Questions aptly put

Where are you going?	Ni pi je ézhyayen?
Where are you all going?	Ni pi je ézhyayék?
Where are we going? (ex)	Ni pi je ézhyayak?
Where are we going? (in)	Ni pi je ézhyaygo?
Where is he/she going?	Ni pi je ézhyét?
Where are they going?	Ni pi je ézhyéwat?
What are you doing?	Ni je éschegéyen?
What are you all doing?	Ni je éschegéyék?
What are they doing?	Ni je éschegéwat?
What is he/she doing?	Ni je ézhechkét?
What did we do? (ex)	Ni je ga zhechkéyak?
What did we do? (in)	Ni je ga zhechkéygo?
What will you do?	Ni je wa zhechkéyen?
What will you all do?	Ni je wa zhechkéyék?
What did you do?	Ni je ga zhechkéyen?
What did you all do?	Ni je ga zhechkéyék?
What did he/she do?	Ni je ga zhechkét?
What did they do?	Ni je ga zhechkéwat?
Where did you go?	Ni pi je ga zhyayen?
Where did you all go?	Ni pi je ga zhyayék?
Where did he/she go?	Ni pi je ga zhyét?
Where did they go?	Ni pi je ga zhyéwat?
Nowhere	Cho ngoji
Over there	Ibe
I am going to the hospital	Mshkekiwgemek nwi zhya
We are going to the hospital (ex)	Mshkekiwgemek nwi zhyamen
We are going to the hospital (in)	Mshkekiwgemek gwi zhyamen
I am going to the store	Dawéwgemek nwi zhya
We are going to the store (ex)	Dawéwgemek nwi zhyamen
We are going to the store (in)	Dawéwgemek gwi zhyamen
Who is that?	Wéni je o?
What is that?	Wégwni je i?
Who are they?	Wéni je gi?
What are those?	Wégwni je ni?
He is a bear	Mko o yawe
He is a dog	Nemosh o yawe
She is a dog	Kwésmo o yawe
She is called Winnie	Winnie zhenkazo
He is called Bob	Bob zhenkazo
What did you do yesterday?	Ni je ga zhechkéyen wnago?
What did you all do yesterday?	Ni je ga zhechkéyék wnago?
What did they do yesterday?	Ni je ga zhechkéwat wnago?
What did he/she do yesterday?	Ni je ga zhechkét wnago?
What are you going to do tomorrow?	Ni je wa zhechkéyen wabek?
What are you all going to do tomorrow?	Ni je wa zhechkéyék wabek?
What will they do tomorrow?	Ni je wa zhechkéwat wabek?
What will he/she do tomorrow?	Ni je wa zhechkét wabek?
What will we do tomorrow? (ex)	Ni je wa zhechkéyak wabek?
What will we do tomorrow? (in)	Ni je wa zhechkéygo wabek?
Do you want something?	Gégo ne gnedwendan?
What do you want?	Ni je énedwendemen?
What do you all want?	Ni je énedwendemek?
I want some water	Énedwendayan anet mbish
More?	Mégwa ne?
Hurry	Kénep
Hurry up	Yabjeyen!
Are you hungry?	Gbekté ne?
Are you all hungry?	Gbektém ne?
Yes, I am hungry	Éhe nbekté
Yes, we are hungry (ex)	Éhe nbektémen
We are not hungry (ex)	Cho nbektésimen
I am not hungry	Cho nbektési
What is this?	Wégni je ode?
What is your name?	Ni je ézhnekasyen?
What are you all’s names?	Ni je ézhnekasyék?
I am called John	John ndezhnekas
We are called John and Mary	John mine Mani zhenkaswik
Come here	Byan shote
Come here (you all)	Byak shote
Put it back	Ton i néyap
Put it down	Bgednen i
Don’t do that	Gégo i zhechkéken
Don’t do that (pl)	Gégo I zhechkékék
Turn it on	Majibdon
Turn off the lights	Atebdon i waskonenjegen
What are you going to eat?	Ni je wa je wisneyen?
What are we going to eat? (ex)	Ni je wa je wisneyak?
What are we going to eat? (in)	Ni je wa je wisneygo?
What are you all going to eat?	Ni je wa je wisneyék?
What is he/she going to eat?	Ni je wa je wisnet?
What are they going to eat?	Ni je wa je wisnewat?
Help me	Nizhokmoshen
Help us	Nizhokmoshek
Where are you from?	Ni pi je wech byayen?
Where are you all from?	Ni pi je wech byayék?
Where are they from?	Ni pi je wech byéwat?
Where is he/she from?	Ni pi je wech byét ?
I am from Oklahoma	Oklahoma ndoch bya
We are from Oklahoma (ex)	Oklahoma ndoch byamen
He/she is from Oklahoma	Oklahoma wej byé
They are from Oklahoma	Oklahoma wej byék
Are you thirsty?	Gashknabagwé ne?
I am thirsty	Ngashknabagwé
We are thirsty (ex)	Ngashknabagwémen
I am not thirsty	Cho ngashknabagwési
We are not thirsty (ex)	Cho ngashknabagwésimen
Hello, friend	Hau, nikan
Hello, my friend	Bozho, nnikan
How are you?	Ni je na?
