Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

azhenizha'ige vai s/he sends things back

azhenizhikaw vta chase h/ back

azhese vii it slides, slips back, flies backwards

Paired with: azhese vai

azhese vai s/he slides back, flies backwards

Paired with: azhese vii

azhesidoon vti2 set it back, put it back

Paired with: azheshim vta

azheshim vta set h/ back, put h/ back

Paired with: azhesidoon vti2

azheshimo vai s/he dances backwards

azheshkan vti push it back (with foot or body)

Paired with: azheshkaw vta

azheshkaw vta push h/ back (with foot or body)

Paired with: azheshkan vti

azheshkaa vai s/he goes back, returns

Paired with: azheshkaa vii

azheshkaa vii it goes back, returns

Paired with: azheshkaa vai

azhetaa vai s/he goes back, returns

azheweba' vta fling h/ back (using something)

Paired with: azheweba'an vti

azheweba'an vti fling it back (using something)

Paired with: azheweba' vta

azhewebin vta shove h/ backwards (by hand), throw h/ backwards

Paired with: azhewebinan vti

azhewebinan vti shove it backwards (by hand), throw it backwards

Paired with: azhewebin vta

azhewebishkan vti shove or kick it backwards

Paired with: azhewebishkaw vta

azhewebishkaw vta shove or kick h/ backwards

Paired with: azhewebishkan vti

azhewidamaw vta carry, take (it) back to h/

azhewidaw vta carry, take (it) back to h/

azhewidoon vti2 carry, take it back

Paired with: azhewizh vta

(benefactive) azhewidaw vta carry, take (it) back to h/ (benefactive) azhewidamaw vta carry, take (it) back to h/ (detransitive) azhewijige vai s/he carries, takes things back (verb of undergoing) azhewijigaade vii it is carried back (by someone), "they" carry it back (verb of undergoing) azhewijigaazo vai s/he is carried, taken back (by someone), "they" carry, take h/ back
azhewijigaade vii it is carried back (by someone), "they" carry it back

azhewijigaazo vai s/he is carried, taken back (by someone), "they" carry, take h/ back

azhewijige vai s/he carries, takes things back

azhewizh vta carry, take h/ back

Paired with: azhewidoon vti2

azheyaaboode vii it drifts, slides back on a moving medium (on the current, on snow)

Paired with: azheyaaboozo vai

azheyaaboozo vai s/he drifts, slides back on a moving medium (on the current, on snow)

Paired with: azheyaaboode vii

azheyaadagaa vai [MN] s/he swims backward

See also: azheyaadage vai [BL]

azheyaadage vai [BL] s/he swims backward

See also: azheyaadagaa vai [MN]

azheyaada'e vai s/he skates backwards

azheyaandawe vai s/he climbs backwards

azheyaanimizi vai s/he backs up in fear

azheyaasin vii it is blown back (by the wind)

Paired with: azheyaashi vai

azheyaashi vai s/he is blown back (by the wind)

Paired with: azheyaasin vii

azheyoode vai s/he crawls backwards

azhigan ni a sock, a stocking

(verb of making) azhiganike vai s/he makes socks
azhiganike vai s/he makes socks

azhige vai s/he uses something as footwear lining

azhigan ni a sock, a stocking
(verb of making) azhiganike vai s/he makes socks (verb of possession) odazhigani vai s/he has socks
azhigwa adv tmp already; at this time; now; then

See also: zhigwa adv tmp

azhiwaa vii it is dull

azhiwaasin vii it gets dull

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.