Ojibwe Lessons 25 - 36
Lesson 25
Wegonen waabandamaan? - What do you see?
Waaka'igan niwaabandaan - I see a house.
Niwaabandaan waaka'igan - I see a house.
Niwaabandaan - I see it.
Niwaabandaanan niswi waaka'iganan - I see three houses.
Niwaabandaanan - I see them.
Wegonen waabandang awe inini? - What does that man see?
Wegonen waabandang? - What does he see?
Waaka'igan owaabandaan - He sees a house.
Owaabandaan - He sees it.
Wegonen waabandamowaad? - What do they see?
Wiinawa gaye owaabandaanaawaa - They see it also.
Gegoo ninoondaan - I hear something.
Ginoondaan na? - Do you hear it?
Geyaabi na ginoondaan? - Do you still hear it?
Gaawiin, gegoo ninoondaanziin - I don't hear anything.
Ningii-mikaan gegoo - I found something.
Ningii-mikaan - I found it.
Wegonen mikamaan? - What did you find?
Gaawiin, ningikendanziin - I don't know it.
Awenen gikendang? - Who knowes it?
Gigii-mikaanan na nimazina'iganan? - Did you find my books?
Gigii-mikaanan na? - Did you find them?
Gaawiin, ningii-mikaanziinan - I didn't find them.
Gigii-mikaanan na gimakizinan? - Did you find your shoes?
Eya, ningii-mikaanan - Yes, I found them.
Aandi gaa-mikamaan? - Where did you find them?
New Words:
waabandan - see it (vti)
noondan - hear it (vti)
mikan - find it (vti)
gikendan - know it (vti)
makizin(an) - shoe, moccasin
Note.
Conjunct Order, indicative for VTI:
it, them
i, me (verb)-amaan/-yaan
you singl (verb)-aman/-yan
s/he (verb)-ang/-d
we (exc) (verb)-amaang/-yaang
we (inc) (verb)-amang/-yang
you pl (verb)-ameg/-yeg
they (verb)-amowaad/-waad
Lesson 26
Awenen waabamad? - Who[m] do you see?
Niwaabamaa Joe - I see Joe.
Joe niwaabamaa - I see Joe.
Giwaabamaa na? - Do you see him?
Niwaabamaa - I see him.
Gigii-waabamaa na Joe bijiinaago? - Did you see Joe yesterday?
Gigii-waabamaa na? - Did you see him?
Miinange, ningii-waabamaa - Yes, I saw him.
Aandi gaa-waabamad? - Where did you see him?
Awenenag gaa-waabamadwaa? - Who (pl) did you see?
Gaawiin, ningii-waabamaasii gibaabaa - I didn't see your father.
Gaawiin, ningii-waabamaasii - I didn't see him.
Gaawiin, ningii-waabamaasiig gisayeyag - I didn't see your older brothers.
Gaawiin, ningii-waabamaasiig - I didn't see them.
Awenen ge-waabamag waabang? - Who will I see tomorrow?
Gigikenimaa na nimbaabaa? - Do you know my father?
Gigikenimaa na? - Do you know him?
Eya, ningikenimaa - Yes, I know him.
Gikenimaag na igiwe ikwewag? - Do you know those women?
Gikenimaag na? - Do you know them?
Miinange, ningikenimaag - Yes, I know them.
Ninoondawaa animosh - I hear a dog.
Ma'iingan ninoondawaa - I hear a wolf.
Ninoondawaa - I hear him.
Ginoondawaa na? - Do you hear him?
Ginoondawaag na ma'iinganag? - Do you hear the wolves?
Ginoondawaag na? -Do you hear them?
Miinange, ninoondawag - Yes, I hear them.
Awenen noondawag? - Who do I hear?
Awenen noondawad? - Who do you hear?
Awiya ninoondawaa - I hear someone.
Gaawiin ninoondawaasii awiya - I don't hear anyone.
Ningii-mikawaa zhooniyaa - I found money.
Ningii-mikawaa animosh - I found a dog.
Ningii-mikawaa - I found him.
Aandii gaa-mikawaad? - Where did you find him?
Ningii-mikawaag ogowe animoonzag - I found those puppies.
Ningii-mikawaag - I found them.
Aandi gaa-mikawadwaa? - Where did you find them?
Ningii-mikawaag omaa miikanoong - I found them here on the road.
Gaawiin ningii-mikawaasii kizhooniyaam - I didn't find your money.
Gaawiin ningii-mikawaasii - I didn't find it.
