Ojibwe Lessons 13 - 24

Lesson 13 - Names 

Aaniin ezhinikaazoyan? - What is your name?

Paul nindizhinikaaz - Paul is my name.

Charley na gidizhnikaaz? - Is Charley your name?

Aaniin ezhinikaazod awe inini? - What is that man’s name?

Aaniin ezhinikaazod? - What is his/her name?

Trudeau izhinikaazo - Trudeau is his name.

Aaniin ezinikaazod gimaamaa? - What is your mother’s name?

Ann izhinikaazo nimaamaa. - Ann is my mother’s name.

Gaawiin Agnes izhinikaazosii - Her name is not Agnes.

Gaawiin John nindizhinikaazosii - My name is not John.

New Words:

izhinikaazo - his name is; he is called

Note.

Verbs in content questions (or wh-questions) require personal affixes, which are absolutely different from those we've faced before. The inflection used in content questions as well is in most subordinate clauses is called the conjunct order. These are some of conjunct suffixes:

-yan - for 'you'

-d - for 'he' or 'she'

aaniin ezhinikaazoyan? - what is your name?

aaniin ezhinikaazod? - what is his/her name?

Also if a verb starts in i- or a-, these sounds are changed into e-:

izhinikaazo (his/her name is) - aaniin ezhinikaazod? (what is his/her name?)

In answers to these questions usual affixes (the independent order) are used:

Paul nindizhinikaaz. - My name is Paul.

Grammar note.

The conjunct indicative of AI (animate intransitive) verbs:

I, me (verb)-yaan/-aan

you singl (verb)-yan/-an

s/he (verb)-d/-g

we (exc) (verb)-yaang/-aang

we (inc) (verb)-yang/-ang

you pl (verb)-yeg/-eg

they (verb)-waaad/-owaad

Note. Two variants of suffixes are shown, divided by "/". The first suffix is used with verbs, ending in a vowel, the second one is used with verbs, ending in a consonant.

Lesson 14 - Questions During A Conversation 

Aaniin ekidoyan? - What did you just say?

"Wegonen iwe" nindikid - 'What is that' I said.

Aaniin gaa-ikidod awe inini? - What did that man say?

"Ambe omaa" gii-ikido - 'Come here' he said.

Aaniin gaa-ikidoyan? - What did you say a while ago?

Aaniin waa-ikidoyan? - What are you going to say?

Aaniin ge-ikidoyan? - What will you say?

New Words:

omaa - here

ambe omaa - come here

Note.

Past and future prefixes in content questions also change their form.

The past prefix gii- changes into gaa-.

The future prefix wii- changes into waa-.

The future prefix da- is used only referring to 's/he' and 'they'. With 'i' and 'you' another future prefix is used - ga-:

da-anokii - he will (definitely) work

ninga-anokii - i will (definitely) work

giga-anokii - you will (definitely) work

In content questions both ga- and da- change into ge-.

When past and future prefixes are used with words, starting in i- or a-, only the prefixes change their form in content questions:

aaniin ekidoyan? - what did you just say? what are you saying?

aaniin gaa-ikidoyan? - what did you say?

Lesson 15 - What Are You Doing? 

Aaniin ezhichigeyan? - What are you doing?

Aaniin endoodaman? - What are you doing?

Wegonen endoodaman? - What are you doing?

Nimbimose - I am walking.

Nimbimibatoo - I am running.

Ningiigid - I am talking.

Ninagam - I am singing.

Niwiisin - I am eating.

Gibimose na? - Are you walking?

Gibimibatoo na? - Are you running?

Ginagam na? - Are you singing?

Gigii-giigid na? - Did you speak?

Geyaabi na giwiisin? - Are you still eating?

Gaawiin niwiisinisii - I am not eating.

Aaniin gaa-izhichigeyan bijiinaago? - What did you do yesterday?

Aaniin gaa-doodaman bijiinaago? - What did you do yesterday?

Wegonen gaa-doodaman bijiinaago? - What did you do yesterday?

Ningii-nibaa - I slept.

Ningii-anokii - I worked.

Niwii-nibaa - I am going to sleep.

Gaawiin ningii-nibaasii dibikong - I didn't slept last night.

Gii-nibaa na gigozis? - Did you son sleep?

