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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

wawaagizidekawe vai s/he leaves pigeon-toed tracks

wawaanendam vai2 s/he doesn't know what to do or think, is dumbfounded

wawaasaabizo vai h/ eyes shine (reflecting light)

wawaasese vii there is lightning

wawaashkitigweyaa vii it is a winding river

wawaawashkamon vii it is a winding road or trail

wawaawashkaakozi vai it (stick-like, animate) is crooked, is a crooked tree

wawaawashkaakwad vii it (stick-like) is crooked, is a crooked stick

Paired with: wawaawashkaakozi vai

wawenabi vai s/he is sits down, stays seated; s/he makes a place for h/ self to sit

wawepizo vai a/he dresses up

wawezhichigaade vii it is decorated (by someone), "they" decorate it

wawezhichigaazo vai s/he is decorated (by someone), "they" decorate h/

wawezhichige vai s/he decorates things

wawezhi' vta decorate, adorn h/; dress up, make up h/

Paired with: wawezhitoon vti2

wawezhi'o vai s/he dresses up; s/he makes up h/ self

wawezhitoon vti2 decorate it

Paired with: wawezhi' vta

(detransitive) wawezhichige vai s/he decorates things (verb of undergoing) wawezhichigaade vii it is decorated (by someone), "they" decorate it (verb of undergoing) wawezhichigaazo vai s/he is decorated (by someone), "they" decorate h/
wawiyadendam vai2 s/he is amused, finds something funny

wawiyadendamowin ni amusement

wawiyadendan vti think it funny or cute

Paired with: wawiyadenim vta

wawiyadendaagozi vai s/he is thought cute, thought funny (comical)

Paired with: wawiyadendaagwad vii

wawiyadendaagwad vii it is thought cute, thought funny (comical)

Paired with: wawiyadendaagozi vai

wawiyadenim vta think h/ or it (animate) funny or cute

Paired with: wawiyadendan vti

wawiyazh adv man comical; funny

wawiyazhaajimo vai s/he tells a joke; tell a funny story

wawiyazhinan vti see it as funny or cute

Paired with: wawiyazhinaw vta

wawiyazhinaw vta see h/ as funny or cute or doing something funny or cute

Paired with: wawiyazhinan vti

wawiyazhinaagozi vai s/he looks cute, looks funny (comical)

Paired with: wawiyazhinaagwad vii

wawiyazhinaagwad vii it looks cute, looks funny (comical)

Paired with: wawiyazhinaagozi vai

wawiyazhitam vai2 s/he finds things heard funny

wawiyazhitaagozi vai s/he sounds cute, sounds funny (comical)

Paired with: wawiyazhitaagwad vii

wawiyazhitaagwad vii it sounds cute, sounds funny (comical)

Paired with: wawiyazhitaagozi vai

wawizhendam vai2 s/he rejoices, is really happy and satisified

wawiiba adv tmp

wawiinge adv man carefully; completely; properly; well

See also: owiinge adv deg [NI]

wawiingechige vai s/he does something skillfully, exactly; s/he makes things skilfully, exactly

wawiinge' vta make h/ skilfully

Paired with: wawiingetoon vti2

wawiingetoon vti2 make it skilfully

Paired with: wawiinge' vta

(detransitive) wawiingechige vai s/he does something skillfully, exactly; s/he makes things skilfully, exactly
wawiingezi vai s/he is skillful, does a good job, does something well

wawiiniganzhii vai s/he has dirty nails

wawiinininjii vai s/he has dirty hands

wawiininjii vai s/he has dirty hands

wawiinizide vai s/he has dirty feet

wawiizh adv tmp

way pc disc [exclamation]

wayaabishkiiwed na-v [S] a white person

See also: waabishkiiwed na-v [N]

wayekwaase vii it comes to an end

wayekwaashkan vti [S] go, come to the end of it

Paired with: wayekwaashkaw vta [S] See also: wekwaashkan vti [N]

wayekwaashkaw vta [S] go, come to the end of h/

Paired with: wayekwaashkan vti [S] See also: wekwaashkaw vta

wayekwaashkaa vai [S] s/he goes, comes to the end

Paired with: wayekwaashkaa vii [S] See also: wekwaashkaa vai [N]

wayekwaashkaa vii [S] it goes, comes to the end

Paired with: wayekwaashkaa vai [S] See also: wekwaashkaa vii [N]

wayeshkad adv tmp at first; in the beginning

wayezhim vta deceive, trick, cheat h/ (by speech)

