Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

gwayakwaagamisijigan ni a level

gwayakwaajimo vai s/he tells the news or the story correctly, tells the truth

gwayakwaakosidoon vti2 set it (something stick-like) straight

Paired with: gwayakwaakoshim vta

gwayakwaakosin vii it (something stick-like) lies straight

Paired with: gwayakwaakoshin vai

gwayakwaakoshim vta set, lay h/ (something stick-like) straight

See also: gwayakwaakoshim vta

gwayakwaakoshin vai it ((animate; stick-like) lies straight

Paired with: gwayakwaakosin vii

gwayakwaakozi vai s/he is straight (as something stick- or wood-like)

Paired with: gwayakwaakwad vii

gwayakwaakwad vii it is straight (as something stick- or wood-like)

Paired with: gwayakwaakozi vai

gwayakwaawigane vai

gwayakwegad vii it (sheet-like) is straight

Paired with: gwayakwegizi vai

gwayakwegizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is straight

Paired with: gwayakwegad vii

gwayakwendam vai2 s/he thinks correctly; s/he is sure, certain about something

(derived noun) gwayakwendamowin ni correct thought
gwayakwendamowin ni correct thought

gwayakwendamowin ni correct thought

gwayakwendan vti think it right, correct; be sure, certain about it

Paired with: gwayakwenim vta

gwayakwendaagozi vai s/he is thought right

Paired with: gwayakwendaagwad vii

gwayakwendaagwad vii it is thought right

Paired with: gwayakwendaagozi vai

gwayakwenim vta think h/ is right, correct; be sure, certain about h/

Paired with: gwayakwendan vti

gwaaba' vta scoop h/ up

Paired with: gwaaba'an vti

(derived noun) gwaaba'waagan na a scoop net
gwaaba'adaawangwaan ni [BL] a shovel (for dirt), a spade

gwaaba'adaawangwe vai [BL] s/he scoops up dirt or sand

gwaaba'amaw vta
  1. scoop (it) up for h/
  2. get water for h/

gwaaba'an vti scoop it up; dish it up

Paired with: gwaaba' vta

(benefactive) gwaaba'amaw vta
  1. scoop (it) up for h/
  2. get water for h/
 (detransitive) gwaaba'ige vai s/he scoops up things (derived noun) gwaaba'igan ni a dipper, a scoop
gwaaba'aawangwaan ni a shovel (for dirt), a spade

gwaaba'ibii vai s/he draws water

gwaaba'igan ni a dipper, a scoop

gwaaba'ige vai s/he scoops up things

gwaaba'iskomaadan vti scoop ice out of it

gwaaba'iskomii vai [BL] s/he scoops ice (from a hole in the ice)

(applicative) gwaaba'iskomaadan vti scoop ice out of it
gwaaba'iskwaan ni ice scoop

See also: mikwamii-gwaaba'iskwaan ni

gwaaba'waagan na a scoop net

gwaabanda' vta give h/ a sip of it

gwaabandan vti sip it, take a sip of it

(causative) gwaabanda' vta give h/ a sip of it
gwaakwaashkwani vai s/he keeps jumping

gwaakwaashkwesidoon vti bounce it

gwaashkoni vai [BL] s/he jumps

See also: gwaashkwani vai

gwaashkwani vai s/he jumps

See also: gwaashkoni vai [BL]

gwaashkwanodan vti jump on it

Paired with: gwaashkwanodaw vta

gwaashkwanodaw vta jump on h/; assault, rape h/

Paired with: gwaashkwanodan vti

(detransitive) gwaashkwanodaage vai s/he commits assault, commits rape
(derived noun) gwaashkwanodaagewin ni assault, rape
gwaashkwanodaage vai s/he commits assault, commits rape

gwaashkwanodaagewin ni assault, rape

gwaashkwaashkwandaabiganoojiinh na a jumping mouse

gwaashkwebiigamitoo vai s/he is heard spashing

gwaashkwe' vta whack, smack h/ (using something)