New Words:
waabam - see someone (vta)
gikenim - know someone (vta)
mikaw - find someone (vta)
noondaw - hear someone (vta)
awiya - someone
gaawiin awiya - no one
ma'iingan(ag) - wolf
animoonz(ag) - puppy
miikana(n) - road
zhooniyaa - money (animate, singular)
kizhooniyaam - your money
Notes
VTA. Transitive animate verbs (abbreviated VTA) have animate objects.
Independent order. Indicative, or neutral mood:
(the first row is for 'i see him/her' & 'i see them'
the second row - 'you see him/her' & 'you see them)
him/her them
i, me ni-waabam-aa ni-waabam-aag
you singl gi-waabam-aa gi-waabam-aag
Independent order, negative mood:
(the first row is for 'i don't see him/her' & 'i don't see them'
the second row - 'you don't see him/her' & 'you don't see them)
him/her them
i, me ni-waabam-aasii ni-waabam-aasiig
you singl gi-waabam-aasii gi-waabam-aasiig
Conjunct Order. Indicative, or neutral mood:
him/her them
i, me waabam-ag waabam-agwaa
you singl waabam-ad waabam-adwaa
Conjunct Order. Negative mood:
him/her them
i, me waabam-aasiwag waabam-aasiwagwaa
you singl waabam-aasiwad waabam-aasiwadwaa
All Ojibwe nouns can take possessive affixes, meaning - my, your, his, their, our, etc. Some nouns take an additional suffix /-iim/, or /-m/.
kizhooniyaam - your money (gi-zhooniyaa-m).
This suffix is added before a possessive suffix, e.g.:
ni-zhooniyaa-m - my money
gi-zhooniyaa-m-iwaa - your pl money
Lesson 27
Awenenan waabmaad animosh? - Who[m] does the dog see?
Awenenan waabamaad? - Who[m] does s/he see?
Maagizha animoshan owaabamaan - Maybe he sees a dog.
Awenenan noondawaad? - Who[m] does s/he hear?
Nimbaabaa onoondawaan ma'iinganan - My father hears a wolf.
Nimbaabaa onoondawaan - My father hears him.
Onoondawaan ma'iinganan - S/he hears a wolf.
Onoondawaan - S/he hears him.
Nimbaabaa onoondawaa' ma'iingana' - My father hears wolves.
Onoondawaa' - S/he hears them.
Awedi na inini ogikenimaan gibaabaayan? - Does that man know your father?
Awedi na inini ogikenimaan? - Does that man know him?
Ogikenimaan na gibaabaayan? - Does he know your father?
Miinange, ogikenimaan - Yes, he knows him.
Ogikenimaa' na gigozisa'? - Does he know your sons?
Miinange, ogikenimaa' - Yes, he knows them.
Ogikenimaan na iniwe ininiwan? - Does he know that man?
Ogikenimaan na awe inini? - Does that man know him?
Gaawiin, nimaamaa ogikenimaasiin gimaamaayan - My mother doesn't know your mother.
Gaawiin, ogikenimaasi' onowe ikwewa' - She doesn't know these women.
Gaawiin, ogikenimaasi' onowe anishinaabe' - She doesn't know these people.
Awenen gaa-mikawaad nizhooniyaman? - Who found my money?
Niin, ningii-mikawaa - I found him.
Awenenan gibaabaa gaa-mawadisaad bijiinaago? - Who[m] did your father visit yesterday.
Ogii-ando-mawadisaa' osayeya' - He went to visit his older brothers.
Awenenan ogowe animoshag genawaabamaawad? - Who[m] are those dogs looking at?
Awenenan noondawaawad? - Who[m] do they hear?
Awiyan owaabamaawaan - They see someone.
Abinojiiya' onoondawaawa' - They hear children.
Igiwe na ininiwag ogii-mikawaawa' abinojiiya'? - Did those men find the children?
Igiwe ininiwag ogii-mikawaawaan - Those men found him.
Ogii-mikawaawaan - They found him.
Ogii-mikawaawa' - They found them.
Gaawiin, ogii-mikawaasiiwan - They didn't find him.
New Words:
mawadishi /mawadis-/ - visit someone (vta)
zhooniya - money (animate)
nizhooniyaman - my money (obviative)
Notes
Obviative. Obviative usually helps to define a subject from an object:
Ogikenimaan na iniwe ininiwan? - Does he (proximate) know that man (inini-wan; obviative)?
Ogikenimaan na awe inini? - Does that man (inini; proximate) know him (obviative)?
All obviative nouns, even in singular, take plural inanimate demonstrative pronouns:
iniwe ininiwan - that man; obviative.