Gaawiin gii-nibaasii - He didn't sleep.

New Words:

izhichige - he does something

doodam - he does something

bimose - he walks

bimibatoo - he runs (by) (bimi-, passing by)

nagamo - he sings

giigido - he talks

nibaa - he sleeps

Note.

Both izhichge and doodam are used speaking about doing something. There is no difference in meaning between them.

Verbs, ending in a consonant (e.g.: doodam) take a little bit different suffixes in conjunct forms.

Suffix -an is added to them for 'you' instead of -yan:

gidizhichige - ezhichigeyan

gidoodam - endoodaman

The word doodam (as well as some other words starting with dan-, das-, dash-, etc) also prefixes en- as an initial element. But only if there are no other prefixes (tense prefixes or preverbs):

wegonen endoodaman? - what are you doing?

wegonen gaa-doodaman? - what did you do?

Lesson 16 - More Questions 

Aaniin ezhichiged? - What is s/he doing?

Aaniin endoodang? - What is s/he doing?

Wegonen endoodang? - What is s/he doing?

Aaniin ezhichiged awe inini? - What is that man doing?

Bimose - He is walking.

Aaniin ezhichiged awe gwiiwizenz? - What is that boy doing?

Bimibatoo - He is running.

Aaniin ezhichiged awe ikwe? - What is that woman doing?

Giigido - She is talking.

Gaagiigido - She keeps talking.

Nagamo na ikwezenz? - Is that girl singing?

Gaagiigido na? - Does s/he keep talking?

Wiisini na? - Is s/he eating?

Nagamo - S/he is singing.

Aazha nibaa awe inini - This man is already asleep.

Aazha nibaa - S/he is already asleep.

Aaniin ezhichigewaad? - What are they doing?

Aaniin endoodamowaad? - What are they doing?

Wegonen endoodamowaad? - What are they doing?

Aaniin ezhichigewaad igiwe ikwewag? - What are those women doing?

Wiisiniwag - They are eating.

Nibaawag na animoshag? - Are the dogs asleep?

Animoshag na nibaawag? - Are the dogs asleep?

Nibaawag na? - Are they asleep?

Wiisiniwag mego animoshag? - Are the dogs eating right now?

New Words:

gaagiigido - he talks, keeps talking

Note.

The conjunct suffix for the 3d person singular (s/he) for AI verbs, ending in a consonant is -g:

aaniin ezhichiged? - what is s/he doing?

aaniin endoodang? - what is s/he doing?

The last -m of doodam also changes into -n before taking this suffix.

The conjunct suffix for the 3d person plural (they) is -waad:

aaniin ezhichigewaad? - what are they doing?

It is -owaad if a verb ends in a consonant:

aaniin endoodamowaad? - what are they doing?

Lesson 17 - Where 

Aandi eyaayan? - Where do you live?

Gidayaa na iwedi? - Do you live over there?

Omaa nindayaa - I live here.

Aandi eyaad gisaye? - Where is your older brother?

Aandi gisaye? - Where is your older brother?

Iwedi ayaa - He is over there.

Abin omaa - Sit here.

Omaa zhingishinin - Lie here.

Imaa zhingishinig - Lie there you people.

Gawishimon - Lie down.

Aandi eyaad gibaabaa? - Where is your father?

Aandi gibaabaa? - Where is your father?

Jiimaaning abi - he is sitting in the boat.

Aandi eyaawaad abinoojiiyag? - Where are the children?

Aandi abinoojiiyag? - Where are the children?

Odaabaaning ayaawag. - They are in the car.

Aandi eyaad Mary? - Where is Mary?

Aandi Mary? - Where is Mary?

Aandi eyaad? - Where is s/he?

Imaa ayaa - S/he is there.

Omaa ayaa - S/he is here.

Aandi eyaawaad gimaamaa zhigo gibaabaa? - Where are your mom and dad?

Aandi gimaamaa zhigo gibaabaa? - Where are your mom and dad?

Aandi eyaawaad? - Where are they?

Biindig ayaawag. - They are inside.

Agojiing ayaawag - They are outside.

Abin omaa desabiwining - Sit here on the chair. 

