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naabaakosidoon vti2 fix it on stick; put a handle on it

naabaakwa' vta hold h/ with a stick; pick h/ up with a stick

naabe- pv lex male

naabe-bineshiinh na a male bird

naabe-bizhiw na a male lynx

naabe-makwa na a male bear, a boar (bear)

See also: naabek na

naabe-mooz na a bull moose (male moose); a male moose

naabe-waagosh na a male fox, a dog (fox)

naabek na a male bear, a boar (bear)

See also: naabe-makwa na

naabemik na a male beaver

naabese na
  1. a male bird
  2. a rooster

naabesim na
  1. a male dog
  2. a male horse, a stallion

naabeshib na a drake; a male duck

naabeyaakig na a male otter

naabezhashk na a male muskrat

naabibii'an vti copy it by writing or drawing

(detransitive) naabibii'ige vai s/he copies things by writing or drawing (derived noun) naabibii'igan ni a copy, a tracing
naabibii'igan ni a copy, a tracing

naabibii'ige vai s/he copies things by writing or drawing

naabidoo' vta thread h/; string h/ (e.g., beads)

naabidoo'amaw vta thread something on for h/

naabidoo'an vti thread, string it; bead it (by loomwork)

Paired with: naabidoo' vta

(benefactive) naabidoo'amaw vta thread something on for h/ (detransitive) naabidoo'ige vai s/he threads, strings, beads things (verb of undergoing) naabidoo'igaade vii it is threaded, strung (by someone), "they" thread, string it (verb of undergoing) naabidoo'igaazo vai it (animate) is threaded, strung (by someone), "they" thread, string it (animate) (derived noun) naabidoo'igan ni a beading needle
naabidoo'igan ni a beading needle

naabidoo'igaade vii it is threaded, strung (by someone), "they" thread, string it

naabidoo'igaazo vai it (animate) is threaded, strung (by someone), "they" thread, string it (animate)

naabidoo'ige vai s/he threads, strings, beads things

naabigwa'oodoon vti2 lasso it

Paired with: naabigwa'oozh vta

(detransitive) naabigwa'oojige vai s/he lassoes something around the neck with a snare pole (derived noun) naabigwa'oojigan ni a snare pole and loop
naabigwa'oojigan ni a snare pole and loop

See also: naabigwe'oojigan ni

naabigwa'oojige vai s/he lassoes something around the neck with a snare pole

naabigwa'oozh vta lasso h/ around the neck with a snare pole

Paired with: naabigwa'oodoon vti2

naabigwe' vta snare h/ around the neck with a pole and noose

naabigwe'oojigan ni a snare pole and loop

See also: naabigwa'oojigan ni

naabigwe'oojige vai s/he snares with a pole and noose

naabigwe'oozh vta snare h/ around the neck with a pole and noose

naabikan vti wear it around the neck

Paired with: naabikaw vta

naabikaw vta wear it (animate) around the neck

Paired with: naabikan vti

naabikawaagan na a necktie; something worn around the neck: a necklace, a necktie, a neck scarf
naabikawaagan na something worn around the neck: a necklace, a necktie, a neck scarf ; a necktie

naabikaagan ni [BL] something worn around the neck: a necklace, a necktie, a neck scarf

naabikwaan ni a ship

naabikwaanens ni [BL] an outboard motor; a boat with a motor

naabikwaanensi-jiimaan ni [BL] a boat with an outboard motor

See also: naabikwaanensiwi-jiimaan ni [BL]

naabikwaanensi-maajiishkaachigan ni [BL] an outboard motor starter

naabikwaanensiwi-jiimaan ni [BL] a boat with an outboard motor

naabikwaanensiwi-ozhiga'iganens ni [BL] a small home-made motorboat

naabinan vti

naabinikebizo vai s/he wears something around h/ arm, wears a bracelet

naabinikebizon ni a bracelet

naabinootan vti mock it (something heard); record it (something heard); repeat it (something heard)