These are vta affixes for objects in obviative:
Independent order, neutral mode:
obviative 3d person sg. obviative 3d person pl.
s/he o-(verb)-an o-(verb)-a'
they o-(verb)-awaan o-(verb)-awa'
Independent order, negative mode:
obviative 3d person sg. obviative 3d person pl.
s/he o-(verb)-asiin o-(verb)-asi'
they o-(verb)-asiiwaan o-(verb)-asiiwa'
Conjunct order, neutral mode:
obviative 3d person sg. obviative 3d person pl.
s/he (verb)-ad (verb)- a'
they (verb)-awaad (verb)-awa'
Conjunct order, negative mode:
obviative 3d person sg. obviative 3d person pl.
s/he (verb)-asiig (verb)-sinog
they (verb)-asigwaa (verb)-asigwa'
Obviative s/he is usually an object in Ojibwe.
The only exclusion - his/her relatives, which are always obviative, even if they are subjects.
Lesson 28
Ganawaabam awe inini - Look at that man.
Ganawaabam igiwe ininiwag - Look at those men.
Ganawaabam - Look at him or them
Ganawaabamik awe inini - Look at that man you people.
Ganawaabamik - Look at him you people.
Nazhge ganawaabamikog igiwe abinoojiiyag - Just look at those children, you people.
Ganawaabamikog - Look at them you people.
Gego ganawaabamaken awe inini - Don't look at that man.
Gego ganawaabamaken igiwe anishinaabeg - Don't look at those people.
Gego ganawaabamaken - Don't look at him or her.
Gego ganawaabamakeg awe inini - Don't look at that man you people.
Gego ganawaabamakeg - Don't look at him or them you people.
Ganawaabandan iwe mazina'igan - Look at that book.
Wegonen genawaabandaman? - What are you looking at?
Bizindaw gimishoomis - Listen to your grandfather.
Nazhge bizindaw igiwe bineshiiyag - Just listen to those birds.
Bizindawig gimishoomisiwa' - Listen to your grandfather, you people.
Daga bizindawaadaa awe inini - Come on, lets listen to that man.
Bizindawaadaa - Let's listen to him.
Daga bizindawaadaanig igiwe ininiwag - Come on, let's listen to those men.
Bizindawaadaanig - Let's listen to them.
Bizindan iwe jiimaan - Listen to that boat.
Bizindamog nazhge, abinoojiiyidog - Just listen to it you children.
Wegonen bizindaman? - What are you listening to?
Ando-mawadishi gookom - Go visit your grandmother.
Giwii-mawadisaa' na gookom? - Are you going to visit your grandmother?
Waabang niwii-mawadisaa' - I'm going to visit her tomorrow.
Bii' gimaamaa - Wait for your mother.
Bii' abinoojiiyag - Wait for the children.
Daga bii'aadaa Joe - Let's wait for Joe.
Awenen bii'ad? - Who[m] are you waiting for?
Nimbaabaa nimbii'aa - I am waiting for my father.
Giwii-bii'aa na gisaye? - Are you going to wait for your older brother?
Gaawiin niwii-bii'aasii - I'm not going to wait for him.
Awenenan gisaye bii'aad? - Who[m] is your older brother waiting for?
Biitoon iwe jiimaan - Wait for that boat.
Wegonen biitooyan? - What are you waiting for?
Jiimaan nimbiitoon - I'm waiting for the boat.
Wegonen Joe biitood? - What is Joe waiting for?
New Words:
ganawaabam- - look at someone (vta)
ganawaaband- - look at something (vti)
nimishomis(ag) - my grandfather
gimishoomis(ag) - your grandfather
nookom, or nookomis(ag) - my grandfather
gookom - your grandmother
bizindaw- - listen to someone (vta)
bizindan- - listen to something (vti)
bineshii(yag) - bird
nazhge - look! behold!
bii'- - wait for someone (vta)
biitoo- - wait for something (vti)
Note.
Commands for vta verbs are more complicated. Different suffixes are used to say 'see me!', 'see him!', 'see them!'. Differences in suffixes also occur giving command to one and more than one person (you, you people).
'Let's' - is also considered to be a command, given to us by ourselves. 'Let's' suffixes are also placed in a table of command suffixes.
Theses are only several command suffixes:
Positive commands:
him/her them
you singl. (you): (verb) (verb)
you pl. (you people): (verb)-ig/-ik (verb)-ig/-ikog
we (let's): (verb)-aadaa (verb)-aadaanig
For 'you pl', verbs ending with -aw (bizindaw-) take the first suffix before /, and verbs ending with a consonant (ganawaabam-) take the second suffix after /.