New Words:

aandi - where; where to.

ayaa - he is (in a certain place); he dwells

omaa - here

imaa - there

iwedi - over there

zhingishin - he lies.

gawishimo - he lies down.

zhigo, or zhigwa - now; at this time; then; and. 

Note.

Ayaa - means both 'to be in a certain place' and 'to live in a certain place'. Ayaa starts with a-, which changes into e- in content questions - eyaad (he is; he lives).

There is no auxiliary verb to be in Ojibwe. Is is never used in such statements as 'where is he?', 'he is there', etc. Instead Ojibwe statements look like: 'where he?', 'he there', etc. Ayaa, which is often translated into English as 'is':

Aandi eyaad Mary? - Where is Mary?

In fact it is an independent verb, which means 'is situated', 'is in a place', and it could be dropped if a speaker thinks that he doesn't need this particular meaning:

Aandi Mary?
Aandi gibaabaa zhigo gimaamaa?

To say 'in something', 'on something', 'to something', 'at something' in Ojibwe, one else suffix is attached to a word: -ing. This suffix is called the locative suffix. A noun with the locative suffix answers questions: where?, where to?, where from?, etc. Wherever you use a word, which is an answer to these questions, you need to add the locative suffix to it:

jiimaan (boat) - jiimaan-ing (in a boat)
odaabaan (car) - odaabaan-ing (in a car)
desabiwin (chair) - desabiwin-ing (on a chair)
adoopowin (table) - adoopowin-ing (on/in a table)

The locative suffix is not necessarily -ing, it could also be -ong, -ang, or -ng, depending on a noun stem:

makak (box) - makak-ong (in/on a box)
mashkimod (bag) - mashkimod-aang (in a bag) 

A word zhingishin (he lies) ends in a consonant -n. To make commands, -in or -ig are added to it.

Lesson 18 - More Where 

Aandi eteg nimazina'igan? - Where is my book?

Aandi eteg? - Where is it?

Adoopowining ate - It is on the table.

Aandi etegin gimazina'iganan? - Where are your books?

Aandi etegin? - Where are they?

Iwedi atewan - They are over there.

Makakong imaa atewan - They are in that box.

Ogiji-makak na atewan? - Are they on top of the box?

Gaawiin biinji-makak atewan - No, they are inside the box.

Onaaganan omaa atewan - The dishes are here.

Mookomanan atewan imaa adoopowining - The knives are on that table.

Jiga'ii namadabin - Sit down near by.

Besho namadabin - Sit down near by.

Bagizon zaaga'iganing - Swim in the lake.

Namadabin aazhoganing - Sit down on the bridge.

Asiniing ningii-namadab - I sat on a stone. 

New Words:

ate - it is there; it is in a certain place

makak(oon) - box

ogiji-makak - on a box

biinji-makak - in a box

onaagan(an) - dish

mookoman(an) - knife

jiga'ii - near by; close to

besho - near by; close to

bagizo - he swims, he bathes

zaaga'igan(iin) - lake

aazhogan(an) - bridge

asin(iig) - stone, rock

Note.

A locative suffix means 'in' when it is suffixed to a noun denoting a natural container, such as a house, automobile, pail, pot, box, bag. And it means 'on' when it occurs with the name of a natural supporting surface, such as a table or a chair.
If one wants to be more specific, biinji- and ogiji- can be used; indeed, ogiji- must be used if something is on a top of a natural container.

Words of place may either precede or follow verbs. But most often they precede verbs.

Verbs used with animate subjects and no objects are called animate intransitive verbs, or AI verbs (or VAI). Verbs, which are used with inanimate subjects and no oblects are called inanimate intransitive verbs, or II verbs (or VII).
Ate - is an inanimate intransitive verb, used with inanimate subjects, such as mazina'igan (book), onaagan (plate), mookoman (knife), the same way as ayaa is used with animate subjects (persons, and living things). Ate also changes its form, but in a different way, than AI verbs:

The independent order (the indicative mode):

ate - it is there

There is no affix for 'it'. All II verbs are translated as: 'it does something', or 'it is something'.

atewan - they are there

The suffix for the 3rd person plural (they) is -wan, or -oon, if a verbs ends in a consonant.

The conjunct order (indicative mode):

ateg - it is there

The suffix for 'it' is -g. In content questions the first (initial) a- changes into e-.

ategin - they are there

The suffix for the 3rd person plural (they) is -gin. In wh-questions the first (initial) a- changes into e-.

