Ojibwe Lessons
Lesson 1 - Greetings
Aaniin - Hallo, Hi, How are you, How are things
Nimino-ayaa - I'm well, I'm fine
Gaawiin ningod - Nothing unusual
Giin dash? - And you.
Miigwech - Thank you.
Giga-waabamin minawaa - I'll see you again.
Minawaa giga-waabamin - I'll see you again.
Giga-waabamininim minawaa - I'll see you people again.
New Words:
aaniin - hallo (also: how, what)
nimino-ayaa - I'm well, I'm fine, I'm good
gaawiin - no
giin dash? - and you? (literally: you and?)
minawaa - again, also, and
giga-waabamin - I will see you (to a single person)
giga-waabamininim - I'll see you people
Note.
Most European greetings have no equivalents in Ojibwe. There is also no words for 'good-bye'.
giga-waabamin and giga-waabamininim - are translations from English, which are widely used now instead of good-bye by modern Ojibwe speakers.
Grammar notes.
Aaniin has two meanings. When it stands alone - it is a greeting. Another meaning of aaniin is 'how', 'what'.
giga-waabamin. In the Ojibwe language personal pronouns are not used in verb conjugations. Instead of them personal prefixes and suffixes (affixes) are used. They help to understand who is performing an action and whom or what this action affects. Personal affixes (prefix + suffix) are parts of a word, so the English phrase "I will see you" is one word in Ojibwe: gi-ga-waabam-in (you-will-see-I).
Different prefixes are a very important part of the Ojibwe language. You will meet lots of them.
Lesson 2 - Numbers
Gaawiin gegoo - Zero
Bezhig - One
Niizh - Two
Niswi - Three
Niiwin - Four
Naanan - Five
Ningodwaaswi - Six
Niizhwaaswi - Seven
Nishwaaswi - Eight
Zhaangaswi - Nine
Midaaswi - Ten
Midaaswi ashi bezhig - Eleven
Niishtana - Twenty
Nisimidana - Thirty
Nimidana - Forty
Naanimidana - Fifty
Ningodwaasimidana - Sixty
Niizhwaasimidana - Seventy
Nishwaasimidana - Eighty
Zhaangasimidana - Ninety
Ngodwaak - One Hundred
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New Words:
gaawiin-gegoo - zero, nothing (gaawiin - no; gegoo - something)
ashi - plus in counting.
Note.
With ashi all compound numbers are formed, e.g.:
midaaswi shi niiwin - 14,
niishtana shi niizhwaaswi - 27, etc.
Lesson 3 - Weather
Mino-giizhigad - It is a good day.
Mino-giizhigan - It is a good day.
Gimiwan - It is raining.
Gichi-gimiwan - It is raining hard.
Zoogipon - It is snowing.
Gichi-zoogipon - It is snowing hard.
Noodin - It is windy.
Gichi-noodin - It is very windy.
Gizhide - It is hot.
Gichi-gizhide - It is very hot.
Gisinaa - It is cold.
Gichi-gisinaa - It is very cold.
Zaagaate - It is sunny.
Gichi-zaagaate - It is very sunny.
Ningwaakod - It is cloudy.
Gichi-ningwaakod - It is very cloudy.
New Words:
mino- - good
giizhigad or giizhigan - day.
gichi- - big, great, very.
Note.
All weather words in Ojibwe are verbs. All the verbs listed above are in the present tense.
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Grammar note.
All words used in this chapter are verbs. Many words which we define as adjectives, adverbs and even nouns in English, are verbs in Ojibwe. Verbs amount about 80% of the Ojibwe language vocabulary.
Lesson 4 - More Weather
Gii-gimiwan - It rained.
Gii-zoogipon - It snowed.
Gii-gisinaa - It was cold.
Wii-mino-giizhigad - It is going to be a good day.
Wii-mino-giizhigan - It is going to be a good day.
Wii-mino-gizhide - It is going to be hot.
Wii-gimiwan - It is going to rain.
Da-gimiwan - It will rain.
Wii-gimiwan waabang - It is going to rain tomorrow.
Waabang wii-gimiwan - It is going to rain tomorrow.
