The Resource for Applied Anishinaabe Languages
In what condition a being is in:
VAI Verbs
Mii o'ow akeyaa ji-aabajitooyan Ojibwemowin ge-ni-dazhindaman ezhi-ayaad awiya.
Verb Animate Intransitive (VAI) verbs describe a condition or action a Living Being is in the act of being or doing.
Examples: hungry, sick, happy...
A-form
Direct Expression
You see that a person marker is added and they take different forms like Ni- and Nim- for Niin & Gi- and Gid- for Giin. It will depend on whether or not the Verb starts with a Vowel or a Consonant.
​
Nimbakade= I am hungry
Gibakade= You are hungry
Bakade= The living being is hungry
​
Nindaakoz= I am sick
Gidaakoz= You are sick
Aakozi= The living being is sick
​
Niminwendam= I am happy
Giminwendam= You are happy
Minwendam= The living being is happy
B-form
Indirect/Supportive Expression
You see that a person marker is added to the end of the verb. 1st person -yaan, 2nd person -yan, and the 3rd person -d. You will notice with verbs ending with "m" it changes to an "n" with and added "-g" for the 3rd person. B-form are for contributing statements such as; When, If, That, So....
​
Bakadeyaan= When I am hungry
Bakadeyan= When you am hungry
Bakaded= When the living being is hungry
​
Aakoziyaan= When I am sick
Aakoziyan= When you are sick
Aakoziyan= When the living being is sick
​
Minwendamaan= When I am happy
Minwendaman= When you are happy
Minwendang= When the living being is happy
C-form
Action to Noun
You see there is Initial Vowel Change (IVC) and a Bform person marker is added to the verb. This type of verb use expresses the Noun version of a Verb.
​
Bekadeyaan= I am the one that is hungry
Bekadeyan= you are the one that is hungry
Bekaded= the living being is the one that is hungry
​
Ayaakoziyaan= I am the one that is sick
Ayaakoziyan= you are the one that is sick
Ayaakoziyan= the living being is the one that is sick
​
Menwendamaan= I am the one that is happy
Menwendaman= you are one that is happy
Menwendang= the living being is the one that is happy
Niin
Ni ___
Nim ___
Nin ___
(N)ind ___
Niminwendam
Nindaakoz
Nimbakade
Giin
Gi ___
Gid ___
​
Giminwendam
Gidaakoz
Gibakade
Wiin
By default, Ojibwe Words are already in the 3rd Person
​
​
Minwendam
Aakozi
Bakade
Niin
___aan
___yaan
​
Minwendamaan
Aakoziyaan
Bakadeyaan
B-form
Giin
___an
___yan
​
Minwendaman
Aakoziyan
Bakadeyan
Wiin
_(m)ng
___d
​
Minwendang
Aakozid
Bakaded
Niin
(IVC) ___B-form
​
​
Menwendamaan
Ayaakoziyaan
Bekadeyaan
Giin
(IVC) ___an
(IVC) ___yan
​
Menwendaman
Ayaakoziyan
Bekadeyan
Wiin
(IVC) _(m)ng
(IVC) ___d
​
Menwendang
Ayaakozid
Bekaded
A-form
C-form
I am...
A-form
if, that, when I AM...
B-form
I am the one that is...
C-form
