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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

ozhaawishkwaakwad vii [NI] it (stick-like) is blue or green

Paired with: ozhaawishkwaakozi vai [NI] See also: ozhaawashkwaakwad vii

ozhaawishkwaate vii [NI]

ozhaawishkwegad vii [NI] it (sheet-like) is blue, is green

Paired with: ozhaawishkwegizi vai [NI] See also: ozhaawashkwegad vii

ozhaawishkwegizi vai [NI] it (animate; sheet-like) is blue, is green

Paired with: ozhaawishkwegad vii [NI] See also: ozhaawashkwegizi vai

ozaawitigwaane vai [BL] s/he is blond; it (animate) has a yellow or brown head

ozaawizi vai s/he or it (animate) is yellow, is brown

Paired with: ozaawaa vii

ozaawizide vai s/he has brown or yellow feet or (hind)paws

ozaawizigwaa vii it (slab-like) is yellow, is brown

ozaawiingwe vai s/he has a yellow or brown face

ozaawiingweyaaso vai s/he has a sun-tanned face

ozaawoonagad vii it is a brown or yellow boat

ozhi-ayaan vai + o get it ready; prepare it

Paired with: ozhi-ayaaw vta

ozhi-ayaaw vta get h/ ready; prepare h/

Paired with: ozhi-ayaan vai + o

oziban ni cambium: sweet edible inner bark of certain trees

(verb of making) ozibanike vai s/he gets oziban (the sweet edible inner bark of certain trees)
ozibanaakozi vai it (animate; stick-like) has sappy inner bark (cambium)

Paired with: ozibanaakwad vii

ozibanaakwad vii it (stick-like) has sappy inner bark (cambium)

Paired with: ozibanaakozi vai

ozibanike vai s/he gets oziban (the sweet edible inner bark of certain trees)

ozhibidoon vti2 shape it by pulling or pushing with hands

Paired with: ozhibizh vta

ozhibizh vta shape h/ by pulling or pushing with hands

Paired with: ozhibidoon vti2

ozhibii' vta write h/ down; vote for h/

Paired with: ozhibii'an vti

ozhibii'amaw vta write (it) down for /h; write (it) for or to h/

ozhibii'amaadiwag vai they write (it) to each other

ozhibii'an vti sign it; write it; write it down, jot it down

Paired with: ozhibii' vta

(detransitive) ozhibii'ige vai s/he writes (things); s/he writes (things) down
(benefactive) ozhibii'igetamaw vai s/he writes something for h/
(benefactive) ozhibii'amaw vta write (it) for or to h/; write (it) down for /h
(reciprocal) ozhibii'amaadiwag vai they write (it) to each other
(verb of undergoing) ozhibii'igaade vii it is written (by someone), "they" write it; it is written down (by someone), "they" write it down (verb of undergoing) ozhibii'igaazo vai s/he is written down (as on a list) (by someone), "they write h/ down (derived noun) ozhibii'igan ni something written: a piece of writing (a paper, essay, report, etc.); mail; something used for writing
ozhibii'igan ni something written: a piece of writing (a paper, essay, report, etc.); something used for writing; mail

ozhibii'iganaabo ni [BL] ink, paint

See also: ozhibii'iganaaboo ni

ozhibii'iganaaboo ni ink

ozhibii'iganaak ni a pencil, a pen

ozhibii'iganaak na [BL] [LL] a pencil, a pen

ozhibii'iganaatig ni [BL] a board to write on: a blackboard, a whiteboard

ozhibii'igaade vii it is written (by someone), "they" write it; it is written down (by someone), "they" write it down

ozhibii'igaazo vai s/he is written down (as on a list) (by someone), "they write h/ down

ozhibii'ige vai s/he writes (things); s/he writes (things) down

ozhibii'ige-adoopowin ni [ML] a desk

ozhibii'igetamaw vai s/he writes something for h/

ozhibii'igewigamig ni an office

ozhibii'igewikwe na a (female) office worker, a clerk, a secretary

ozhibii'igewinini na a (male) office worker, a clerk, a secretary

ozhiboodoon vti2 saw or file it to shape

Paired with: ozhiboozh vta

ozhiboozh vta saw or file it (animate) to shape

Paired with: ozhiboodoon vti2

ozhichigan ni something made, built, or formed: a hand-made thing, a manufactured thing, a product

ozhichigaade vii it is made, built, formed (by someone), "they" make, build, form it

ozhichigaazo vai s/he is made, built, formed (by someone), "they" make, build, form h/

ozhichige vai s/he makes, builds, forms things

ozid nid h/ foot

ozidaa vai s/he has a foot or feet

ozhidaabaanike vai s/he gets h/ sled ready, packs h/ sled

ozide-miikana ni a footpath

ozhiga' vta
  1. hew h/ to shape
  2. tap h/ (a tree, to get sap)