Asin (a stone) is an animate noun in Ojibwe! Its plural ending is -iig: asiniig (stones).

Lesson 19 - Where are you going?

Aandi ezhaayan? - Where are you going?

Adaawewigamigong ninizhaa - I am going to the store.

Aandi ezhaad gibaabaa? - Where is your father going?

Aandi ezhaad? - Where is s/he going?

Oodenaang izhaa - S/he is going to town.

Aandi ezhaawaad igiwe gwiiwizenzag? - Where are those boys going?

Aandi ezhaawaad? - Where are they going?

Gikino'amaagewigamigong izhaawag - They are going to school.

Oodenaang izhaadaa - Let's go to town.

Adaawewigamigong izhaan - Go to the store.

Aandi bi-onji-ayaayan? - Where are you coming from?

Aandi bi-odoseyan? - Where are you coming from?

Aandi wendoseyan? - Where are you coming from?

Adaawewigamigong nimbi-onji-ayaa - I'm coming from the store.

Endaayaan bi-izhaan - Come to my house.

Oodenaang na gidizhaa? - Are you going to town?

Oodenaang izhaa nimbaabaa - My father is going to town.

Oodenaang izhaawag nimiseyag - My older sisters are going to town.

Aandi gaa-izhaayan bijiinaago? - Where did you go yesterday?

Oodenaang ningii-izhaa - I went to town.

Aandi eyaad gigozis? - Where is your son?

Aandi gigozis eyaad? - Where is your son?

Adaawewigamigong ayaa - He is in the store.

Oodenaang ayaa - He is in town. 

New Words:

adaawewigamig(oon) - store

izhaa - he goes

gikino'amaagewigamig(oon) - school

onji- - from there

odose - he walks from there; also: ondose

endaayaan - at my house, home

oodena(wan) - town 

Note.

Aandi in Ojibwe means 'where'. To say 'where from', or'where to', you need to add preverbs:

aandi bi-onji-ayaayan - where are you coming from? (literally, where here-from-are-you.)

Bi- (here, move towards the speaker) and ani- (there, away from the speaker) always precede onji- (from there) and izhi- (to there).

Instead of bi-onji-ayaayan you may say bi-odoseyan. Odose (walk from) already contains 'from' in it.

If a verb starts with o- (odose), in content questions o- changes into we- (wendoseyan).

An answer could be be just one word:

Aandi eyaad gigozis? - Where is your son?
Oodenaang. - In town.

Endaayaan - means "at my home". It is a participle of a verb daa (dwells somewhere):

endaayaan - at my home
endaayan - at your (singl) home
endaad - at his home
endaayaang - at our (exc) home
endaayang - at our (inc) home
endaayeg - at your (pl) home
endaawaaad - at their home

Lesson 20 - Where from? 

Aandi? - Where?

Aandi onji? - Where from?

Adaawewigamigong - At / in the store.

Adaawewigamigong izhi - To the store.

Adaawewigamigong onji - From the store.

Zaagiing - At Fort Alexander.

Zaagiing izhi - To Fort Alexander.

Zaagiing onji - From Fort Alexander.

Zaagiing nindani-izhi-giiwe - I am going home to Fort Alexander.

Mishgodeng ningii-onji-giiwe - I went home from the prairie.

Gaa-okoteg ningii-onji-giiwe - I went home from Winnipeg.

Zaagiing ningii-bi-onji-maajaa - I left Fort Alexander to come here.

Zaagiing ningii-onji-maajaa - I left Fort Alexander to go elsewhere.

Apatoon adaawewigamigong - Run to the store.

Adaawewigamigong ningii-apatoo - I ran to the store.

Adaawewigamigong onjibatoo - He is running from the store.

Oodenaang bi-onjibatoo - He is running from town in this direction.

Gii-onji-zaagijibatoo adaawewigamigong - He ran out of the store.

Asiniing inaadagaan - Swim to the stone.

Aazhoganing gii-izhi-bagizo - He swam to the bridge.

Aazhoganing onji-bagizon - Swim from the bridge.

Asiniing bi-onji-bagizon - Swim from the stone to this direction.

Aandi wenjiiyan? - Where are you from?