Some verbs (here: mawadis-) change the last sound in into -sh or -zh before taking imperative suffix (e.g.: mawadishi; mawadishig) for 'you' and 'you people'.
Prohibitive ('don't do' commands):
him/her them
you singl: gego (verb)-aken gego (verb)-aken
you pl: gego (verb)-akeg gego (verb)-akeg
we: gego (verb)-aasidaa gego (verb)-aasidaanig
Lesson 29
Ginoondezgade na? - Are you hungry?
Ninoondezgade - I am hungry.
Wegonen waa-miijiyan? - What are you going to eat?
Wegonen noonde-miijiyan? - What do you want to eat?
Wiyaas niwii-miijin - I am going to eat meat.
Wiyaas ninoonde-miijin - I want to eat meat.
Manoomin ninoonde-amwaa - I want to eat rice/cereal.
Manoomin ninoonde-amo - I want to eat rice/cereal.
Giwii-amo na bakaakwaan? - Are you going to eat chicken?
Wegonen Joe waa-miijid? - What is Joe going to eat?
Wegonen Joe noonde-miijid? - What does Joe want to eat.
Wiyaas gaye wiin onoonde-miijin - S/he also wants to eat meat.
Owii-amon onowe opiniin - S/he is going to eat this potato.
Owii-amwaan onowe opiniin - S/he is going to eat this potato.
Owii-amwaa' onowe opinii' - S/he is going to eat these potatoes.
Wegonen miijiyan? - What are you eating?
Wiyaas nimiijin - I am eating meat.
Bakwezhigan nindamwaa - I am eating bread.
Opiniig nindamwaag - I am eating potatoes.
Waawanoon na gimiijinan? - Are you eating eggs?
Wegonen gibaabaa miijid? - What is your father eating?
Bagaana' odamwaa' - S/he is eating roots.
Gaye niin nindamwaag - I am eating them too.
Awenen gaa-amwaad zhiishiiban? - Who ate the duck?
Awenen gaa-miijid wiyaas? - Who ate the meat?
Animosh ogii-miijin - The dog ate it.
Okaadaak - Carrot.
Okaadaakog - Carrots.
Odiziigaan - Turnip.
Odiziigaanan - Turnips.
Mishiimin - Apple.
Mishiiminag - Apples.
Naboob - Soup. (inanimate)
Ziizibakod - Sugar. (inanimate)
Zhiiwitaagan - Salt. (inanimate)
Wiisogad - Pepper. (inanimate)
Niga - Goose.
Nigag - Geese.
Giigoo - Fish.
Giigooyag - Fishes.
Mandaamin - Corn. (animate)
Bezhig eta go ningii-amo opin - I ate only one potato.
Bangi ningii-amwaag opiniig - I ate a few potatoes.
Ningii-amwaag niibawaa opiniig - I ate a lot of potatoes.
Akina ode'iminan ningii-miijinan - I ate all the strawberries.
Miijin owe wiyaas - Eat this meat.
Miijin zhemag - Eat it immediately.
Zhemag miijig - Eat it immediately, you people.
Miijidaa - Let's eat.
Gaawiin, ninoonde-miijisiin - I don't want to eat it.
Amo bakwezhigan - Eat the bread.
Amo miskominag - Eat the raspberries.
Amo - Eat him or them (animate).
Amok bakwezhigan - Eat the bread, you people.
Amok - Eat him, you people.
Amokog - Eat them you people.
New Words:
noondezgade - he is hungry (vai)
noonde- - want to do smth.
miiji- - eat something (vti)
amw-, or amo- - eat someone (vta)
bakaakwaan(ag) - hen
zhiishiib(ag) - duck
manoomin - rice, wild rice; cereal (animate)
wiyaas - meat (inanimate)
opin(iig) - potato
bakwezhigan - bread (animate)
waawan(oon) - egg
bagaan(ag) - root (eatable); nut
eta go: eta - only; go - emphatic particle
bangi - a little; a little bit
niibawaa - a lot; many; much
akina - all
miskomin(ag) - raspberry
Note.
Nouns for food in Ojibwe could be either animate or inanimate.
To say 'i am eating', 'i am eating it' and 'i am eating him/her (animate noun)' three different verbs 'eat' must be used in Ojibwe. The first one - wiisini (he is eating) you already know. It is used with no object, it is a vai verb.