Paired with: ozhiga'an vti

ozhiga'an vti
  1. hew it to shape
  2. tap it

Paired with: ozhiga' vta

(detransitive) ozhiga'ige vai s/he taps trees (derived noun) ozhiga'igan ni a faucet; a tap, a spile, a spigot (for getting sap from a tree) (derived noun) ozhiga'igan na a tapped tree (verb of undergoing) ozhiga'igaazo vai it (animate; a tree) is tapped, can be tapped (by someone)
ozhiga'igan na a tapped tree

ozhiga'igan ni a faucet; a tap, a spile, a spigot (for getting sap from a tree)

ozhiga'igaazo vai it (animate; a tree) is tapped, can be tapped (by someone)

ozhiga'ige vai s/he taps trees

ozhiga'igewakik na a sap bucket

ozhiga'wi vta [NI]

► ozhiga' vta

ozhigaw vta build a dwelling (lodge, house) for h/

ozhigaabawi vai s/he stands in place, stands ready

ozhigaabawi' vta give h/ a place to stand

ozhigaabawitan vti stand before it

Paired with: ozhigaabawitaw vta

ozhigaabawitaw vta stand before h/

Paired with: ozhigaabawitan vti

ozhigaage vai s/he builds dwellings (lodge, house) for people

ozhige vai s/he builds a dwelling (lodge, house), makes camp

(benefactive) ozhigaw vta build a dwelling (lodge, house) for h/
(detransitive) ozhigaage vai s/he builds dwellings (lodge, house) for people
(verb of pretending) ozhigekaazo vai s/he pretends to make camp
ozhigekaazo vai s/he pretends to make camp

ozhigi vai s/he or it (animate) grows and takes form; s/he comes to life in the womb

Paired with: ozhigin vii

ozhigin vii it takes form growing

Paired with: ozhigi vai

ozigosan nad h/ aunt (cross-aunt: father's sister)

ozigozisan nad h/ mother-in-law

ozigozisi vai s/he has a mother-in-law

ozhigwan nid its tail (of a fish or snake)

ozhigwaadan vti sew it up, sew it into shape

Paired with: ozhigwaazh vta

ozhigwaade vii it is sewn up, sewn into shape

Paired with: ozhigwaazo vai

ozigwaakomin na [BL] a serviceberry

[
serviceberry, juneberry, saskatoon
; 
Amelanchier spp.
]

ozigwaakominaganzh na a serviceberry bush

[
serviceberry, juneberry
; 
Amelanchier spp.
]

ozhigwaaso vai s/he sews things up, sews things into shape

ozhigwaazh vta sew it (animate) up, sew it (animate) into shape

Paired with: ozhigwaadan vti

ozhigwaazo vai it (animate) is sewn up, sewn into shape

Paired with: ozhigwaade vii

ozhi' vta make, build, form h/

Paired with: ozhitoon vti2

ozhijiishkiwagin vta form it (animate; something mud-like such as dough or clay) into shape

ozikaasi na duck sp.

ozhikodan vti carve it to shape

Paired with: ozhikozh vta

(derived noun) ozhikojigan ni a carving, a sculpture
ozhikojigan ni a carving, a sculpture

ozhikozh vta carve h/ to shape

Paired with: ozhikodan vti

ozhim vta flee, escape, get away from h/

ozhimaagani vai s/he has a lance, spear

ozhiminagandan vti form it into a ball in the mouth

(detransitive) ozhiminaganjige vai s/he forms a shot round in h/ mouth (derived noun) ozhiminaganjigan ni a round shot formed in the mouth
ozhiminaganjigan ni a round shot formed in the mouth

ozhiminaganjige vai s/he forms a shot round in h/ mouth

ozhimo vai s/he flees

ozinisan nad h/ father-in-law

ozisidoon vti2
  1. put it in place, arrange it
  2. make it (a bed)
  3. set it (a table)

Paired with: ozhishim vta

(detransitive) ozisijige vai s/he makes a bed (verb of undergoing) ozisijigaade vii it is set in place or in order (verb of undergoing) ozisijigaazo vai it (animate) is set in place or in order
ozhisidoon vti2
  1. put it in place, arrange it
  2. make it (a bed)
  3. set it (a table)

Paired with: ozhishim vta See also: ozisidoon vti2

(detransitive) ozhisijige vai s/he puts something into shape, sets something in place; s/he makes a bed; s/he sets the table
ozisijigaade vii it is set in place or in order

ozisijigaazo vai it (animate) is set in place or in order

ozisijige vai s/he makes a bed

ozhisijige vai s/he makes a bed; s/he puts something into shape, sets something in place; s/he sets the table

ozisin vii it lies in place, is set in place

Paired with: ozhishin vai See also: ozhisin vii

ozhisin vii it lies in place, is set in place

Paired with: ozhishin vai See also: ozisin vii

ozisinaagane vai s/he sets the table

ozhishenyan nad h/ uncle (cross-uncle: mother's brother)

ozhishim vta put h/ in place, arrange h/, set h/ up

Paired with: ozisidoon vti2

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.