(detransitive) wayezhinge vai s/he deceives, cheats people (by speech) (reflexive) wayezhindizo vai s/he deceives, cheats h/ self (by speech) (reciprocal) wayezhindiwag vai they deceive, trick, cheat each other (by speech)
wayezhindiwag vai they deceive, trick, cheat each other (by speech)

wayezhindizo vai s/he deceives, cheats h/ self (by speech)

wayezhinge vai s/he deceives, cheats people (by speech)

wayiiba adv tmp early; in a little while; soon

wazhashk na a muskrat

[
Ondatra zibethicus
]

wazhashko-bimide ni muskrat grease

wazhashko-wiiyaas ni muskrat meat

wazhashkwayaan na a muskrat hide

wazhashkwaanow ni a muskrat's tail

wazhashkwaazh ni a muskrat den

wazhashkwedow na a fungus (on a tree); [diminutive] a mushroom; a mushroom; a pine cone

wazhashkwedow na a fungus (on a tree); [diminutive] a mushroom

wazhashkwedowens na a mushroom

wazhashkwiish ni a muskrat lodge

wazison ni [BL] a nest

See also: wadiswan ni [S] ; waziswan ni [N]

(verb of making) wazisonike vai [BL] s/he makes a nest
wazisonike vai [BL] s/he makes a nest

waziswan ni [N] a nest

See also: wadiswan ni [S] ; wazison ni [BL]

(verb of making) waziswanike vai s/he makes a nest or nests
waziswanike vai s/he makes a nest or nests

waa pc disc [exclamation]

waa- pv tns is going to, will, want to

► wii- pv tns

waabadowe vai s/he has grey fur

waabak na a white bear; a polar bear

waabam vta see h/

Paired with: waabandan vti

(detransitive) waabange vai s/he observes people, is a spectator, is a witness (reciprocal) waabandiwag vai they see each other (reflexive) waabandizo vai s/he sees h/ self
(derived noun) waabandizowin ni a mirror
waabamaawaso vai s/he has a baby

waabamik na an albino beaver

waabamojichaagwaan ni a mirror

waaban vii
  1. it is tomorrow
  2. it is dawn

waabanabi vai s/he sits up until daylight

waabanagekozi vai it (animate) has light colored bark

Paired with: waabanagekwad vii

waabanagekwad vii it has light colored bark

Paired with: waabanagekozi vai

waabana'amaazo vai s/he sings until daylight

waabananokii vai s/he works until daylight

waabanashkidii vai s/he (a bird) has a white tail

waabanda' vta show (it) to h/

(reciprocal) waabanda'idiwag vai they show something to each other, have an exhibition or fair (detransitive) waabanda'iwe vai s/he shows, demonstrates, exhibits (it) to people
waabanda'iwewin ni a show, an exhibition
waabanda'idiwag vai they show something to each other, have an exhibition or fair

waabanda'iwe vai s/he shows, demonstrates, exhibits (it) to people

waabanda'iwewin ni a show, an exhibition

waabandan vti see it

Paired with: waabam vta

(verb of undergoing) waabanjigaade vii it is seen (by someone), "they" see it (verb of undergoing) waabanjigaazo vai s/he or it (animate) is seen (by someone), "they" see h/ or it (animate)
waabandiwag vai they see each other

waabandizo vai s/he sees h/ self

waabandizowin ni a mirror

waabange vai s/he observes people, is a spectator, is a witness

waabani- pv lex east

waabani-noodin ni east wind

waabani-noodin vii there is an east wind

waabanidaabii'iwe vai s/he drives until daylight

waabanishi vai s/he lasts through night; s/he lasts through winter

waabanishimo vai s/he dances until daylight

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.