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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

wenipanizi vai s/he is easy, does something easily

Paired with: wenipanad vii

wenipazh adv man easily, at hand, readily

wenipazhi' vta get h/ easily, have an easy time with h/

Paired with: wenipazhitoon vti2

wenipazhise vii it fall into place easily; it goes easily, happens easily

wenipazhitoon vti2 get it easily, have an easy time with it

Paired with: wenipazhi' vta

wenji- pv rel because; for a certain reason; from a certain place

► onji- pv rel

wenji' vta make h/ easily, have an easy time with h/

Paired with: wenjitoon vti2

wenjitoon vti2 make it easily, have an easy time with it

Paired with: wenji' vta

wese'an vii it is a tornado

wetotwaag ni-v jello

wewayiiba adv tmp every little while

wewaagijiizid ni-v a banana

wewebanaabaan ni [BL] [BL] a fish hook; [RL] a fishing pole and line

wewebanaabaanaak ni [BL] a fishing pole

wewebanaabaanaatig ni [BL] a fishing pole; pole with multiple hooks

wewebanaabaaneyaab ni [BL] fishing line

wewebanaabii vai s/he fishes with a hook and line

wewebanaabiiwin ni fishing using a hook, angling
wewebanaabiiwin ni fishing using a hook, angling

wewebanaabiiwinini na fisherman; angler

wewebaabiigin vta swing h/ with a line (as a baby in a cradle swing); swing h/ (on a swing)

Paired with: wewebaabiiginan vti

wewebaabiiginan vti swing it on a line

Paired with: wewebaabiigin vta

wewebaabiiginaawaso vai s/he rocks a baby in a cradle

See also: wewebinaawaso vai

wewebaabiigise vai s/he or it (animate) swings on a line

wewebaanoweni vai s/he wags h/ tail

wewebaasin vii it is blown back and forth (by the wind), flutters, flaps

Paired with: wewebaashi vai

wewebaashi vai it (animate) is blown back and forth (by the wind), flutters, flaps

Paired with: wewebaasin vii

wewebikwebani'o vai s/he shakes h/ head

wewebikweni vai s/he nods h/ head side-to-side

wewebikwetaw vta nod, shake head at h/

wewebin vta swing h/

Paired with: wewebinan vti

wewebinan vti swing it

Paired with: wewebinan vti

wewebinaawaso vai s/he rocks a baby in a cradle

See also: wewebaabiiginaawaso vai

wewebinikeni vai s/he waves h/ arms

wewebiniketaw vta wave h/ arms at h/

wewebise vii it swings back and forth, flutters, flaps, sways

wewebizo vai s/he swings

(derived noun) wewebizon ni a swing, a hammock
(verb of making) wewebizonike vai s/he makes a swing
(benefactive) wewebizonikaw vta make a swing for h/ (verb of use) wewebizonikaagen vai + o s/he uses (it) to make a swing
wewebizon ni a swing, a hammock

wewebizonikaw vta make a swing for h/

wewebizonikaagen vai + o s/he uses (it) to make a swing

wewebizonike vai s/he makes a swing

wewebizoo-apabiwin ni a rocking chair

weweni adv man properly, correctly, carefully

wewese' vta fan h/

Paired with: wewese'an vti

(reflexive) wewese'odizo vai s/he fans h/ self
wewese'an vti fan it

Paired with: wewese' vta

(detransitive) wewese'ige vai s/he fans something (derived noun) wewese'igan ni a fan (verb of undergoing) wewese'igaazo vai s/he is fanned (by someone), "they" fan h/
wewese'igan ni a fan

wewese'igaazo vai s/he is fanned (by someone), "they" fan h/

wewese'ige vai s/he fans something

wewese'o vai s/he fans h/ self

wewese'on ni a fan
wewese'odizo vai s/he fans h/ self

wewese'on ni a fan

wewiib adv man hurry, in a hurry, quickly

wewiibendam vai s/he is in a hurry, is eager

wewiibi' vta hurry h/; hurry making h/

Paired with: wewiibitoon vti

wewiibim vta tell h/ to hurry

wewiibingwaange na a teal

wewiibishkaa vai s/he hurries

wewiibitaa vai s/he hurries (in some work or activity)

wewiibitoon vti hurry it; hurry making it

Paired with: wewiibi' vta

wewiibizi vai s/he is in a hurry

wezaawiminagizid na-v an orange

See also: gaa-ozaawiminagizid na-v [BL]

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

wiiba adv tmp [N] early; soon

See also: wayiiba adv tmp

wiibid nid tooth

wiibidaa-mashkikiiwinini na a dentist

wiibidaakaajiganan ni false teeth

wiibidaakaanan ni false teeth

wiibidaake vai s/he works on, makes teeth; s/he has dentures

wiibidaakewinini na a dentist

wiibidikaan ni [BL] false tooth

wiibijiinh na a goldeye

[
Hiodon alosoides
]

wiibwaa vii it becomes narrow; it constricts

wiidabim vta sit with h/

(reciprocal) wiidabindiwag vai they sit with each other
wiidabindiwag vai they sit with each other

wiidagwazhem vta share a blanket with h/

wiida'adoom vta walk with h/ on the trail or road

wiidakiwenziiyan nad his fellow old man, old companion

wiidanokiim vta work with h/

(reciprocal) wiidanokiindiwag vai they work with each other, work together (derived noun) wiidanokiimaagan na a co-worker, a fellow worker
wiidanokiimaagan na a co-worker, a fellow worker

wiidanokiindiwag vai they work with each other, work together

wiidaakizoom vta be photographed with h/

wiidige vai s/he marries, is married

wiidigekaazo vai s/he shacks up with someone wiidigem vta
  1. live with h/
  2. marry h/, be married to h/
(reciprocal) wiidigendiwag vai they marry, are married to each other
(derived noun) wiidigendiwin ni a marriage; a wedding
(derived noun) wiidigemaagan na a spouse, a husband, a wife, a partner (cohabitant), a companion (cohabitant)
wiidigekaazo vai s/he shacks up with someone

wiidigem vta
  1. live with h/
  2. marry h/, be married to h/

wiidigemaagan na a spouse, a husband, a wife, a partner (cohabitant), a companion (cohabitant)

wiidigendiwag vai they marry, are married to each other

wiidigendiwin ni a marriage; a wedding

wiidosem vta walk with h/ on the trail or road

(reciprocal) wiidosendiwag vai they walk with each other
wiidosendiwag vai they walk with each other

wiidookaw vta help h/

(detransitive) wiidookaage vai s/he helps people (reflexive) wiidookaazo vai s/he helps (reflexive) wiidookodaadizo vai s/he helps h/ self (reciprocal) wiidookodaadiwag vai they help each other
wiidookawagenim vta sympathize with h/ in what h/ is doing; pull for, root for h/

wiidookaage vai s/he helps people

wiidookaagewikwe na a helper (female), an assistant (female)

wiidookaagewin ni help, assistance, aid

wiidookaagewinini na a helper, an assistant

wiidookaazo vai s/he helps

wiidookodaadiwag vai they help each other

wiidookodaadiwin ni mutual help or assistance, helping others

wiidookodaadizo vai s/he helps h/ self

wiidoonzhe vai s/he has a child with someone

wiidoonzhem vta have a child with h/
wiidoonzhem vta have a child with 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.