Two others: miiji- eat it (vti); and amw- eat him (vta).
eta go means 'only'. 'Eta' could be used alone also meaning 'only'. 'Go' is called - an emphatic particle. 'Go' doesn't have it's own meaning. It is used to stress, or emphasize other words, for to attract attention to them. 'Go' is very often used in Ojibwe, it's placed after a word, which it is stressing.
amw-/amo- (eat him/her). The main form of this verb is amw-. But making commands (and with some other suffixes) it is changed into amo-. This verb takes the same command suffixes as verbs ending in a consonant (waabam-), but dropping the first -i in those suffixes.
If a verb ends in a vowel (miiji-) it takes a negative suffix -sii(n); if it ends in a consonant, 's' in a negative suffix is replaced by 'z': -zii(n).
Lesson 30
Ninoodeyaabaagwe - I am thirsty.
Ginoodeyaabaagwe na? - Are you thirsty?
Ninoonde-minikwe - I want to drink.
Wegonen waa-minikweyan? - What are you going to drink?
Ishgodewaaboo niwii-minikwe - I am going to drink liquor/beer.
Niwii-minikwe - I am going to drink it.
Wegonen waa-minikwed giwiijiwaakan? - What does your partner want to drink?
Doodoozhaabo wii-minikwe - S/he is going to drink milk.
Wii-minikwe - S/he is going to drink it.
Doodoozhaabo noonde-minikwe - S/he wants to drink milk.
Wegonen minikweyan? - What are you drinking?
Nibi na giminikwe? - Are you drinking water?
Nibi niminikwe - I am drinking water.
Nibi eta go niminikwe - I am just drinking water.
Niminikwe - I am drinking (it).
New Words:
noodeyaabaagwe - he is thirsty (vai)
minikwe - he drinks, he drinks something (vai)
wiijiwaakan(ag) - companion, partner
giwiijiwaakan - your partner
ishgodewaaboo - liquor/beer (inanimate)
doodoozhaabo - milk (inanimate)
nibi - water (inanimate)
Note.
'Minikwe' is a vai verb. But it is an exception from the rule. This verb can take an object, so it means both 'he drinks/is drinking' and 'he drinks/is drinking it'.
Liquids are inanimate nouns; they usually are not used with plural endings.
Grammar note.
Vai verb minikwe can take an object.
Lesson 31
Aandi etegin gimazina'iganan? - Where are your books?
Aandi gaa-atooyan? - Where did you put it or them?
Adoopowining ningii-atoonan - I put them on the table.
Odaapinan imaa onji adoopowining - Take it or them off the table.
Odaapinan imaa onji - Take it or them from there.
Azha awiya ogii-odaapinaanan - Someone has already taken them.
Awenen gaa-odaapinang nimazina'iganan? - Who took my books?
Aandi eteg nimazina'igan? - Where is my book?
Awenen gaa-odaapinang? - Who took it or them?
Gigii-odaapinaan na? - Did you take it?
Ningii-odaapinaan - I took it.
Aandi ge-atooyan? - Where will you put them?
Aandi waa-atooyan? - Where are you going to put them?
Atoon iniwe mazina'iganan adoopowining - Put those books on the table.
Atoon adoopowining - Put it or them on the table.
Iwedi atoon - Put it or them over there.
Aazha omaa ningii-atoon - I already put it there.
Gaawiin imaa ningii-atoosiin - I didn't put it there.
Awenen omaa gaa-atood mazina'iganan - Who put the books here?
Awenen gaa-asaad omaa bakwezhigan? - Who put the bread here?
Niin imaa ningii-asaa - I put him there.
Adoopowining ningii-onji-odaapinaa - I took him from the table.
Aandi ebiwaad nizigarettimag? - Where are my cigarettes?
Aandi ebiwaad nindasemaasimag? - Where are my cigarettes?
Adoopowining ningii-asaag - I put them on the table.
Ningii-odaapinaag adoopowining onji - I took them from the table.
Aandi ebid nindasemaa? - Where is my tobacco?
Ningii-asaa nindasemaa adoopowining - I put my tobacco on the table.
Awenen gaa-odaapinaad nindasemaa? - Who took my tobacco?
Omaa ashi - Put him here. Put them (animate) here.
Omaa asig - Put him here, you people.
Omaa asikog - Put them (animate) here, you people.
Gigii-biidoon na wiyaas? - Did you bring the meat?
Awenen gaa-biidooyan? - Who brought it?
Wegonen waa-biidooyan? - What are you going to bring?
Omaa biidoon - Bring it here.
Gaawiin ningii-biidoosiin wiyaas - I didn't bring the meat.
Wegonen gaa-biidooyan? - What did you bring?
Bizh asemaa - Bring some tobacco.
Ningii-biinaa asemaa - I brought some tobacco.
