Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

zhawenjigewin ni a blessing, mercy, kindness

zhawimin ni [N] a grape

zhawiminaabo ni [BL] grape juice

zhayiigwa adv tmp already; now

zhazhaashaga'amii vai s/he walks with h/ feet splayed out

zhazhaashagizide vai s/he has splayed-out feet

zhazhiibanaabaawe vai s/he is able to hold breath under water

zhazhiibitam vai2 s/he is stubborn, is disobedient

(derived noun) zhazhiibitamowin ni disobedience
zhazhiibitamowin ni disobedience

zhaabobatoo vai s/he runs through

zhaabobide vii it falls, drives through

Paired with: zhaabobizo vai

zhaabobizo vai s/he or it (animate) falls, drives through

Paired with: zhaabobide vii

zhaabobii vii it is saturated

zhaabobiiginan vti strain it

(derived noun) zhaabobiiginigan ni a strainer
zhaabobiiginigan ni a strainer

zhaaboganaam vta punch through h/

Paired with: zhaaboganaandan vti

zhaaboganaandan vti punch through it

Paired with: zhaaboganaam vta

(detransitive) zhaaboganaanjige vai s/he punches through something
zhaaboganaanjige vai s/he punches through something

zhaabojiwan vii it flows, drips, leaks through

zhaabokaawizi vai s/he has diarrhea

zhaabokaawiziiwaapine vai s/he has dysentery

(derived noun) zhaabokaawiziiwaapinewin ni dysentery
zhaabokaawiziiwaapinewin ni dysentery

zhaabon vta put h/ through

Paired with: zhaabonan vti

zhaabonan vti put it through

Paired with: zhaabon vta

(detransitive) zhaabonige vai s/he pushes things through (verb of undergoing) zhaabonigaade vii it is pushed through by somebody [by/with hand] (verb of undergoing) zhaabonigaazo vai s/he or it (animate) is pushed through by somebody (by/with hand) (derived noun) zhaabonigan ni a needle
zhaabonaagozi vai s/he or it (animate) is transparent, can be seen through

Paired with: zhaabonaagwad vii

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.

  • Audio recordings
  • Images
  • Video
  • Documents

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.