Da-gimiwan waabang - It will rain tomorrow.
Gii-gimiwan noongom - It rained today.
Gii-mino-giizhigad bijiinaago - It was a good day yesterday.
Gii-mino-giizhigan bijiinaago - It was a good day yesterday.
Gii-zoogipon bijiinaago - It snowed yesterday.
Gii-gimiwan bijiinaago - It rained yesterday.
Gii-gimiwan dibikong - It rain last night.
Gimiwan minawaa - It is raining again.
Geyaabi gimiwan - It is still raining.
Megwaa gimiwan - It is raining now.
Mego gimiwan - It is raining now.
Maagizha da-zaagaate waabang - Maybe it will be sunny tomorrow.
Aazha gimiwan - It is already raining.
Gii-gimiwan aazha - It rained already.
Wii-zoogipon dibikak - It is going to snow tonight.
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New Words:
gii- is placed before verbs to make statements referring to the past time, and describes situations or events that occurred before the time of speaking. This is a past tense prefix.
da- is placed before verbs to make statements referring to the future, and describes situations or events that will occur after the time of speaking. This is a future tense prefix.
wii- is also placed before verbs to make statements referring to the future, but with an additioanl meaning of 'wish' or 'want'. This is also a future tense prefix.
Wii- is usually translated as "want to do something", "going to do something", or "going to happen", and da- - as "will (definitely) do", "will (definitely) happen". Since weather is too unpredictable to say "will definitely happen" about it, wii- is usually used with weather verbs.
noongom - today, now
waabang - tomorrow
bijiinaago - yesterday
dibikong - last night
dibikak - this night (which will be)
megwaa, or mego - now; when; at the time when
geyaabi - still
maagizha - maybe
aazha - yet
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Note.
Words, which provide an additional information about a situation, could be placed before or after verbs. However such words of time as noongom 'today', bijinaago 'tomorrow', waabang 'yesterday', dibikak 'this night', dibikong 'last night' are usually placed after verbs. But this is not a rule.
Lesson 5 - Even More WeatherÂ
Gimiwan na? - Is it raining?
Gimiwan na megwaa? - Is it raining right now?
Gimiwan na mego? - Is it raining right now?
Miinange - Yes. Of course.
Ehe - Yeah. Uh huh.
Zoogipon na? - Is it snowing?
Gaawiin - No.
Gaawiin zaagaatesinoon - It is not sunny.
Gaawiin gisinaasinoon - It is not cold.
Gaawiin noongom onji-gimiwanzinoon - It didn't rain today.
Gaawiin noongom gii-gimiwanzinoon - It didn't rain today.
Gaawiin wii-zoogiponzinoon - It is not going to snow.
Aaniin ezhiwebag? - How is the weather?
Aaniin ezhiwebag aagojing? - How is the weather outside?
Aaniin gaa-ezhiwebag bijiinaago? - How was the weather yesterday?
Aaniin ge-ezhiwebag waabang? - How will the weather be tomorrow?
Gaawiin ningikendanziin - I don't know.
Amanji sa - I don't know.
Gii-zoogipon na bijiinago? - Did it snow yesterday?
Gii-booni-gimiwan bijiinago? - It stopped raining yesterday.
Da-booni-gimiwan wiiba - It will stop raining soon.
Wii-maajii-gimiwan waabang - It is going to start to rain tomorrow.
Gii-booni-noodin - The wind stopped.
Gii-maajii-noodin - The wind started.
Wii-zoogipon na? Aazha maajii-zoogipon. - Is it going to snow? It is starting to snow already.
Wii-maajibiisaa - It is going to start to rain tomorrow.
Gii-boonaanimad - The wind stopped.
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 New Words:
na - question marker
ehe - yeah
aaniin - here: how
ezhiwebag - happen (about natural events)
aagojing - outside
ningikendanziin - i don't know [it]
amanji sa - i don't know;
booni- stop
maajii- start
biisaa - rain, misty rain
aanimad - strong wind blows
boonaanimad = booni- + aanimad
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Note.