New Words:
ate - it is there; it is in a place (vii)
abi - he is there, at home (vai)
atoo- - place it; put it down (vti)
as- - place him; put him down (vta)
odaapin- - accept it; pick it up (vti)
odaapin- - accept him; pick him up (vta)
biidoo- - bring it here; bring it (vti)
biin- - bring him here; bring him (vta)
asemaa - tobacco (animate)
zigarettim(ag) - cigarette
asemaasim(ag) - cigarette
Note.
The verb 'abi' means both 'be in a certain place (home)' and 'sit in a certain place'. The meaning is usually clear from a context.
The verb 'as-' also change 's' into 'sh' giving a command (as 'mawadis-'), but only for you singl. action towards him/them:
ashi - put him/them down!
asig - you people put him/them down!
The verb 'biin-' change 'n' into 'zh' giving a command to both you singular and plural:
biizh - bring him/them!
biizhig - you people bring him/them!
asemaa (tobacco) is animate as well as cigarettes! Tobacco is a sacred plant.
'Awenen' and 'wegonen' with vti and vta verbs.
1) 'Awenen(ag)' is animate so it is always about the person who performs an action.
2) 'Wegonen(an)' is inanimate - it is always about an object of a vti verb.
3) A question word for vta verb object is 'awenenan (awenena')' - obviative from 'awenen(ag)'.
Niin imaa ningii-asaa - I put him there.
Niin (I) is used to emphasize a person who did the action, like: 'I, I put him there', or 'it was me, I put him there.'
Omaa and ima could be placed both before or after a verb. The difference is in nuances. The first word is more important to a speaker here:
Omaa ashi - Put him/them here.
Ashi omaa - Put him/them here.
Lesson 32
Waazhgeshi ningii-nisaa - I killed a deer.
Waawaazhgeshi ningii-nisaa - I killed a deer.
Ningii-nisaa makwa - I killed a bear.
Ningii-nisaa mako - I killed a bear.
Niizh waazhgezhiwag ningii-nisaag - I killed two deers.
Ningii-nisaag niizh waaboozoog - I killed two rabbits.
Niizh waazhgezhiwaa' ogii-nisaa' nimbaabaa - My father killed two deers.
Nimbaabaa ogii-nisaa' niizh waaboozoo' - My father killed two rabbits.
Niswi nimbaabaa ogii-nisaa' waazhgeshi' - My father killed three deers.
Nimbaabaa ogii-nisaa' bezhig moonzoon - My father killed one moose.
Ogii-nisaan makwan - He killed a bear.
Ogii-nisaa' makwa' - He killed some bears.
Awenen gaa-nisaad onowe zhiishiipan? - Who killed this duck?
Awenen gaa-nisaad onowe zhiishiipa'? - Who killed these ducks?
Gigii-nisaag na? - Did you kill them?
Ogowe ininiwag ogii-nisaawaan zhiishiipan - Those men killed the duck.
Ogowe ininiwag ogii-nisaawaa' zhiishiipa' - Those men killed the ducks.
Nishi awe ginebig - Kill that snake.
Nishi igiwe ginebigoog - Kill those snakes.
Bangi eta go ningii-nisaag zhiishiipag - I killed just a few ducks.
New Words:
nis- - kill someone (vta)
waazhgeshi(wag), or waawaazhgeshi(wag) - deer
makwa(g), or mako - bear
waabooz(oog) - rabbit
moonz(oog) - moose
ginebig(oog) - snake
Note.
A number is usually placed before a noun, to which it is referred:
Niizh waaboozoog ningii-nisaag - I killed two rabbits.
Ningii-nisaag niizh waaboozoog - I killed two rabbits.
Lesson 33
Aandi eteg nimazina'igan? - Where is my book?
Aandi etegin gimazina'iganan? - Where are your books?
Aandi ebid nindasemaa? - Where is my tobacco?
Aandi ebiwaad ninzigarettimag? - Where are my cigarettes?
Gigii-mikaanan na gimakizinan? - Did you find your shoes?
Gaawiin ningii-mikawaasii gizhooniyaam - I didn't find your money.
Awenen gaa-mikawaad nizhooniyaaman? - Who found my money?
Awenen gaa-odaapinang nimazina'iganan? - Who took my books?
Awenen gaa-odaapinaad nindasemaan? - Who took my tobacco?
Ningii-asaa nindasemaa adoopowining - I put my tobacco on the table.
Gigii-odaapinimaan na gibaabaa ozhooniyaaman? - Did you take your father's money?
Ningii-odaapinimaan - I took him.
