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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

zhooshkosaga'wi vta smooth it (animate; wood) using something

Paired with: zhooshkosaga'an vti

zhooshkoshimaan na a ski

zhooshkozi vai it (animate) is smooth

Paired with: zhooshkwaa vii

zhooshkozidebagizo vai s/he does a ballroom dance step (two step, waltz)

zhooshkozideni vai s/he slides h/ foot or feet

zhooshkozigwaa vii there is smooth ice

zhooshkoode vai s/he or it (animate) crawls sliding along, slithers

zhooshkwabi vai s/he slides over sitting

zhooshkwadaawanga'an vti smooth it (sand) (using something)

zhooshkwadin vii it freezes smooth, is frozen smooth

zhooshkwa' vta smooth h/ (using something)

Paired with: zhooshkwa'an vti

zhooshkwa'an vti iron it; smooth it (using something)

(detransitive) zhooshkwa'ige vai s/he irons clothes (derived noun) zhooshkwa'igan na an iron
zhooshkwa'igan na an iron

See also: zhooshkwega'igan ni ; zhooshkwega'igan na [RL]

zhooshkwa'iganaatig ni [BL] an ironing board

zhooshkwa'ige vai s/he irons clothes

zhooshkwa'wi vta iron it; smooth it (using something)

► zhooshkwa' vta Paired with: zhooshkwa'an vti

zhooshkwajiwaagen vai + o s/he uses (it) to slide with

zhooshkwajiwe vai s/he goes sliding, slides downhill

(verb of use) zhooshkwajiwaagen vai + o s/he uses (it) to slide with
zhooshkwajiwebizo vai s/he slides downhill fast or under power

zhooshkwakamigaa vii it is smooth ground

zhooshkwanagekozi vai it (animate) has smooth bark

zhooshkwanagekwad vii it has smooth bark

Paired with: zhooshkwanagekozi vai

zhooshkwanaabikaa vii there is smooth flat rock

zhooshkwaa vii it is smooth, slick

Paired with: zhooshkozi vai

zhooshkwaabikad vii it is smooth (as something mineral), is rustless

Paired with: zhooshkwaabikizi vai

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.