Glossary — Ojibwemowin Vocabulary
All vocabulary introduced in this course, organized alphabetically. Each entry includes the English meaning, part of speech (with animacy for nouns), and the chapter where it was introduced.
Key:
AN = Animate Noun | IN = Inanimate Noun | VAI = Verb Animate Intransitive | VII = Verb Inanimate Intransitive | VTI = Verb Transitive Inanimate | VTA = Verb Transitive Animate
A
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| aadizookaan |
sacred traditional story |
IN |
7 |
| aakode'ewin |
bravery / courage (Grandfather Teaching) |
IN |
5 |
| aakozi |
to be sick |
VAI |
4 |
| aaniindi |
where? |
question word |
3 |
| aaniin |
hello / greeting / what? |
greeting |
1 |
| aaniin dodemayan? |
What is your clan? |
phrase |
1 |
| aaniin ezhinikaazoyan? |
What is your name? |
phrase |
1 |
| aanind ikidowag |
some say (hearsay) |
phrase |
7 |
| aabiding |
once / one time |
narrative |
7 |
| aabita-niibino-giizis |
mid-summer moon |
AN |
6 |
| agoodoon |
to set nets |
VAI |
8 |
| aki |
earth / land |
AN |
8 |
| akiing |
on the land (locative) |
location |
8 |
| akiwenzii |
old man / elder (man) |
AN |
4 |
| anang |
star |
AN |
6 |
| anishinaabe |
a person / Anishinaabe person |
AN |
1 |
| anishinaabe-akiing |
Anishinaabe lands |
location |
8 |
| anishinaabeg |
the Anishinaabe people (plural) |
AN |
5 |
| anishinaabemowin |
the Ojibwe language |
IN |
1 |
| anokii |
to work |
VAI |
3 |
| asab |
net |
IN |
8 |
| asin |
stone / rock |
IN |
2 |
B
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| baanimaa |
see you later / goodbye |
phrase |
1 |
| baawaadan |
to dream |
VAI |
7 |
| bakwezhigan |
bread |
IN |
2 |
| bezhig |
one (1) |
number |
2 |
| bi-izhaa |
to come here |
VAI |
3 |
| biboon |
winter |
season |
6 |
| biindig |
inside / enter |
directional |
3 |
| bimaadizi |
to live / to be alive |
VAI |
3 |
| bimaadiziwin |
life / way of living |
IN |
5 |
| bimose |
to walk |
VAI |
3 |
| bizhiw |
lynx |
AN |
1 |
| boozhoo |
hello (formal) |
greeting |
1 |
D
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| dabaadendiziwin |
humility (Grandfather Teaching) |
IN |
5 |
| dagwaagin |
fall / autumn |
season |
6 |
| debwe- |
to be true / to speak truth |
VAI root |
5 |
| debwewin |
truth (Grandfather Teaching) |
IN |
5 |
| dei' |
heart |
AN |
4 |
| dewe'igan |
drum |
AN |
7 |
| dibikad |
it is night |
VII |
6 |
| dibik-giizis |
night moon / moon |
AN |
6 |
| dodem |
clan / totem |
AN |
1 |
| doon |
mouth |
IN |
4 |
E
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| eya' |
yes |
particle |
1 |
G
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| gaawiin |
no |
particle |
1 |
| gaagiigido |
let him/her speak |
phrase |
5 |
| gashkadino-giizis |
freezing moon |
AN |
6 |
| gichi-gami |
great water / Lake Superior |
AN |
8 |
| gichi-mookomaan |
American / big knives (historical) |
AN |
8 |
| giigido |
to speak |
VAI |
3 |
| giigoonh |
fish |
AN |
1 |
| giiwedinong |
north |
direction |
6 |
| giizhig |
sky / day |
AN |
6 |
| giizhizo |
to be feverish / hot |
VAI |
4 |
| giizis |
sun / moon / month |
AN |
6 |
| gikino'amaago |
to learn / be taught |
VAI |
3 |
| gimiwan |
it rains |
VII |
6 |
| gizaagi'in |
I love you |
phrase |
5 |
| gwayakwaadiziwin |
honesty (Grandfather Teaching) |
IN |
5 |
I
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| inaajimo |
to tell a story |
VAI |
7 |
| inaajimowin |
story / oral narrative |
IN |
7 |
| inaakonige |
to make decisions / govern |
VAI |
8 |
| inaakonigaawin |
law / decision-making system |
IN |
8 |
| indoodem |
my clan |
phrase |
1 |
| indoonjibaa |
I am from |
phrase |
1 |
| indizhinikaaz |
my name is |
phrase |
1 |
| ingodwaaswi |
six (6) |
number |
2 |
| inini |
man |
AN |
2 |
| inzhiw |
eye |
IN |
4 |
| ishkode |
fire |
AN |
6 |
| ishkwaandem |
door |
IN |
2 |
| ishwaaswi |
eight (8) |
number |
2 |
| iskigamizige |
to boil sap / make maple sugar |
VAI |
8 |
| iskigamizige-giizis |
maple/sap boiling moon |
AN |
6 |
J
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| jiimaan |
canoe |
AN |
7 |
| jiimakizi |
to be in pain |
VAI |
4 |
M
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| maajiaa |
to leave / depart |