Zaagiing nindoonjii - I am from Fort Alexander.

Nimbaabaa gaye Zaagiing onji - My father is from Fort Alexander also.

Besho na gidayaa? - Do you live near by?

Aandi gibaabaa eyaad? - Where does your father live?

Waasa omaa onji-ayaa - He lives far from here.

Gaawiin mashi ningii-izhaasii adaawewigamigong - I didn't go to the store yet.

Endaayaan daga izhaadaa - Let's go to my house.

Adaawewigamigong nii-izhaa akawe - I want to go to the store first.

New Words:

aandi onji - where from

onji- - from there

izhi- - to there

onjii, or onjibaa - he is from there; he comes from there

mishgode - prairie

Zaagiing - Fort Alexander

Gaa-okoteg - Winnipeg

apatoo - he runs

zaagijibatoo - he runs out

onjibatoo - he runs from

inaadagaa - he swims (there)

asin(iig) - stone

aazhogan(an) - bridge

gaye - and, also

waasa - far

gaawiin mashi - not yet

akawe - first; first of all (time sequence)

Note.

izhi- and onji- are preverbs, and are added to verbs, not to nouns.

1) Zaagiing nindani-izhi-giiwe - I go home to Fort Alexander (Fort Alexander 'i-there-to-go.home'.)

Ani- indicates that Fort Alexander is there and i'm currently not in that place.

2) Waasa omaa onji-ayaa - He lives far from here. (Far here 'from-he.lives').

Onji and izhi may also stand after place names to indicate direction if there are no verbs in the statement:

Adaawewigamigong izhi - To the store.
Zaagiing onji - From Fort Alexander.

Ojibwe verbs can take lots of different preverbs. The verb apatoo (he is running there) occurs in this lesson with several preverbs, which change its meaning and thus form new words:

onjibatoo = onji- + apatoo.
zaagijibatoo = zaagiji- + apatoo, zaagiji- means 'out', 'outside'.

onjii - is a verb meaning 'he is from a certain place', or 'he comes from a certain place'.

daga (please, come on) it often used with 'let's' in Ojibwe.

Endaayaan daga izhaadaa - let's go to my house.
Daga ojibwemodaa! - let's speak ojibwe!

nii-zhaa - I want to go, I will go (ni+wii=nii)

Lesson 21 - Relatives 

Nibaabaa - My father

Gibaabaa - Your father

Obaabaayan - His/her father

Nimaamaa - My mother

Gimaamaa - Your mother

Omaamaayan - His/her mother

Ningozis - My son

Ningozisag - My sons

Gigozis - Your son

Gigozisag - Your sons

Ogozisan - His/her son

Ogozisa' - His/her sons

Nindaanis - My daughter

Nindaanisag - My daughters

Gidaanis - Your daughter

Gidaanisag - Your daughters

Odaanisan - His/her daughter

Odaanisa' - His/her daughters

Nisaye - My older brother

Nisayeyag - My older brothers

Gisaye - Your older brother

Gisayeyag - Your older brothers

Osayeyan - His/her older brother

Osayeya' - His/her older brothers

Nimise - My older sister

Nimiseyag - My older sisters

Gimisa - Your older sister

Gimiseyag - Your older sisters

Omiseyan - His/her older sister

Omiseya' - His/her older sisters

Nishiime - My younger sibling

Nishiimeyag - My younger siblings

Gishiime - Your younger sibling

Gishiimeyag - Your younger siblings

Oshiimeyan - His/her younger sibling

Oshimeya' - His/her younger siblings

Joe obaabaayan onowe - This is Joe's father.

Joe oshiimeya' onowe - These are Joes younger siblings.

Joe obaabaayan abiwan - Joe's father is at home.

Osayeya' gaye abiwa' - His older brothers are at home also.

Aaniin ezhichigenid omaamaayan? - What is his mother doing?

Aaniin omaamaayan ezhichigenid? - What is his mother doing?

Jiibaakwewan - She is cooking.

Aandi odaanisa' gaad-izhaaanid? - Where did his daughters go?

Magizha oodenaang gii-izhaawa' - Maybe they went to town.

Awe inini obaabaayan aakoziwan - This man's father is sick.

New Words:

abi - he is there; he is at home

jiibaakwe - he cooks

Note.