Yes/no questions are questions to which the answer may be 'yes' or 'no.' These questions are formed from statements by placing a question word na after the first word:
gimiwan (it is raining) - gimiwan na? (is it raining?)
gii-gimiwan bijiinaago (it rained yesterday) - gii-gimiwan na bijinaago? (did it rain yesterday?)
Wh-questions, or content questions (questions with question words 'who', 'what', 'when', 'where', 'why', 'how') are formed in a different way. Question words must be used there (in this case: aaniin, 'how').
In these questions verbs, gii-, wii-, and da- change their forms: gii- changes into gaa-, da- changes into ge-, and wii- changes into waa-.
More detailed information on these questions will be described later.
For denying the situation you have to place the word gaawiin ("no") before a verb, and add -sinoon or -zinoon at the end of a weather verb.
-sinoon is added to verbs, ending in a vowel, e.g.: zaagate - zaagaatesinoon.
-zinoon is added to verbs, ending in a consonant, e.g.: gimiwan - gimiwanzinoon.
Preverbs. There are such words in Ojibwe called 'preverbs', which could not be used separately. Instead of it they are combined with verbs, creating new words:
maajii- (start) + gimiwan (it is raining) = maajii-gimiwan (it starts to rain)
boonii- (stop) + zoogipon (it is snowing) = boonii-zoogipon (it stopped to snow)
boonii- (stop) + aanimad (it is strong wind) = boonaanimad (the wind stops)
There are lots of preverbs in Ojibwe.
Lesson 6 - CommandsÂ
Biindigen - Enter, Go inside.
Biindigeg - Enter, Go inside you people.
Abin - Sit.
Abig - Sit you people.
Namadabin - Sit gown.
Namadabig - Sit down you people.
Wiisinin - Eat.
Wiisinig - Eat you people.
Zaagaan - Go outside.
Zaagaamog - Go outside you people.
Giiwen - Go home.
Giiweg - Go home you people.
Maajaan - Leave, Go.
Maajaag - Leave, Go you people.
Ikidon - Say it.
Ikidog - Say it you people.
Bi-giiwen - Come home.
Bi-giiweg - come home you people.
Bi-wiisinin - Come eat.
Bi-wiisinig - Come eat you people.
Ando-abin - Go sit.
Ando-abig - Go sit you people.
Ando-namadabin - Go sit down.
Ando-namadabig - Go sit down you people.
Ando-wiisinin - Go eat.
Ando-wiisinig - Go eat you people.
Booni-wiisinin - Stop eating.
Booni-wiisinig - Stop eating you people.
Ikidon minawaa - Say it again.
Ikidog minawaa - Say it again you people.
Geyaabi-ikidon - Still say it.
Geyaabi-ikidog - Still say it you people.
Aambe - Come on, Come here.
New Words:
biindige - s/he enters
abi - s/he sits
namadabi - s/he sits down
wiisini - s/he eats
zaagaam - s/he goes out, goes outside
giiwe - s/he goes home
maajaa - s/he leaves
ikido - s/he says
bi- - here, towards the speaker
ando- - go to do smth.
aambe - come on!
Note.
Words like 'go', 'enter', 'sit', 'sit down', 'come', etc, i.e. words expressing actions are verbs.
The main form of Ojibwe verbs is translated as 's/he does something'.
Commands. To command to people what they shoud do in Ojibwe, you should change a verb.
To give a command to one person you have to add -n at the end of a verb:
biindige - biindigen (enter!)
To give a command to more than one person, you have to add -g at the end of a verb:
namadabi - namadabig (sit down you people!)
The word zaagaam changes in a bit different way. It often happens with verbs ending in -m in Ojibwe.
Lesson 7 - More Commands
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Gego biindigeken - Don't enter.
Gego biindigekeg - Don't enter you people.
Gego zaaganken - Don't go outside.
Gego zaagankeg - Don't go outside you people.
Biindigedaa - Let's go inside.
Zaagaandaa - Let's go outside.
Giiwedaa - Let's go home.
Wiisinidaa - Let's eat.
Daga wiiba wiisinidaa - Come on let's eat soon.
Maajaadaa - Leat's leave.
