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Most Common Ojibwe Words
Anishinaabemowin
Essential Ojibwe vocabulary with pronunciation guides. Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Nouns
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| inini | man / person | i-NI-ni |
| ikwe | woman | IK-we |
| abinoojiiyens | child | a-bi-noo-JI-yens |
| waakaa'igan | house | wa-ka-I-gan |
| nibi | water | NI-bi |
| miijim | food | MI-jim |
| aki | earth / land | A-ki |
| zaaga'igan | lake | za-GA-i-gan |
| giizis | sun / moon / month | GI-zis |
| biboon | winter | BI-boon |
| ziigwan | spring | ZI-gwan |
| noodin | wind | NO-din |
| ishkode | fire | ISH-ko-de |
| makwa | bear | MAK-wa |
| migizi | eagle | MI-gi-zi |
| giigoonh | fish | GI-gonh |
| anishinaabe | Indigenous person / human | a-ni-shi-NA-be |
| aadizooke | traditional story | a-di-ZO-ke |
| inaajimowin | news / story | i-na-JI-mo-win |
| miigwech | thank you (noun form) | MI-gwech |
Verbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| izhaad | to go | i-ZHAD |
| biindigen | to come in / enter | bin-DI-gen |
| wiisiniid | to eat | wi-SI-niid |
| minikwed | to drink | mi-NI-kwed |
| nibaa | to sleep | ni-BA |
| waabandaan | to see | wa-BAN-dan |
| biindaakosige | to offer tobacco / pray | bin-da-ko-SI-ge |
| giigido | to speak | gi-GI-do |
| gikendaan | to know | gi-KEN-dan |
| zaagi'id | to love | za-GI-id |
| anokii | to work | a-NO-ki |
| miinaw | to give | MI-naw |
| ozhitoon | to make / create | o-ZHI-toon |
| bimosed | to walk | bi-MO-sed |
| naazikaw | to approach / go to | na-ZI-kaw |
| namadabi | to sit | na-MA-da-bi |
| nitaawigi | to grow up / live | ni-TA-wi-gi |
| maada'ookii | to share | ma-da-OO-ki |
| nanda-gikendan | to learn / seek knowledge | nan-da-gi-KEN-dan |
| nandomaa | to call / summon | nan-DO-ma |
Adjectives
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| mishaa | big / large | mi-SHA |
| agaashi | small | a-GA-shi |
| mino | good / well | MI-no |
| maji | bad / evil | MA-ji |
| oshki | new | OSH-ki |
| gichi | great / big (intensifier) | GI-chi |
| waabishkizi | white | wa-BISH-ki-zi |
| makadewizi | black | ma-ka-DE-wi-zi |
| miskozi | red | mis-KO-zi |
| ozhaawizi | blue / yellow | o-ZHA-wi-zi |
| gizhizi | fast / quick | gi-ZHI-zi |
| biinaad | clean / pure | BI-nad |
| mashkawizi | strong | mash-KA-wi-zi |
| zaagizi | brave / loveable | za-GI-zi |
| gisakizi | hot | gi-SA-ki-zi |
| dakizi | cold | DA-ki-zi |
| wiinge | very / really | WIN-ge |
| aaniin | how are you / hello (adj form) | a-NIN |
| izhiwebizi | to be / behave | i-zhi-WE-bi-zi |
| nitam | first / primary | NI-tam |
Adverbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| noongom | now / today | NOON-gom |
| bijiinaago | yesterday | bi-ji-NA-go |
| waabang | tomorrow | WA-bang |
| omaa | here | o-MA |
| imaa | there | i-MA |
| eya' | yes | e-YA |
| gaawiin | no / not | GA-win |
| mii dash | and then / so | mi DASH |
| akawe | first / wait | a-KA-we |
| gaye | also / and | GA-ye |
| wiinge | very / really | WIN-ge |
| apane | always | a-PA-ne |
| ingoding | sometimes | in-GO-ding |
| gaawiin wiika | never | GA-win WI-ka |
| mii | that's it / so | MI |
| naagaj | later / slowly | NA-gaj |
| ishkwaa | after / past | ISH-kwa |
| miigwech | thank you | MI-gwech |
| aaniin | hello / how | a-NIN |
| boozhoo | hello / greetings | BOO-zhoo |