naabinootaw vta repeat what h/ says, mimic what s/he says

(detransitive) naabinootaage vai s/he repeats what people say, mocks people
naabinootaage vai s/he repeats what people say, mocks people

naabinootaage-makak ni an audio recorder: a digital or tape recorder

See also: naabinootaage-makakoons ni

naabinootaage-makakoons ni an audio recorder: a digital or tape recorder

naabise vai it (animate) falls back into place

Paired with: naabise vii

naabise vii it falls back into place

Paired with: naabise vai

naabisidoon vti2 replace it, put it back (in the same place), mount it

Paired with: naabishim vta

(detransitive) naabisijige vai s/he replaces things, puts things back, mounts things (on something)
naabisijigan ni something to put in its place: a puzzle piece, a replacement part

naabisijige vai s/he replaces things, puts things back, mounts things (on something)

naabishebizo vai s/he wears an earring or earrings

(derived noun) naabishebizon ni an earring
naabishebizon ni an earring

naabishim vta replace it (animate) put it (animate) back (in the same place), clip it (animate) on

Paired with: naabisidoon vti2

naabishkaw vta take h/ place; substitute for h/; cover for h/ (by taking h/ place)

(detransitive) naabishkaage vai s/he takes someone's place; s/he substitutes for someone; s/he covers for h/ (by taking h/ place)
naabishkaage vai s/he takes someone's place; s/he substitutes for someone; s/he covers for h/ (by taking h/ place)

naabizh vta cut a pattern of h/

Paired with: naabizhan vti

naabizhan vti cut a pattern of it

Paired with: naabizh vta

naabizideshinowin ni a stirrup

naabizhigan ni a template or pattern for cutting something

naabizhwi vta [NI]

► naabizh vta

naabowe vai s/he repeats what is said

naadabiitaw vta go and sit next to h/

naadaga'o vai s/he towards the shallow water

naadagaame'o vai s/he paddles towards shore

naadagaamekwazhiwe vai s/he paddles to the shore

naadagoodoo vai s/he check h/ snares

naadagwe vai s/he checks snares, goes after snares

naadagwetamaw vta check snares for h/

naada' vta go get h/ (on the water)

Paired with: naada'an vti

naada'amaw vta go get (it) by boat for h/

naada'an vti go get it by using something, go get it (by boat)

Paired with: naada' vta

(detransitive) naada'ige vai s/he goes get (things) by boat (benefactive) naada'amaw vta go get (it) by boat for h/
naada'aabii vai s/he checks the set line

(benefactive) naada'aabiitamaw vta check the set line for h/
naada'aabiitamaw vta check the set line for h/

naada'ibii vai [BL] s/he goes for water

naada'ibiiwakik na [BL] a water pail

naada'ibiiwaatig ni [BL] a yoke for carrying water pails

naada'ige vai s/he goes get (things) by boat

naada'oodaaso vai s/he goes to haul things by boat

naada'oodoon vti2 go get it by using something, go get it (by boat)

Paired with: naada'oozh vta

naada'oodaaso vai s/he goes to haul things by boat
naada'oozh vta go to get h/ by boat

naada'wi vta [BL]

► naada' vta

naadakiiwe vai s/he goes to get, fetches moss

naadamaw vta
  1. go get (it) for h/
  2. help h/ (by going to h/ aid)

naadamaadiwag vai they go get (it) for each other, help each other

naadamaage vai s/he helps people

naadamaawaso vai s/he defends, fights for, takes the side of h/ child

naadamaazo vai s/he goes after something for h/ self

naadasabii vai s/he goes to get a net, checks a net, pulls a net (up)

naadasoonaagane vai s/he checks h/ traps, goes to get h/ traps

naadashkikiwe vai s/he goes to get medicine

naadashkosiwe vai s/he goes after hay

naadaw vta go get (it) for h/, fetch (it) for h/

naadazina'igane vai s/he goes to get mail

(benefactive) naadazina'iganetamaw vta
  1. go get mail for h/
  2. go collect a debt for h/
naadazina'iganetamaw vta
  1. go get mail for h/
  2. go collect a debt 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.

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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.