New Words:
gego - don't! don't do!
daga - please
wiiba - soon
Note
To give a prohibitive command with 'don't' to one person you should place a word gego before a verb and add -ken at the end of a verb:
wiisini - gego wiisiniken (don't eat!)
To give a prohibitive command with 'don't' to more than one person you should place a word gego before a verb and add -keg at the end of a verb:
wiisini - gego wiisinikeg (don't eat you people!)
'Let's' is expressed in Ojibwe by adding -daa at the end of a verb:
wiisini - wiisinidaa (let's eat!)
Grammar note.
A negative imperative suffix for 'we' is -sidaa, or -zidaa.
Lesson 8 - Questions and Statements of FactÂ
Wegonen owe? - What is this?
Wegonen iwe? - What is that?
Wegonen iwedi? - What is that over there?
Awenen wa'a? - Who is this?
Awenen awe? - Who is that?
Awenen awedi? - Who is that over there?
Waaka'igan iwe - That is a house.
Jiimaan iwe - That is a boat.
Nibi iwe - That is water.
Ishgode owe - This is fire.
Mazina'igan iwe - That is a book.
Adoopowin owe - This is a table.
Desabiwin owe - This is a chair.
Desabiwin iwedi - That is a chair over there.
Inini wa'a - This is a man.
Inini awe - That is a man.
Inini awedi - that is a man over there.
Ikwe awe - That is a woman.
Mitig awe - That is a tree.
Giizis awe - That is the sun.
Dibiki-giizis awe - That is the moon
Anaang awe - That is a star.
Odaabaan awe - That is a car.
Awenen awe inini? - Who is that man?
Awenen awe ikwe? - Who is that woman?
Awenen awe gwiiwizenz? - Who is that boy?
Awenen awe ikwizenz? - Who is that girl?
Nibaabaa awe - That is my father.
Nimaamaa awe - That is my mother.
Ningozis awe - That is my son.
Nindaanis awe - That is my daughter.
Mary awe - That is Mary.
Animosh na awe? - Is that a dog?
Inini na awe? - Is that a man?
Mazina'igan na owe? - Is that a book?
Mazina'igan na iwe? - Is that a book?
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New Words:
Plural endings are shown in brackets. Words should be read:
waaka'igan - house; waaka'iganan - houses, etc;
all the nouns will be given with their plural endings in brackets.
wegonen(an) - what (about an inanimate object)
awenen(ag) - who (about an animate object)
waaka'igan(an) - house
jiimaan(an) - boat, canoe
nibi - water (inanimate)
ishgode - fire (inanimate)
mazina'igan(an) - book, document, paper
adoopowin(an) - table
desabiwin(an) - chair
mitig(oog) - tree
giizis(oog) - sun
dibiki-giizis(oog) - moon
anaang(oog) - star
odaabaan(ag) - car, sleigh
animosh(ag) - dog
inini(wag) - man
ikwe(wag) - woman
gwiiwizenz(ag) - boy
ikwizenz(ag) - girl
nibaabaa - my father [ni-baabaa - my-father]
nimaamaa - my mother [ni-maamaa - my-mother]
ningozis(ag) - my son [nin-gozis - my-son]
nindaanis(ag) - my daughter [nin-daanis - my-daughter]
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Note.
Nouns. Such words as 'a house', 'a boat', 'water', 'a star', i.e. words for objects, things or persons are called nouns.
All nouns in Ojibwe are divided into two types (or genders):
living things - animate nouns;
non-living things - inanimate nouns.
This division is usually based on a common sense.
Though there are also some things, which we usually define as non-living in English, but which considered to be alive in the Ojibwe language, e.g.: the sun, the moon, a star, etc. This is based on traditional beliefs that some things and cultural items (such as a drum, a feather) can house a spirit, and thus they are alive.
Demonstrative pronouns. These are words, used to point out things and persons, like 'this', or 'that'.
In Ojibwe these words used with animate nouns are called animate demonstrative pronouns:
wa'a - this (the closest)
awe - that (further)
awedi - that over there (the furtherst)
With inanimate nouns other (inanimate) demonstrative pronouns are used:
owe - this (the closest)
iwe - that (further)
iwedi - that over there (the furtherst)
Lesson 9 - Questions and DistancesÂ
Wegonenan onowe? - What are these?
