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Dakota
n
Dakota
bwaan na a Dakota

Dakota woman
bwaanikwe na a Dakota woman

Dakota
[language]
n
Dakota language
bwaanimowin ni the Dakota language

bwaanimo vai s/he speaks Dakota

speak Dakota
bwaanimo vai s/he speaks Dakota

bwaanimotaw vta speak Dakota to h/

dam
n
dam
giba'igan ni something that blocks or plugs: a plug, a stopper, a dam

gibaakwa'igan ni something stick-like that shuts off or blocks: a barricade, a dam, a gate

beaver dam
amiko-giba'igan ni a beaver dam

amiko-gibaakwa'igan ni a beaver dam

dam
vt
dam
giba'an vti stop it up; plug, block, dam it

Paired with: giba' vta

giba'ige vai s/he stops things up; plugs, blocks, dams things

giba'igaade vii it is stopped up, plugged, blocked (by someone), "they" stop it up, plug, block it

dam (stick-like)
gibaakwa'an vti shut, block, dam it (as or as with something stick- or wood-like)

Paired with: gibaakwa' vta

gibaakwa'ige vai s/he shuts, blocks, dams something (as or as with something stick- or wood-like)

gibaakwa'igaade vii it is shut, blocked, dammed (as or as with something stick- or wood-like) (by someone), "they" shut, block, plug, dam it

damage
vt
damage
banaaji' vta spoil, ruin, damage h/

Paired with: banaajitoon vti2

banaajitoon vti2 spoil, ruin, destroy it

Paired with: banaaji' vta

banaajibizh vta spoil, ruin, damage h/ (with hands)

Paired with: banaajibidoon vti2

banaajibidoon vti2 spoil, ruin, damage it (with hands)

Paired with: banaajibizh vta

damaged
adj
damaged
banaadad vii it is spoiled, is ruined, is destroyed

Paired with: banaadizi vai See also: wanaadad vii [BL]

banaadizi vai
  1. it (animate) is spoiled, is ruined
  2. s/he dies, is dead

Paired with: banaadad vii See also: wanaadizi vai [BL]

damn
excl
damn
hay' pc interj oops! damn! [expression of displeasure at accident or mistake]

damp
adj
damp
zhakaa vii it is damp

Paired with: zhakizi vai

zhakizi vai s/he or it (animate) is damp

Paired with: zhakaa vii

damp (sheet-like)
zhakiigad vii it (sheet-like) is damp

Paired with: zhakiigizi vai

zhakiigizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is damp

Paired with: zhakiigad vii

damper
n
stove damper
gibaabikinigan ni stove damper

dance
vi
May words describing different ways or directions of dancing have the AI verb final /-shimo/ after an initial that indicates the manner or direction of the dancing. Some words describing a way of moving the body while doing a dance step contain the AI verb final /-bagizo/.
dance
niimi vai s/he dances

niimi'idiwag vai they dance

niimikaw vta dance for h/

niimikaage vai s/he dances for people (for a purpose)

come dancing
biijishimo vai s/he comes dancing

dance a certain way
izhishimo vai s/he dances a certain way, dances to a certain place

dance about
babaamishimo vai s/he dances about

dance along
bimishimo vai s/he dances along

dance at end
ishkweshimo vai s/he dances at the end

dance away
animishimo vai s/he dances away

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

dance for
niimikaw vta dance for h/

niimikaage vai s/he dances for people (for a purpose)

dance from a certain place
onjishimo vai s/he dances from a certain place

dance head down
nawagikweshimo vai s/he dances with h/ head down

dance in a certain place
dazhishimo vai s/he dances in a certain place

dance in a certain way
izhishimo vai s/he dances a certain way, dances to a certain place

dance hoopdance
biindaagibagizo vai s/he does a hoop dance

dance in the lead
niigaanishimo vai s/he dances in the lead

dance inside
biindigeshimo vai s/he enters dancing, dances inside (as in a grand entry)

dance out
zaagijishimo vai s/he dances out (of an enclosed space)

dance out into arena
niminaaweshimo vai s/he dances out into the arena

dance past
gabikooshimo vai s/he dances past someone

dance the women's dance
ikwe-niimi vai s/he dances the women's dance

ikwe-niimi'idiwag vai they dance the women's dance

dance to a certain place
izhishimo vai s/he dances a certain way, dances to a certain place

dance until daylight
waabanishimo vai s/he dances until daylight

dance a war dance
bwaanzhii-niimi vai s/he dances a war dance

bwaanzhii-niimi'idiwag vai they dance a war dance

dance with
wiijishimotaw vta dance with h/

make dance
niimi' vta hold a dance for h/; make h/ dance

Paired with: niimitoon vti2

niimitoon vti2 make it dance; dance with it

Paired with: niimi' vta

misstep while dancing
wanibagizo vai s/he missteps in dancing

stop suddenly dancing
noogibagizo vai s/he stops suddenly while dancing

naanoogibagizo vai s/he stops again and again while dancing

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.