Aandi gaa-asimad? - Where did you put him?
Aandi gaa-asimad gibaabaa odasemaanza'? - Where did you put your father's cigarettes?
Gigii-mikawimaan na gibaabaa odoopwaaganan? - Did you find your father's pipe?
Gaawiin nindoonji-mikawimaasiin - I didn't find him.
Gigii-mikaan na gibaabaa ojiimaan? - Did you find your father's boat?
Gaawiin nindoonji-mikansiin - I didn't find it.
Ehe, ningii-mikaan - Yeah, I found it.
Ganawaabandan gininjiin - Look at your hands.
Ganawaabaam gizhganzhiig - Look at your nails.
New Words:
odasemaanza' = his tobacco, his cigarettes (plural, obviative)
opwaagan(ag) - tobacco pipe
nininj(iin) - my hand, my finger
nizhganzh(iig) - my nail
Note.
There are vti verbs and vta verbs with objects in possessive form.
Note that only vta verbs' objects, which are possessed by him/her are animate and thus are in obviative.
When speaking about i, you, etc, who put, find, or did something with 'another s/he' (animate thing which is possessed by him/her), different affixes are used!
A form
another him another them
i ni-(verb)-imaan ni-(verb)-imaa'
you singl. gi-(verb)-imaan gi-(verb)-imaa'
B form
another him, them
i (verb)-imag
you singl. (verb)-imad
Gigii-mikawaa na opwaagan? - Did you find a pipe (him)?
Gigii-mikawimaan na gibaabaa odoopwaaganan? - Did you find your father's pipe (another him)?
There is no difference in vti suffixes for objects in possessive form and in usual form:
Gigii-mikaan na jiimaan? - Did you find a boat?
Gigii-mikaan na gibaabaa ojiimaan? - Did you find your father's boat?
Body parts in Ojibwe are also used only with possessive affixes. But despite kin terms, they could be both animate and inanimate. In statements:
Aandi gaa-asimad gibaabaa odasemaanza'? - Where did you put your father's tobacco?
Gigii-mikaan na gibaabaa ojiimaan? - Did you find your father's boat?, etc,
Gibaabaa means father's. It is not an object itself. Objects there are odasemaanza', ojiimaan, etc.
In a statement:
Awenen gaa-mikawaad nizhooniyaaman? - Who found my money?
nizhooniyaman is obviative. A subject there - 'awenen' - 'who' is the third person - he or she (check: who does it?; s/he does it), so nizhooniyaam is an animate object, it's 'another he', so it must take an obviative suffix because of it.
Grammar note.
Body parts are dependent nouns in Ojibwe. They always stand in possessive form. But despite kin terms some of body part terms are animate and some - inanimate nouns.
Lesson 34
Awenen owe omazina'igan? - Who's book is this?
Awenen onowe omazina'iganan? - Who's books are these?
Awenen onowe ozhooniyaaman? - Who's money is this?
Awenen onowe odasemaanza'? - Who's cigarettes are these?
Niin awe nizhooniyaam - That is my money.
Giin na awe? - Is that (animate) yours?
Giin na owe gimazina'igan? - Is that your book?
Niin iwe - That (inanimate) is mine.
Awenen owe? - Whose is this?
Gibaabaa na iwe? - Is that your father's?
New Words:
awenen - who, whose
niin - i, my
giin - you, your
Note.
Personal pronouns like niin, giin, etc, in Ojibwe mean not only 'I', 'you', but also 'my', 'your', etc.
Awenen mean also 'who's'.
Personal pronouns are used there to attract attention to a possessor, not to a thing he possesses. Ojibwe personal pronouns are called - emphatic personal pronouns. Because they are used mostly to emphasize a person in statements. Check a difference:
Giin na owe gimazina'igan? - Is that your book?
Owe na gimazina'igan? - Is that your book?
Grammar note.
Personal pronouns in Ojibwe are called emphatic personal pronouns because of a role they usually play in a sentence. They emphasize and attract attention to themselves. Used in possessive meaning - my, your, etc they attract attention to a possessor.
Lesson 35
Gigawajim na? - Are you people cold?
Ehe, ningawajimin - Yeah, we are cold.
Giga-ando-anokiim na waabang? - Are you people going to work tomorrow?
Gaawiin, ninga-ando-anokiisiimin - We won't be going to work.
Aandi enokiiyeg? - Where do you people work?
Waasa na gidanokiim? - Do you work far away?
Oodenaang nindanokiimin - We work in town.
Aandi ezhaayeg? - Where are you people going?
Nindando-wiisinimin - We are going to eat.