Wegonenan iniwe? - What are those?
Wegonenan iniwedi? - What are those over there?
Waaka'iganan iniwe - Those are houses.
Jiimaanan iniwe - Those are boats.
Adoopowinan onowe - These are tables.
Desabiwinan onowe - These are chairs.
Desabiwinan iniwe - Those are chairs.
Desabiwinan iniwedi - Those are chairs over there.
Mazina'iganan iniwe - Those are books.
Ininiwag ogowe - These are men.
Ininiwag igiwe - Those are men.
Ininiwag igiwedi - Those are men over there.
Mitigoog igiwe - Those are trees.
Anaangoog igiwe - Those are stars.
Awenenag igiwedi anishinaabeg? - Who are those people over there?
Awenenag igiwe gwiiwizenzag? - Who are those boys?
Awenenag ogowe ikwezenzag? - Who are these girls?
Ningozisag ogowe - These are my sons.
Nindaanisag ogowe - These are my daughters.
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Note.
Plural nouns. The nouns in the last lesson were singular nouns, any of them referred to a single item. To refer to more than one item (e.g.: 'stars', 'boats', 'houses', 'men'), a suffix is added to a noun. Such a suffix is called a plural suffix, and a noun with a plural suffix is called a plural noun. Plural suffixes will be always placed in brackets after nouns in the New Words section.
The plural suffix for animate nouns ends in -g, and most often, but not always is -ag.
The plural suffix for inanimate nouns ends in -n, and most often, but not always is -an.
So you can easily find out from the list of new words which nouns are alive (animate), and which are not alive (inanimate).
Demonstrative pronouns. Demonstrative pronouns also could be plural.
Plural animate demonstrative pronouns:
ogowe - these (the closest)
igiwe - those (further)
igiwedi - those over there (the furtherst)
Plural inanimate demonstrative pronouns:
onowe - these (the closest)
iniwe - those (further)
iniwedi - those over there (the furtherst)
Words awenen (who) and wegonen (what) also have plural suffixes in Ojibwe, unlike English:
awenen - who? (animate - referring to one person)
awenwnag - who? (referring to more than one person)
wegonen - what? (inanimate - referring to one thing)
wegonenan - what? (referring to more than one thing)
Lesson 10 - FeelingsÂ
Ningawaj - I'm cold.
Gigawaj na? - Are you cold?
Gawaji - S/He is cold.
Gawajiwag - They are cold.
Nindayekoz - I'm tired.
Gidayekoz na? - are you tired?
Ayekozi - S/He is tired.
Ayekoziwag - They are tired.
Nindaakoz - I'm sick.
Gidaakoz na? - Are you sick?
Aakozi - S/He is sick.
Aakoziwag - They are sick.
Ningishiz - I'm hot.
Gigishiz na? - Are you hot?
Gishizo - S/he is hot.
Gishizowag - They are hot.
Nimbaabaa ayekozi - My father is tired.
Nishiime gawaji - My younger sibling is cold.
Nisaye gawaji - My older brother is cold.
Mary gawaji - Mary is cold.
Aakozi na Joe? - Is Joe sick?
Nimiseyag aakoziwag - My older sisters are sick.
Aakoziwag ogowe ikwewag - These women are sick.
Akina gawajiwag - They are all cold.
Gaawiin ayekozisii - S/He is not tierd.
Gibaabaa gaawiin ayekozisii - Your father is not tired.
Gaawiin aakozisiiwag - They are not sick.
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New Words:
gawaji - he is cold
ayekozi - he is tired
aakozi - he is sick
gishizo - he is hot
nishiime(yag) - my younger sibling
nisaye(yag) - my older brother
nimise(yag) - my older sister
gibaabaa - your father
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Note.
In English making a statement about actions different persons do, you say:
i go, you go but he goes, changing the verb form when speaking about he or she (adding -s, or -es).
In Ojibwe you also have to change a verb but in a more complicated way. Speaking about different persons (like - i, you, he, we, you all, they) you should change a verb form for each of them.
