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Ojibwe Reference Sheet

Pronunciations

Long Vowels : AA as in aaniin - Baa

E as in Ojibwe – Say

II as in Giin –T een

oo as in Boozhoo Tooth

Short Vowels: A as in mazina’igan –sun

I as in Mazina’igan – tin

O as in Odamino - bone

Pronuctiation – Consonant Vowel

Ex – Ma/noo/mi/ni/ke

CV/ CV CV cv CV

VAI From Conjugations – A form

First Person – I am (ni, nind, nim, nin)

If verb starts with a vowel- NIND
If verb starts with B – NIM
If verb starts with D, J, G, Z, Zh –NIN
If verb starts with begins w/other then Ni
If verb begins with 0 prefix NIND and add double o Nindoojaanimiz
Drop last short vowel when prefixing Ni-nim nin nind.

Second Person You are (gi, gid)

The second person stands for you or your.
Add Gi or Gid
Prefix Gid when the verb begins in a vowel
Prefix Gi when verb begins with a consonnt
If verb ends in short vowel .. the short vowel is droped
In first and sencond person you always drop the short vowel at end of verb

Examples of First Person

Ni-minwendam -I am glad

Nindaakoz – I am sick… Notice the droped I

Nim+bakade – I am hungry

Ningiiwanaadiz – I am crazy

Examples of Second Person

Gigiikaj – you are cold

Gidabwez – you are sweating

Gidaakoz- You are sick

Gigiiwanaadiz – you are crazy

Third Person- They are (wag, oog)

Suffix has to be added to the end of the verb
If Verb ends in vowel suffix WAG
If Verb ends in consonant suffix OOG

We Exclusive- Prefix ni,nind,nim,nind

Suffix min,imin,amin

If verb ends in Vowel – MIN
If verb ends in Consonant –IMIN
If verb ends in am double a and add min

Examples of Third Person

Doondendamoog – they are jealous.

Mino-ayaawag.- They are well

Giizhooziwag – They are warm

We Exclusive Examples

Niwiisinmin – we (exc) eat

Nidaakozimin – we are sick

Ninoondaamin- we hear

We Inclusive Prefix Gi, or Gid

Suffix min,imin,amin

Vowel Ending – min

Consonant ending – imin

Amin – am ending

You (Plural); You all

Prefix gi or gid.. (rules shown above)
Suffixing – m, im, amm

Examples of We Inclusive

Gimino-ayaamin – we are well

Gibaapimin – We laugh

Giminwendaamin – We are glad.

Examples of You all

Gidanokiim – you all work

Gidagoshinim – you all arrive

Gigashkendaam – you all are sad.

Future Tense –(going to, want to, shall, will)

For future tense "Will" or "Want too" prefix WII
For future tense (positive) "shall" prefix ga – or da
Format (Personal prefix / tense marker / verb

EXAMPLE Gi – wii – wiisin

Past Tense

Past Tense use GII
Format (Personal Prefix / tense marker / Verb)

Example Nin- gii - minikwe

Weak Consonants – There are five weak consonants at the beginning of a verb that become strong when prefixing a tense marker They automatically change in speech so we shall change them as we write the language as well.

B -> P

D ->T

G -K

J -> Ch

Z -> S

Example Ningii – Pakade / Ningii – Tagoshin

Ningii – kigaj / Niwii – chibaakwe / niwii – saaga’am

Commands Form

Suffix "n" for a singular command (used most)

Suffix "g" for a plural command

Suffix "in" for verbs that end in N for singular commands

Suffix "og" for verbs that end in "N" for plural commands

Change the "m" in m-ending verbs to "n" for singular commands

Suffix "og" to m-ending verbs for plural commands.

Examples

Wiisin c/t Wiisnin (sngl)

Wiisining (plural)

Dagoshinin (singular)

Dagoshinog (plural)

Minwendan (singular)

Minwendamog (plural)

Asking A question

(yes or no)

To ask a question place the word na or ina as the second word of the sentence.

Example:

Gii – kitchi –noodin ina aquajiing – it was very windy, was it, outside

Locative Endings For Nouns:

(to the, in the, on the, by the)

Suffix – ang for the nouns that end in "a" or "an"
Suffix –ing for the nouns the end in "n"
Suffix – ong for the nouns that end in "g"

Negation For VAI

In A form gaawiin always must precede the verb for negation
Thense marker rules still aply in negation
For VAI’s ending in a consonant suffix ZII
Vai’s ending in M change to N and add ZII
The plural persoanl pronoun suffix OGG they is changed to WAG in the negation

Examples:

Wazh – cave – Waazhang – to the cave

Adoopowin – Table – Adoopowining – btt

Aakoziwigamig – aakoziwigamigong.

Examples:

Gaawiin nimbakadesii I am not hungry

Gaawiin gibakadesiim You all are not hungry

Gaawiin Nimbakadesiimin We are not hungry (ex)

Negating VII’s A-Form ( it is verbs)

Always use gaawiin before the verb
If the verb ends in AN or IN add ZINOON
If the verb ends in a couel, add SINOON
If the verb ends in D drop the D and add SINOON

Examples:

Gaawiin gimiwanzinoon – it is not raining

Gaawiin gisinaasinoon – it is not cold.

VAI "B" Form Usage IF, WHILE, WHEN

I, my: YAAN if verb ends with vowel

AAN if verb ends in consonant.

You, Your: YAN (vowel)

AN (consonant)

He/ She: D (vowel)

G (consonant.)

WE (exclusive): YAANG (V)

AANG (C)

WE(inclusive): YANG (V)

AANG(V)

YOU ALL: YEG (V)

EG (C)

THEY: WAAD(V)

OWAAD©

Questions?

QUESTION WORDS:

Aaniin Ezhinikaazoyan? How are you called

Aandi Wenjibaayan? Where are you from

Aaniin ezhichigeyan? What are you doing

Aaniin ezhi-ayaayan? How are You

Aandi ezhaayan? Where are you going

Gibakade na? are you hungry

Aaniin ezhiwebak aqwajiing? Whats going on outside

Gidayaa na omaa? are you in a place here

Additional Reading

Ojibwe People
Chippewa Indians
Chippewa Legends
Chippewa History
Minnesota Indian Reservations

Article Archives: Ojibwe Reference Sheet [archive]

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