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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

waatebagaa vii there are bright leaves

waatebagaa-giizis na September; October

waatebagaawi-giizis na [BL] September

waatebagizi vai it (animate) has bright leaves

waawan ni an egg

(verb of possession) owaawano vai s/he has an egg or eggs; she lays eggs
waawanogegan ni an eggshell

waawaabam vta stare at, examine, inspect h/

Paired with: waawaabandan vti

waawaabandan vti examine, inspect it

Paired with: waawaabam vta

(verb of undergoing) waawaabanjigaade vii it is examined, inspected (by someone), "they" examine, inspect it (verb of undergoing) waawaabanjigaazo vai s/he is examined, is inspected (by someone), "they" examine, inspect it
waawaabanjigaade vii it is examined, inspected (by someone), "they" examine, inspect it

waawaabanjigaazo vai s/he is examined, is inspected (by someone), "they" examine, inspect it

waawaabiganoojiinh na a mouse

waawaasikose vii it glitters in motion

waawaashkeshi na a deer

[
white-tailed deer
; 
Odocoileus virginianus
]

waawaashkeshiwayaan na a deer hide

waawaashkeshiwaanow ni a deer's tail

waawaashkeshiweshkan na a deer antler

waawaashkeshiwi-bimide ni deer tallow

waawaashkeshiwi-miikana ni a deer trail

waawaashkeshiwi-wiis ni deer tripe

waawaashkeshiwi-wiiyaas ni deer meat, venison

waawaashkeshiwibiiway ni a deer hair

waawaashkeshiwibwaam ni a deer hindquarter

waawaashkeshiwide' ni deer heart

waawaashkeshiwidoodikosiw na a deer kidney

waawaashkeshiwigan ni a deer bone

waawaashkeshiwikana ni a deer trail

waawaashkeshiwikon ni a deer liver

waawaashkeshiwipigay na a deer rib

waawaashkeshiiwaazhawa'adoowagwaakwa'igan ni a deer crossing sign

waawaata'amaw vta wave at h/

(reciprocal) waawaata'amaadiwag vai they wave at each other
waawaata'amaadiwag vai they wave at each other

waawaata'ige vai s/he waves

waawaate vii there is a display of the northern lights (aurora borealis)

waawaatesi na a firefly

waawaazakonese vii it flashes on and off

waawiyebii'an vti draw it as a circle

(detransitive) waawiyebii'ige vai s/he draws a circle (derived noun) waawiyebii'igan ni
  1. a circle
  3. a compass (drawing instrument)
  4. a circular target for practice shooting
waawiyebii'igan ni
  1. a circle
  2. a compass (drawing instrument)
  3. a circular target for practice shooting

waawiyebii'ige vai s/he draws a circle

waawiyegamaa vii it is a round lake

waawiye' vta make h/ round

Paired with: waawiyetoon vti2

waawiyejiwan vii there is an eddy in the stream

waawiyekidewan vii they stand in a circle

Paired with: waawiyekizowag vai

waawiyekidoon vti2 set it up in a circle

Paired with: waawiyekizh vta

waawiyekizh vta set h/ up in a circle

Paired with: waawiyekidoon vti2

waawiyekizowag vai they stand in a circle

Paired with: waawiyekidewan vii

waawiyekodan vti carve it round

Paired with: waawiyekozh vta

waawiyekozh vta carve h/ round

Paired with: waawiyekodan vti

waawiyeminagad vii it (something small and round) is round

Paired with: waawiyeminagizi vai

waawiyeminagizi vai it (animate; something small and round) is round

Paired with: waawiyeminagad vii

waawiyesagaa vii it has a round floor area, is a round room

waawiyesidoon vti2 put it in a circle

Paired with: waawiyeshim vta

waawiyesinoon vti they lie in a circle

waawiyeshim vta put h/ in a circle

Paired with: waawiyesidoon vti2

waawiyeshinoog vai they lie in a circle

Paired with: waawiyesinoon vti

waawiyetoon vti2 make it round

Paired with: waawiye' vta

waawiyeyaa vii it is round, is circular

Paired with: waawiyezi vai

waawiyeyaabikad vii it (mineral) is round

Paired with: waawiyeyaabikizi vai

waawiyeyaabikizi vai it (animate; mineral) is round

Paired with: waawiyeyaabikad vii

waawiyeyaabiigitaa vai s/he, it (animate) coils up like a snake

waawiyeyaakozi vai it (animate); stick-like) is round

Paired with: waawiyeyaakwad vii

waawiyeyaakwad vii it is round (as something stick- or wood-like)