In Ojibwe it is made by adding certain additions to a verb, called personal prefixes and suffixes, or taken together - affixes (prefix + suffix = affix). Prefixes are added at the beginning of a verb. Suffixes are added at the end of it.
Affixes in Ojibwe differ for each person:
ningawaj - i am cold.
There is only ni- for me; also could be nin-, nind-.
gigawaj - you (singular) are cold.
There is gi- for you singular; also could be gid-.
gawaji - he or she is cold.
There is no prefix for he and she. Remember, Ojibwe verbs are translated as 'he, she does something.'
gawajiwag - they are cold.
There is a suffix -wag for they; also could be -oog.
Rule. If a verb ends in a single -i, or -o, these sounds are dropped when speaking about me and you singl.:
gawaji (he is cold) - ningawaj (i am cold)
aakozi (he is sick) - gidaakoz (you are sick)
To make a negative statement, you need to place gaawiin ("no") before a verb and add a negative suffix -sii to a verb. A negative suffix is placed before a personal suffix (if there is any):
Gibaabaa gaawiin ayekozisii - Your father is not tired.
Gaawiin aakozisiiwag - They are not sick.
Grammar notes.
AI (animate intransitive) verb conjugation:
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Affix
i, me ni-(verb)
you singl. gi-(verb)
s/he (verb)
we (exc.) ni-(verb)-min
we (inc.) gi-(verb)-min
you pl. gi-(verb)-m
they (verb)-wag/-oog
There are two different "we" in Ojibwe. "We", starting with the personal prefix ni-, does not include an addressee, it is "we, but without you". "We", starting with gi-, includes an addressee - "we with you".
If a verb ends in a short vowel /i/ or /o/, this vowel will be dropped in 1 and 2 person singulars.
The personal prefix ni- has several forms:
ni- before w, z, n, m;
nin- before d, g, j
nim- before b
nind- before any vowel
The personal prefix gi- changes into gid- before vowels.
The negative suffix -sii turns into -zii after consonants.
Lesson 11 - Work and Home QuestionsÂ
Gidanokii na? - Are you working?
Gidanokii na mego? - Are you working right now?
Nindanokii - I'm working
Nisaye anokii - My older brother is working.
Anokii - S/he is working.
Noongom anokii nimbaabaa - My father is working
Nisayeyag anokiiwag - My older brothers are working.
Anokiiwag - They are working.
Gigii-anokii na bijiinaago? - Did you work yesterday?
Gaawiin ningii-anokiisii - I didn't work.
Gii-anokii na gibaabaa? - Did you father work?
Gaawiin gii-anokiisii - S/He didn't work.
Gisayeyag na gii-anokiiwag bijiinaago? - Did you older brothers work yesterday?
Gaawiin gii-anokiisiiwag - They didn't work.
Giwii-ando-anokii na waabang? - Are you going to work tomorrow?
Gigii-ando-anokii na bijiinaago? - Did you go ti work yesterday?
Gaawiin niwii-ando-anokiisii noongom - I'm not going to work today.
Giga-ayab na waabang? - Will you be home tomorrow?
Gigii-ayab na bijiinaago? - Were you home yesterday?
Gimaamaa na gii-ayabi bijiinago? - Was your mother home yesterday?
Da-ayabi na waabang? - Will she be home tomorrow?
Mary na ayabi mego? - Is Mary home right now?
Ayabi - S/He is at home.
Nindayab - I am at home.
Gidayab - You are at home.
Gidani-giiwe na? - Are you going home?
Nindani-giiwe - I am going home.
Giwii-giiwe na? - Are you going to go home?
Giwii-giiwe na waabang? - Are you going to go home tomorrow?
Niwii-giiwe - I am going to go home.
Niwii-giiwe zhemaag - I am going to go home immediately.
Wii-giiwe awe ikwe - This woman is going to go home.
Wii-ani-giiwe - S/He is going to go home.
Aazha ani-giiwe - S/He is already going home.
Gii-ani-giiwe na? - Did s/he go home?
Aazha gii-ani-giiwe - S/he already went home.
Ningii-giiwe bijiinaago - I went home yesterday.
Niwii-giiwe waabang - I am going to go home tomorrow.
Gibi-giiwe na? - Are you coming home?