Aaniin ezhichigeg? - What are you people doing?
Ninagamomin - We are singing.
Nindoozhibii'igemin - We are writing.
Ningiziibiiga'igemin - We are doing the laundry.
Gigii-giziinaaganem na? - Did you people wash the dishes?
Gizhoozhgo'igem na? - Are you people ironing?
Zhoozhgo'igeg - Iron, you people.
Niwii-nibaamin - We are going to sleep.
Gaawiin, ningii-nibaasiimin dibikong - We didn't sleep last night.
Ningii-odaminomin naanaakaanda'iganing gaa-agaashiiyaang - We played on the dock when we were little.
Giga-ando-anokiimin na waabang? - Will you and I go to work tomorrow?
Aandi waa-izhaayang? - Where are you and I going?
New Words:
nagamo - he sings (vai)
ozhibii'ige - he writes (vai)
giziibiiga'ige - he washes clothes (vai)
zhoozhgo'ige - he irons (vai)
naanaakaanda'igan(an) - dock
agaashii - he is small, he is little (vai)
Note.
Vai verbs again. These are affixes of A form of vai verbs:
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
To make a negative statement place a negative suffix -sii (or -zii) before a personal suffix.
Note that there are two 'we' - we exclusive and we inclusive.
We exclusive means: we without you, I and them. This 'we' has a prefix ni-.
We inclusive means: we with you, I and you, or I, you and them. This 'we' has a prefix gi-.
These are suffixes of B form of vai 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 with a vowel, but the second is used with verbs, ending with a consonant.
Ningii-odaminomin naanaakaanda'iganing gaa-agaashiiyaang - We played on the dock when we were little.
B form used not only in wh-questions in Ojibwe. It is widely used in complex sentences.
B form usually could be translated as 'when (i, you, etc) am/are/was,etc doing something'. It is used in such expression like 'when i was doing/being something' as in an example above.
Lesson 36
Wegonen noondameg? - What do you people hear?
Ma'iingan ninoondawaanaan - We hear a wolf.
Ginoondawaawaa na? - Do you people hear him?
Giwaabamaawaa na? - Do you people see him?
Ma'iinganag ninoondawaanaanig - We hear some wolves.
Ginoondawaawaag na? - Do you people hear them?
Giwaabamaawaag na? - Do you people see them?
Gigii-bii'aawaa na Joe? - Did you people wait for Joe?
Ningii-bii'aanaan - We waited for him.
Aandi gaa-bii'aayeg? - Where did you wait for him?
Bii'ig nimaamaa - Wait for my mother you people.
Aandi ge-bii'angid? - Where should we wait for her?
Gaawiin, ningii-bii'aasiinaan - We didn't wait for her.
Zhiishiibag ningii-waabamaanaanig - We saw some ducks.
Aandi gaa-waabamaayegwaa? - Where did you see them?
Awenen ge-mawadisaayang? - Whom will you and I visit?
Gookom giga-ando-mawadisaanaan - We'll go visit your grandmother.
Giga-ando-mawadisaanaaig gisayeyag - We'll go visit your older brothers.
Giga-bii'aanaanig na giniigiigoog? - Should we wait for your parents?
Aandi ge-bii'aayangwaa? - Where should we wait for them?
Note.
Let's look closer to 'we' and 'you plural'.
Vti verbs A form affixes for 'we' and 'you plural':
it them
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
B form for 'we' and 'you plural':
it, them
we (exc) (verb)-amaang/-yaang
we (inc) (verb)-amang/-yang
you pl (verb)-ameg/-yeg
Some vta verb forms used in this lesson:
A form:
him/her them
we (exc) ni-(verb)-aannaan ni-(verb)-aanaanig
we (inc) gi-(verb)-aannaan gi-(verb)-aanaanig
you pl gi-( verb)-aawaa gi-( verb)-aawaag
A form negative:
him/her them
we (exc) ni-(verb)-aasiinaan ni-(verb)-aasiinaanig
we (inc) gi-(verb)-aasiinaan gi-(verb)-aasiinaanig
you pl gi-(verb)-aasiiwaa gi-(verb)-aasiiwaag
B form:
him/her them
we (exc) (verb)-angid (verb)-angidwaa
we (inc) (verb)-ang (verb)-angwaa
you pl (verb)-eg (verb)-egwaa
B form negative:
him/her them
we (exc) (verb)-aasiwangid (verb)-aasiwangidwaa
we (inc) (verb)-aasiwang (verb)-aasiwangwaa
you pl (verb)-aasiwad (verb)-aasiwegwaa