gwaashkwesidoon vti2 drop it and have it rebound; bounce it

Paired with: gwaashkweshim vta

gwaashkwesin vii it bounces, rebounds

Paired with: gwaashkweshin vai

gwaashkweshim vta drop h/ and have h/ rebound; bounce h/

Paired with: gwaashkwesidoon vti2

gwaashkweshin vai s/he bounces, rebounds

Paired with: gwaashkwesin vii

gwaashkwezi vai s/he is eager, is energetic, is ambitious

gwech adv qnt enough

gwekabi vai s/he turns around while sitting

gwekabiitaw vta turn toward h/ while seated

gwekaabiiginan vti

gwekaadizi vai s/he changes, transforms h/ life

gwekaanimad vii the wind shifts, changes direction

gwekaasin vii it turns, changes direction in the wind

Paired with: gwekaashi vai

gwekaashi vai s/he, it (animate) turns, changes direction in the wind

Paired with: gwekaasin vii

gwekendam vai s/he changes h/ (own) mind

gwekibagizo vai s/he turns suddenly or without warning

gwekibatoo vai s/he turns running

gwekibide vii it turns, changes direction driving

Paired with: gwekibizo vai

gwekibidoon vti2 turn it (with the hands)

Paired with: gwekibizh vta

gwekibizh vta turn h/ or it (animate) (with the hands)

Paired with: gwekibidoon vti2

gwekibizo vai s/he turns driving

Paired with: gwekibide vii

gwekidaabaadan vii pull or drag it so it turns

Paired with: gwekidaabaazh vta

gwekidaabaazh vta pull or drag h/ so h/ is turned, pull or drag it (animate) so it turns

Paired with: gwekidaabaadan vii

gwekigaabawi vai s/he turns while standing

gwekikwebagizo vai s/he turns h/ head quickly

gwekikweni vai s/he turns h/ head around

gwekin vta turn h/ (by hand)

Paired with: gwekinan vti

gwekinamaw vta turn (it) for h/ by hand

gwekinan vti turn it (by hand)

Paired with: gwekin vta

(benefactive) gwekinamaw vta turn (it) for h/ by hand (detransitive) gwekinige vai s/he turns things (by hand) (verb of undergoing) gwekinigaade vii it is turned (by someone) by hand (verb of undergoing) gwekinigaazo vai s/he is turned (by someone) by hand
gwekinaagozi vai s/he is changed in appearance, is transformed

gwekinigaade vii it is turned (by someone) by hand

gwekinigaazo vai s/he is turned (by someone) by hand

gwekinige vai s/he turns things (by hand)

gwekise vii it turns suddenly or without warning

Paired with: gwekise vai

gwekise vai s/he turns suddenly or without warning

Paired with: gwekise vii

gwekisidoon vti2 put it so it is turned

Paired with: gwekishim vta

gwekisin vii it turns lying in place

Paired with: gwekishin vai

gwekishim vta put h/ so s/he is turned, put it (animate) so it is turned

Paired with: gwekisidoon vti2

gwekishin vai s/he turns lying in place

Paired with: gwekisin vii

gwekishkan vti wear it turned around

gwekishkaw vta wear it (animate) turned around

Paired with: gwekishkan vti

gwekitaa vai s/he turns (h/ body); s/he changes h/ way of doing something or h/ belief

gwekiweba'an vti flip it (using something forcefully); turn it around (using something forcefully)

Paired with: gwekiweba'wi vta [BL]

gwekiweba'igan ni a spatula; a turner

gwekiweba'wi vta [BL] flip it (animate) (using something forcefully); turn it (animate) around (using something forcefully)

Paired with: gwekiweba'an vti

gwekiwebin vta flip h/ over; turn h/ quickly

Paired with: gwekiwebinan vti

gwekiwebinan vti flip it over; turn it quickly

Paired with: gwekiwebin vta

(derived noun) gwekiwebinigan na a pancake (verb of making) gwekiwebiniganike vai s/he makes pancakes
gwekiwebinigan na a pancake

gwekiwebiniganens na a pancake [normal small size]

gwekiwebiniganensike vai [BL] s/he makes pancakes (normal small size)

gwekiwebiniganike vai s/he makes pancakes

gwekiigin vta turn or flip it (animate; sheet-like) over

Paired with: gwekiiginan vti

gwekiiginan vti turn or flip it (sheet-like) over

Paired with: gwekiigin vta

gwekwekikweni vai

gwendaaseg ni-v liniment

gwenibii vai s/he gives up, ignores something, quits thinking about something

gwiinawanokii vai s/he is unable to find work, unable to find a job

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.