4. On the hour

Familiar phrases

to facilitate conversation in the Indian language.

(Wikwemikong, 1872)

4. On the hour.

[Modern Southwestern Ojibwe variant is shown in green brackets]

What time is it?

Anin endasso dibaiganeg?

[Aaniin endaso-diba'iganeg?]

It is one o'clock, two o'clock.

Ningo dibaigan, nijo dibaigan.

[Ningo-diba'igan, niizho-diba'igan.]

The day break will soon appear.

Jaigwa gega ta waban.

[Azhigwa gegaa da-waaban.]

The day break appears.

Jaigwa waban.

[Azhigwa waaban.]

The sun is rising.

Gisis mokisse.

[Giizis mookise.]

Is it late (speaking in the morning)?

Ishpigijigad na?

[Ishpi-giizhigad na?]

No it is not late; it is early yet.

Kawin ishpigijigassinon keiabi kigijebawagad.

[Gaawiin ishpi-giizhigasinoon, geyaabi gigizhebaawagad.]

How late may it be (in the day)?

Anin epitchi gijigadogwen?

[Aaniin epiichi-giizhigadogwen?]

Is it already noon?

Nawakwe na jaigwa?

[Naawakwe na azhigwa?]

No, it is not yet noon.

Kawin mashi nawakwessinon.

[Gaawiin mashi naawakwesinoon.]

It is just noon now.

Gwaiak nawakwe nongom.

[Gwayak naawakwe noongom.]

He started after twelve o'clock.

Ga ishkwa naokwenig gi madja.

[Gaa-ishkwaa-naawakwenig gii-maajaa.]

Three o'clock in the afternoon.

Nisso dibaigan ishkwa naokweg.

[Niso-diba'igan ishkwaa-naawakweg.]

It is evening.

Jaigwa onagoshi.

[Azhigwa onaagoshi.]

It is twilight.

Tibikabaminagwad.

[Dibikaabaminaagwad.]

Is it late in the night?

Ishpitibikat na?

[Ishpi-dibikad na?]

No. It is not late.

Kawin ishpitibikassinon.

[Gaawiin ishpi-dibikasinoon.]

I see nothing.

Kawin gego nin wabandansin.

[Gaawiin gegoo niwaabandanziin.]

It is night. It very dark.

Nibatibik. Kitchi kashkitibikat.

[Nibaa-dibik. Gichi-gashkii-dibikad]

Is it already midnight?

Abita-tibikad na jaigwa?

[Aabitaa-dibikad na azhigwa?]

No, it is not yet midnight.

Kawin mashi abita-tibikassino.

[Gaawiin mashi aabitaa-dibikasinoon.]

How late may it be (in the night)?

Anin epitatibikatogwen?

[Aaniin epiita-dibikadogwen?]

It is eleven o'clock.

Midasso-dibaigan sa ashi bejig.

[Midaaso-diba'igan sa ashi-bezhig.]

It is just midnight.

Abita-tibikad nongom.

[Aabitaa-dibikad noongom.]

It is past midnight now,

Gi ishkwa abita-tibikad nongom.

[Gii-ishkwaa-aabitaa-dibikad noongom.]

I will start after midnight.

Nin ga madja gi ishkwa abitatibika.

[Ninga-maajaa gii-ishkwaa-aabitaa-dibikak.]

He started at midnight.

Ga ishkwa abita tibikak gi madja.

[Gaa-ishkwaa-aabitaa-dibikak gii-maajaa.]

Do you get up early in the morning?

Waiba na ko kid onishka kigijeb?

[Wayiiba na go gidoonishkaa gigizheb?]

I always get up in the morning early.

Mojag kitchi kigijeb nind-onishka.

[Moozhag gichi-gigizheb nindoonishkaa.]

This morning only I did not get up early.

Jeba eta kawin waiba nin gi onishkassi.

[Zhebaa eta gaawiin wayiiba ningii-onishkaasii.]

Get up, my brother; it is day light.

Onishkan, nishime; jaigwa gi waban.

[Onishkaan, nishiime; azhigwa gii-waaban.]

You are lazy; you sleep too long.

Ki kitimishk; osam ginwenj ki niba ko.

[gikitimishk; onzaam ginwenzh ginibaa go.]

It is not yet ten o'clock.

Kawin mashi midasso dibaiganossinon.

[Gaawiin mashi midaaso-diba'igasinoon.]

Are you accustomed to get up at ten o'clock?

Kid iji-nagatis na tchi onishkaian midasso dibaiganeg?

[Gidizhi-nagadiz na ji-onishkaayan midaaso-diba'iganeg?]

See the watch (clock); is it going?...

Wabam dibaigisisswan; madjishka na? ....

[Waabam diba'igiiziwaan; maajiishkaa na?...]

It is not going; I have not wound it up.

Kawin madjishkassi; kawin nin gi akwabigawassi.

I will wind it up now.

Nongom nin ga ikwabigawa.

When does the sun set?

Anin ko api gisiss pengishimod?

[Aaniin ko apii giizis bengishimod?]

It sets as six o'clock.

Ningotwasso-dibaiganeg sa pangishimo.

[Ningodwaaso-diba'iganeg sa bangishimo.]

When will you go home?

Anin api ge giweieg?

[Aaniin apii ge-giiweyeg?]

We will go home exactly at six o'clock.

Ningotwasso-dibaiganeg sa nin wi-giwemin.

[Ningodwaaso-diba'iganeg sa niwii-giiwemin.]

This watch is very fine.

Kitchi onijishi aw dibaigisisswan.

[Gichi-onizhishi a'aw diba'igiiziswaan.]

How much did it cost?

Anin dasswabik ga-inaginsod?

[Aaniin dasswaabik gaa-inaginzod?]

It cost twenty dollars.

Nijtana sa dasswabik gi-inaginso.

[Niizhtana sa daswaabik gii-inaginzo.]

It is an old watch, it is not new.

Gete aian, kawin oshki-aiaawissi.

[Gete-ayaa, gaawiin oshki-aawisii.]

This watch goes too slow.

Aw dibaigisisswan osam besika.

[A'aw diba'igiiziswaan onzaam bezikaa.]

It goes too quick; it is broken, sometimes it stops.

Osam kijika; gi bigoshka, naningotinong nagashka.

[Onzaam gizhiikaa; gii-biigoshkaa, naaningodinong noogishkaa.]

When will you go out today?

Aniniwapi ge sagaaman nongom?

[Aaniin iw apii ge-zaaga'amaan?]

I will go out at nine o'clock.

Jangasso dibaiganeg sa nin ga sagaam.

[Zhaangaso-diba'iganeg ninga-zaaga'am.]

And before three o'clock I will come home again.

Tchi bwa dash nisso dibaiganeg nin ga bi giwe minawa.

[Jibwaa dash niso-diba'iganeg ninga-bi-giiwe miinawaa.]

Laborers work ten hours a day.

Anokiwiwiniwag midasso dibaigan anokiwag endasso-gijigadinig.

[Anokiiwininiwag midaaso-diba'igan anokiiwag endaaso-giizhigadinig.]

How many hours do you sleep every night?

Anin endasso dibaigan nebaian tebikakin?

[Aaniin endaso-diba'igan nebaayan debikakin?]

I sleep six hours every night.

Ningotwasso-dibaigan sa nin niba endaso tibikak.

[Ningodwaaso-diba'igan sa ninibaa endaso-dibikak.]