Paired with: waawiyeyaakozi vai

waawiyeyaandagizi vai it (animate; a tree) has round needles

waawiyeyiigad vii it (sheet-like) is round

Paired with: waawiyeyiigizi vai

waawiyeyiigizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is round

Paired with: waawiyeyiigad vii

waawiyezh vta cut it (animate) round into a circle

Paired with: waawiyezhan vti See also: waawiyezhwi vta [NI]

waawiyezhan vti cut it round into a circle

Paired with: waawiyezh vta ; waawiyezhwi vta [NI]

(verb of undergoing) waawiyezhigaade vii it is cut round into a circle (by someone), "they" cut it round into a circle (verb of undergoing) waawiyezhigaazo vai it (animate) is cut round into a circle (by someone), "they" cut it (animate) round into a circle
waawiyezi vai it (animate) is round, is circular

Paired with: waawiyeyaa vii

waawiyezhigaade vii it is cut round into a circle (by someone), "they" cut it round into a circle

waawiyezhigaazo vai it (animate) is cut round into a circle (by someone), "they" cut it (animate) round into a circle

waawiyezhwi vta [NI] cut it (animate) round into a circle

Paired with: waawiyezhan vti See also: waawiyezh vta

waawiiba adv tmp frequently; sooner than expected

waawiidabim vta sit around with h/

waawiidookaw vta keep helping h/, help h/ off and on

waawiiji' vta keep helping h/; help each of them

waawiiji'idiwag vai they keep helping each other

waawiijiiw vta keep accompanying h/; keep going with h/

waawiikaa adv tmp every once in a while, every now and then; seldom, rarely

waawiikobidoon vti2 pull it out a little at a time; keep pulling it

waawiikwajitoon vti2 keep trying to do it

waawiikwaabiigibidoon vti2 pull it out on a line or as a line a little at a time

waawiindamaw vta tell h/ about (it), explain (it) to h/, promise (it) to him

waawiindamaage vai s/he explains, promises (something) to people

waawiindamaagewin ni an explanation, a promise

waawiindan vti explain it, keep telling about it

Paired with: waawiinzh vta

(benefactive) waawiindamaw vta tell h/ about (it), explain (it) to h/, promise (it) to him
(detransitive) waawiindamaage vai s/he explains, promises (something) to people
(derived noun) waawiindamaagewin ni an explanation, a promise
(verb of undergoing) waawiinjigaade vii it is talked about repreatedly, "they" keep talking about it; it is explained (by someone), "they" explain it (verb of undergoing) waawiinjigaazo vai s/he or it (animate) is talked about repeatedly, "they" keep talking about h/ or it (animate)
waawiinjigaade vii it is talked about repreatedly, "they" keep talking about it; it is explained (by someone), "they" explain it

waawiinjigaazo vai s/he or it (animate) is talked about repeatedly, "they" keep talking about h/ or it (animate)

waawiinzh vta name, mention h/

Paired with: waawiindan vti

waawiisagishkaw vta keep hurting h/ (by bumping or kicking)

waawiizhaandiwag vai they invite each other; they ask each other to dance

waawiizhaandiwin ni a dance where people are invited to dance by others with a gift

waawoono vai s/he howls (e.g., a dog)

waazh ni a den, a lair, a cave, a burrow

See also: waanzh ni

waazakone vii it glows, gives off light

waazakonebidamaw vta turn on a light for h/, shine a light for h/

waazakonebidoon vti2 turn it on for a light

(benefactive) waazakonebidamaw vta turn on a light for h/, shine a light for h/ (derived noun) waazakonebijigan ni a flashlight
waazakonebijigan ni a flashlight

waazakonendamaw vta shine a light for h/

waazakonenjigan ni a lamp, a light

waazakonenjiganaaboo ni kerosene, diesel fuel

waazakonenjiganaaboo-adaawewigamig ni a gas station

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.