VAI |
3 |
| makadewaa / makadewan |
it is black (AN/IN) |
VAI/VII |
2 |
| makwa |
bear |
AN |
1 |
| makwa-giizis |
bear moon (February) |
AN |
6 |
| mang |
loon |
AN |
1 |
| manidoo-giizis |
spirit moon (December) |
AN |
6 |
| manidoo-giizisoons |
little spirit moon (January) |
AN |
6 |
| manoomin |
wild rice |
AN |
2 |
| manoominike |
to harvest wild rice |
VAI |
8 |
| manoominike-giizis |
wild rice moon |
AN |
6 |
| mashkawaa |
it freezes |
VII |
6 |
| mashkiki |
medicine / plant medicine |
IN |
4 |
| mashkimod |
medicine bag / bundle |
IN |
4 |
| mazina'igan |
book / document |
IN |
2 |
| midaaswi |
ten (10) |
number |
2 |
| midaaswaak |
one thousand (1,000) |
number |
2 |
| mide'iwigaan |
Mide lodge |
AN |
7 |
| midewiwin |
Grand Medicine Society |
IN |
4 |
| migizi |
eagle |
AN |
1 |
| mii dash |
and so / that's it / farewell |
phrase |
1 |
| mii i'iw |
that's it / the end (narrative) |
phrase |
7 |
| miigwech |
thank you |
particle |
1 |
| miigizi |
eagle (variant) |
AN |
1 |
| minaadendamowin |
respect (Grandfather Teaching) |
IN |
5 |
| mino-ayaa |
to be well / healthy |
VAI |
4 |
| minobimaadiziwin |
holistic wellness / the good life |
IN |
4 |
| mino-bimaatisiiwin |
the good life / living well |
IN |
3 |
| miskomin |
raspberry |
AN |
8 |
| miskozii / miskozan |
it is red (AN/IN) |
VAI/VII |
2 |
| mitig |
tree |
AN |
8 |
| mitigomizh |
oak tree |
AN |
8 |
N
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| naadamaage |
to help |
VAI |
8 |
| naanan |
five (5) |
number |
2 |
| naawakwe |
noon / midday |
time |
3 |
| nagamowin |
song / singing |
IN |
7 |
| nibaa |
to sleep |
VAI |
3 |
| nibaawin |
sleep / healing sleep |
IN |
7 |
| nibi |
water |
AN |
6 |
| nibwaakaawin |
wisdom (Grandfather Teaching) |
IN |
5 |
| nid |
hand |
IN |
4 |
| niimi'idiwin |
powwow / dance gathering |
IN |
7 |
| niin |
I / me |
pronoun |
1 |
| niinawaa |
we (exclusive) |
pronoun |
1 |
| ningaabiianong |
west |
direction |
6 |
| ningashi |
my mother |
kin term |
4 |
| ningodwaak |
one hundred (100) |
number |
2 |
| nindede |
my father |
kin term |
4 |
| nindei' |
my heart |
phrase |
4 |
| nindoonjibaa |
I am from |
phrase |
1 |
| niswi |
three (3) |
number |
2 |
| niiwin |
four (4) |
number |
2 |
| niizh |
two (2) |
number |
2 |
| niizhtana |
twenty (20) |
number |
2 |
| niizhwaaswi |
seven (7) |
number |
2 |
| nijaanis |
my child |
kin term |
4 |
| nimishiinh |
my aunt (father's sister) |
kin term |
4 |
| nimishoomis |
my grandfather |
kin term |
4 |
| ninzhishenh |
my uncle (mother's brother) |
kin term |
4 |
| noodin |
wind |
AN |
6 |
| nookomis |
my grandmother |
kin term |
4 |
| nozishenh |
my grandchild |
kin term |
4 |
O
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| ode'imini-giizis |
strawberry moon (June) |
AN |
6 |
| ogimaa |
chief / leader |
AN |
8 |
| ogimaawin |
leadership / governance |
IN |
8 |
| onaabani-giizis |
crust on snow moon (March) |
AN |
6 |
| onaagoshi |
evening |
time |
6 |
| opwaagan |
pipe |
AN |
7 |
| ozaawaa / ozaawan |
it is yellow (AN/IN) |
VAI/VII |
2 |
| ozhaawashkwaa / ozhaawashkwan |
it is blue-green (AN/IN) |
VAI/VII |
2 |
| ozid |
foot |
IN |
4 |
W
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| waabanong |
east |
direction |
6 |
| waabishkaa / waabishkan |
it is white (AN/IN) |
VAI/VII |
2 |
| waabishkizi |
deer |
AN |
2 |
| waaban |
dawn / early morning |
time |
3 |
| waakaa'igan |
house / building |
IN |
3 |
| wiidookodaadimin |
let us help one another |
phrase |
7 |
| wiigiwaam |
traditional dwelling |
AN |
3 |
| wiin |
he / she / they (one) |
pronoun |
1 |
| wiinawaa |
they |
pronoun |
1 |
| wiisini |
to eat |
VAI |
3 |
Z
| Ojibwe |
English |
Type |
Ch. |
| zaagi'idiwin |
love (Grandfather Teaching) |
IN |
5 |
| zaagaa'igan |
lake |
AN |
8 |
| zaagibagaa-giizis |
budding moon (May) |
AN |
6 |
| zhiigan |
nose |
IN |
4 |
| zhaangaswi |
nine (9) |
number |
2 |
| zhaawanong |
south |
direction |
6 |
| ziibi |
river |
AN |
8 |
| ziigwan |
spring |
season |
6 |
| zoogipon |
it snows |
VII |
6 |
This glossary covers approximately 150 vocabulary items. For a more comprehensive Ojibwe dictionary, see the Ojibwe People's Dictionary at the University of Minnesota.