Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

canary
n
canary
ozaawi-bineshiinh na a canary

candy
n
candy
ziinzibaakwadoons ni candy

candy store
n
candy store
ziinzibaakwadoons-adaawewigamig ni a candy store

cane
n
cane
zaka'on ni a cane

use a cane
zaka'o vai s/he uses a cane

canned goods
n
canned goods
gibaakobijigan ni canned goods

cannibal
n
winter cannibal monster
wiindigoo na windigo: a winter cannibal monster

canoe
n
canoe
jiimaan ni a boat; a canoe

both sides of the canoe
eyiidawoonag adv loc on both sides of the canoe or boat

canoe maker
jiimaanikewinini na a canoe maker, a boat builder

in a canoe
biindoonag adv loc in a canoe, boat

low canoe
dabasoonagad vii it (a boat) is low

make a canoe
atoono vai s/he makes a canoe

jiimaanike vai s/he makes a boat; s/he makes a canoe

● KINDS OF CANOES
aluminum canoe
biiwaabiko-jiimaan ni an aluminum canoe

birch bark canoe
wiigwaasi-jiimaan ni a birch bark canoe

canvas canoe
bagiwaanegamigwegino-jiimaan ni a canvas canoe

jiimaaniigino-jiimaan ni [BL] a canvas canoe

wooden canoe
mitigo-jiimaan ni a wooden boat or canoe

● PARTS OF CANOE
canoe rib
waaginaa na a canoe rib

floor piece of canoe
apisidaagan na a canoe floor board

gunwhale
bimikwaan na a gunwhale

mat on bottom of a canoe
apishkaamon ni a canoe mat

● COUNTING CANOES OR BOATLOADS
so many canoes
dasoonag qnt num so many boats or canoes, so many boatloads

one canoe
ingodoonag qnt num one boat or canoe, one boatload

See also: ningodoonag qnt num

ningodoonag qnt num one boat or canoe, one boatload

See also: ingodoonag qnt num

two canoes
niizhoonag qnt num two boats or canoes, two boatloads

three canoes
nisoonag qnt num three boats or canoes, three boatloads

four canoes
niiyoonag qnt num four boats or canoes, four boatloads

five canoes
naanoonag qnt num five boats or canoes, five boatloads

six canoes
ingodwaasoonag qnt num six boats or canoes, six boatloads

See also: ningodwaasoonag qnt num

ningodwaasoonag qnt num six boats or canoes, six boatloads

See also: ingodwaasoonag qnt num

seven canoes
niizhwaasoonag qnt num seven boats or canoes, seven boatloads

eight canoes
ishwaasoonag qnt num eight boats or canoes, eight boatloads

See also: nishwaasoonag qnt num

nishwaasoonag qnt num eight boats or canoes, eight boatloads

See also: ishwaasoonag qnt num

nine canoes
zhaangasoonag qnt num nine boats or canoes, nine boatloads

ten canoes
midaasoonag qnt num ten boats or canoes, ten boatloads

canoe
v
canoe
jiime vai s/he canoes, paddles

canoe maker
n
canoe maker
jiimaanikewinini na a canoe maker, a boat builder

canoe rib
n
canoe rib
waaginaa na a canoe rib

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.