In Ojibwe relatives could not be mentioned without special prefixes, indicating whose relatives they are: my, your, his, ours, etc. These prefixes are called the possessive prefixes.
Possessive prefixes look very much like personal prefixes, but they are added to nouns:

my ni- (relative)

your singl gi-(relative)

his/her o-(relative)-[n]

our (exc) ni-(relative)-nan

our (inc) gi-(relative)-nan

your pl gi-(relative)-waa

their o-(relative)-waa-[n]

Despite English, a noun in the possessive form in Ojibwe is a term for a relative. A possessor isn't marked:

Joe obaabaayan - Joe's father.
Awe inini obaabaayan aakoziwan - This man's father is sick.

'His' or 'her' relatives take an additional suffix. This is a process called obviation. The obviative is sometimes referred to as the "fourth person". And is used to distinguish between multiple third-persons in a sentence. For example, there are two third persons in the sentence Awe inini obaabaayan aakoziwan (This man's father is sick). One of them is this man, and the other is (his) father. It is a rule in Ojibwe, that the third person's relative is always considered obviative (or the fourth person) and is always marked for obviation.

The obviative suffix for a singular noun is -an (or: -yan, -wan):

Ogozisan - His/her son
Odaanisan - His/her daughter

The obviative suffix for a plural noun is -a' (or: -ya', -wa'):

Ogozisa' - His/her sons
Odaanisa' - His/her daughters

Verbs and demonstrative pronouns related to an obviative noun are also marked for obviation. The AI verb obviative suffixes in the independent order are:

s/he obv. -> (verb)+wan
they (obv.) -> (verb)+wa'

In content questions the obviative suffix is -nid:

s/he obv. -> (verb)+nid
they (obv.) -> (verb)+nid

With obviative nouns only inanimate plural demonstrative pronouns are used:

Joe obaabaayan onowe - This is Joe's father.
Joe oshiimeya' onowe - These are Joes younger siblings.

Lesson 22 - Open and Close 

Baakinan waasenigan - Open the window.

Baakinan - Open it or them.

Baakinan izhgwaandem - Open the door.

Gibaan waasenigan - Close the window.

Gibaan - Close it or them.

Gibaan izhgwaandem - Close the door.

Gibaan waaseniganan - Close the windows.

Baakinamog izhgwaandem - Open the door you people.

Baakinamog waasenigan - Open the window you people.

Bi-gibaan izhgwaandem - Come close the door.

Ando-gibaan izhgwaandem - Go close the door.

Ando-gibaan izhgwaandem zhemag - Go close the door immediately.

Gego gibaanken izhgwaandem - Don't close the door.

Gego baakinankeg iniwe waaseniganan - Don't open those windows you people.

New Words:

baakinan - open it

gibaan - close it

waasenigan(an) - window

izhgwaandem(an) - door

Note.

In English statements like i see it, you close it, etc, consist of three words. In Ojibwe such statements consist of only one word. And this word is a TI verb (transitive inanimate verb).

As you already know, Ojibwe verbs add personal affixes to mark a subject (a person performing an action). This subject could be either animate or inanimate. And there are two categories of verbs (VAI and VII) for these two types of subjects.

Two other categories of verbs in Ojibwe deal with animate and inanimate objects of verbs (a person or an object that is acted upon by the subject). The ability of verbs to add objects is called transitivity. Thus transitivity and animation are two main features of Ojibwe verbs. And only transitive verbs are used when there is an object towards which an action is directed (e.g.: a door, a window, a boat, a house, etc.)

Verbs used with inanimate objects are called transitive inanimate verbs (TI verbs, or VTI).

When you describe an action, which is directed towards any inanimate thing (an object), you need to use a TI verb even if this object is mentioned in the statement simply as it.

The Imperative (commands) for TI verbs is formed with suffixes:

Positive Prohibitive

you singl: (verb)-an/-n gego (verb)-anken/-ken

you pl: (verb)-amog/-og gego (verb)-ankeg/-keg

we: (verb)-andaa/-daa gego (verb)-anzidaa/-sidaa

There are two classes of TI verbs depending on either a verb stem ends in a consonant (class 1), or in a vowel (class 2).

Lesson 23 - More Open and Close 

Baakinan waasenigan - Open the window.

