

See also: ingidig nid [N] ; nigidig nid

ningijiishkiwate vii it (something mud-like) is melting, is thawing

ningisidamaw vta thaw or melt (it) for h/, let (it) thaw or melt for h/

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.