Gii-bi-giiwe na? - Did s/he come home?
Ayabi na aazha? - Is s/he home already?
Joe bi-giiwe - Joe is coming home.
New Words:
anokii - he works
ayabi - he is at home
gimaamaa - your mother
ani-, or ni- - there, in direction away from the speaker
bi- - here, towards the speaker
Note.
In English things or persons, which/who perform an action (they are called 'subjects') usually come before a verb: 'I go', 'you are working', 'he is at home'.
In Ojibwe you may say first whichever you think of first, or whichever you feel contains the most important or novel information:
nisaye anokii - my older brother is working.
anokii nisaye - my older brother is working.
Personal prefixes are placed before past and future prefixes:
ningii-anokii bijiinaago - i worked yesterday.
niwii-ayab waabang - i will be at home tomorrow.
Preverbs ani- and bi- show direction of a movement, away from a speaker (ani-), or towards a speaker (bi-), e.g.:
ningii-ani-giiwe - i went home (there)
ningii-bi-giiwe - i came home (here).
Adding of bi- creates 'coming (here)' verbs from 'going (there)' verbs.
Preverbs are always added directly to a verb, and different prefixes always stand before them.
Check the differnce between:
Gibi-giiwe na? - are you coming home? (gi- is a personal prefix for 'you')
Gii-bi-giiwe na? - did s/he come home? (gii- is a past tense prefix, 'did')
Demonstrative pronouns could be placed before nouns in Ojibwe. The meaning is the same as in English:
awe ikwe - that woman
Lesson 12 - Actions and ArrivalÂ
Biindige - S/He just went inside.
Gii-biindige - S/He went inside.
Wii-biindige - S/He is going to go inside.
Da-biindige - S/He will go inside.
Zaagaam - S/He just went outside.
Gii-zaagaam - S/He went outside.
Wii-zaagaam - S/He is going to go outside.
Da-zaagaam - S/He will go outside.
Biindige gimaamaa - Your mother just went inside.
Daagoshin Joe - Joe just now arrived.
Maajaa - S/He just left.
Nisaye giimaajaa bijiinaago - My older brother left yesterday.
Zaagaamoog abinoojiyag - The children are going outside.
Bi-biindigewag - They are coming in.
Gii-daagoshinoog ogowe ininiwag dibikong - These men arrived last night.
Maagizha gii-biindigewag - Maybe they went inside.
Gii-ani-zaagaamoog na? - Did they go outside?
Aazha gii-zaagaamoog - They already went out.
Da-daagoshinoog ogowe ikwewag tibikak - These women will arrive tonight.
Nimbiindige - I am going inside.
Nizaagaam - I am going outside.
Nimaajaa - I am leaving.
Gigii-zaagaam na dibikong? - Did you go out(side) last night?
Ningii-maajaa bijiinaago - I left yesterday.
Ningii-daagoshin noomaya - I arrived a little while ago.
Ningii-daagoshin menwiinzha - I arrived long ago.
Giwii-maajaa na zemag? - Are you going to leave immediately?
Giga-bi-daagoshin na wiiba? - Will you arrive here soon?
Ninga-maajaa waabang - I'll leave tomorrow.
Gaawiin Joe wii-zaagaanzii - Joe doesn't want to go outside.
Gaawiin abinoojiyag gii-maajaasiiwag - The children didn't leave (some time ago).
Gaawiin niwii-biindigesii - I am not going to go inside.
Gaawiin ningii-daagoshininzii bijiinaago - I didn't arrive yesterday.
New Words:
daagoshin - he arrives
noomaya - a (little) while ago
mewiinzha - a long ago
abinooji(yag) - child
Note.
There are two differences in use of Ojibwe and English present tenses.
1) In English, the present indefinite or the present continious tense could be used to describe a future action, e.g.: 'he is leaving tomorrow', etc.
In Ojibwe the present tense (there is only one present tense in Ojibwe) is never used in such cases; da- and wii- must always be present.
2) But in Ojibwe the present tense is used not only for something that is happening right now, but also for something that has just happened.
The past tense in Ojibwe is used only for something that happened longer ago than just now.