Azha ningii-baakinaan - I already opened it.

Gigii-gibaan na izhgwaandem? - Did you close the door?

Gigii-gibaan na? - Did you close it?

Gaawiin ningii-gibaanziin - I didn't close it.

Awe na gwiiwizenz ogii-gibaan? - Did that boy close it?

Gigozis na ogii-baakinaanan waaseniganan? - Did your son open the windows?

Ogii-baakinaanan - He opend them.

Gaawiin ogii-baakinanziinan - He didn't open them.

Gigii-baakinaanan na? - Did you open them?

Ogowe ikwezenzag ogii-baakinaanaawaan waaseniganan - These girls opened the windows.

Ogii-gibaanaawaa na iwe izhgwaandem? - Did they close that door?

Ogii-baakinaanaawaa - They opened it.

Ni-wii-gibaanan izhgwaandeman - I am going to close the doors.

Note.

Independent indicative for VTI

  it them

i, me ni-(verb)-aan/-n ni-(verb)-aanan/-nan

you singl gi-(verb)-aan/-n gi-(verb)-aanan/-nan

s/he o-(verb)-aan/-n o-(verb)-aanan/-nan

we (exc) ni-(verb)-aamin/-min ni-(verb)-aamin/-min

we (inc) gi-(verb)-aamin/-min gi-(verb)-aamin/-min

you pl gi-(verb)-aanaawaa/-naawaa gi-(verb)-aanaawaan/-naawaan

they o-(verb)-aanaawaa/-naawaa o-(verb)-aanaawaan/-naawaan

Independent negative for VTI

  it them

i, me ni-(verb)-anziin/-siin ni-(verb)-anziinan/-siinan

you singl gi-(verb)-anziin/-siin gi-(verb)-anziinan/-siinan

s/he o-(verb)-anziin/-siin o-(verb)-anziinan/-siinan

we (exc) ni-(verb)-anziimin/-siimin ni-(verb)-anziimin/-siimin

we (inc) gi-(verb)-anziimin/-siimin gi-(verb)-anziimin/-siimin

you pl gi-(verb)-anziinaawaa/-siinaawaa gi-(verb)-anziinaawaan/-siinaawaan

they o-(verb)-anziinaawaa/-siinaawaa o-(verb)-anziinaawaan/-siinaawaan

There is a flexible word order in Ojibwe which can vary without changing the essential meaning of the sentence. Both sentences below mean these girls opened the windows.

1) Ogowe ikwezenzag ogii-baakinaanaawaan waaseniganan.

These girls (the subject) they-opened-them (VTI) the windows (the object).

2) Waaseniganan ogii-baakinaanaawaan ogowe ikwezenzag.

Windows (the object) they-opened-them (VTI) these girls (the subject).

Lesson 24 - Who? 

Awenen gewajid? - Who is cold?

Awenen gezhizod? - Who is hot?

Awenen nibaad? - Who is asleep?

Awenen ebid? - Who is at home?

Awenen enokiid? - Who is working?

Awenen wiisinid? - Who is eating?

Awenenag wiisiniwaad? - Who all are eating?

Awenenag enokiiwaad? - Who all are working?

Awenen gaa-baapid? - Who laughed?

Awenen gaa-nibaad? - Who slept?

Awenen gaa-gibaang izhgwaandem? - Who closed the door?

Awenen gaa-gibaang? - Who closed it?

Niin - I or me

Awenen iwedi eyaad? - Who is over there?

Aandi ezhaad gisaye? - Where is your older brother going?

Zaaga'iganing izhaa - He is going to the lake.

Gidizhaa na gaye giin? - Are you going also?

New Words:

baapi - he laughs

niin - i, me

gaye giin - and you (singl)

Notes.

In Zaaga'iganing izhaa, zaaga'iganing (to the lake) is not an object. So there is no TI verb here.

Personal pronouns usually do not appear with verbs in Ojibwe. But if there are no verbs, they are used to indicate a person.

Personal pronouns. There are seven personal pronouns in Ojibwe:

niin I, me

giin you singl

wiin s/he

niinawind we exclusive - we without you; i and them

giinawind we incusive - we with you; i and you, or i, them, and you

giinawaa you pl

wiinawaa they