How are you all?	Ni je na ginwa?
I am fine	Iw she anwe
We are fine	Iw she anwe géninan
I am fine (another way)	Anwe she shena
I am living well	Nmno bmades
We are living well	Nmno bmadsemen
Are you sick?	Gdaknoga ne?
Are you all sick?	Gdaknogam ne?
Are they sick?	Yakwnogék ne?
Is he/she sick?	Yakwnogé ne?
I am sick	Ndaknoga
I am not sick	Cho ndaknogasi
We are sick (ex)	Ndaknogamen
We are not sick (ex)	Cho ndaknogasimen
They are sick	Yakwnogék
They are not sick	Cho yakwnogésik
He/she is sick	Yakwnogé
He/she is not sick	Cho yakwnogési
Are they dancing this evening?	Nim’edik ne ode pkonyak?
How far is it to your house?	Ni je épichiyak édayen?
We are going to the store	Dawéwgemek nwi zhyamen
Yucky	She
Geez	Shkena
Come eat	Byé wisnen
Come eat (all of you)	Byé wisnek
Are we lost	Ggiwanimen ne?
Where are you hanging around?	Ni pi je édnesyen?
Where are you all hanging around?	Ni pi je édnesyék?
Where are they hanging around?	Ni pi je édneswat?
Where is he/she hanging around?	Ni pi je édneset?
Do you like this?	Gmedagwendan ne ode?
Do you all like this?	Gmedagwendak ne ode?
How is your mother?	Ni je éshbmadzet o ggiyé ?
How is your father?	Ni je na o g’os?
We are going to the beach (in)	Jikbyék gzhyamen
Thank you	Migwech
Thank you (heartfelt)	Igwien
It is good	Wenet
It is bad	Myanet
Are you working today?	Gmikchéwi ne ngom?
Are you working hard today?	Kchemikchéwi ne ngom?
I am eating soup	Mbob nmijen
I have already eaten	Ngi gishwisen
Do you ever see John?	Wika ne ggi wabma o John?
Do you ever see them?	Wika ne ggi wabmak gi?
I live on the Citizen Potawatomi Reservation	Shishibéni skongen nda
Are you going to sleep?	Gwi o mba ne?
Go to sleep!	Wi ne mban!
Go to sleep! (all of you)	Wi ne mbak!
Look over there	Nek she ibe
Be careful	Nasana
Be careful (another)	Wigézen
Let’s visit for a while	Gmbwach’ewémen nomek
Come visit me	Mbwach’ewéshen
Come visit us	Mbwach’ewéshek
Later again	Bama mine
I will see you again later	Bama mine gwabmen
Later	Nagech
Little bit later	Shkejiméyek
Are you busy?	Gdotmes ne?
Are you all busy?	Gdotmesem ne?
I am busy	Ndotmes
I am not busy	Cho ndotmesi
We are busy (ex)	Ndotmesmen
We are not busy (ex)	Cho ndotmesimen
Come with me	Wijeweshen
Come with us	Wijeweshek
Are you Indian?	Neshnabé ne gdaw?
Are you all Indians?	Neshnabék ne gdawem?
Yes I am Indian	Éhe neshnabé ndaw
I am not Indian	Cho neshnabé ndawsi
I am an Indian woman	Neshnabékwé ndaw
Are you Potawatomi?	Bodéwadmi ne gdaw?
I am Potawatomi	Bodéwadmi ndaw
I am not Potawatomi	Cho Bodéwadmi ndawsi
I am a Potawatomi Woman	Bodéwadmikwé ndaw
Where are you enrolled?	Ni pi je éndebendagziyen?
Where are you all enrolled?	Ni pi je éndebendagziyék?
I am enrolled with Citizen Band Potawatomi	Shishibéniyek ndebendagwes
I am enrolled with Prairie Band Potawatomi	Mshkodéniyek ndebendagwes
We are enrolled with Citizen Band Potawatomi	Shishibéniyek ndebendagsemen
We are enrolled with Prairie Band Potawatomi	Mshkodéniyek ndebendagsemen
I am enrolled with Forest County	Ksenyaniyek ndebendagwes
What’s happening?	Ni je éshe webek?
What happened?	Ni je ga shewebek?
What happened to you?	Ni je ga she websiyen?
What’s up?	Ni je she shpemek?
What’s going down?	Ni je nisajwen?
I don’t know	Nemetsena
I don’t know anything	Nemetsena gégo
It’s hot	Gshatémget
Something is hot	Gshedémget
It is raining	Gmowen
It is hazy	Pkwenemget
It is warm	Yabwamget
It is blazing hot	Wiskakdemget
It is a downpour	Zigbisamget
Light rain/drizzle	Wenbisa
Light rain	Gmowas
It is raining (another)	Gméyamget
It is cold	Ksenyamget
It is cool	Tkéyamget
It is a nice day	Mno gishget
Are you broke?	Gbokshka ne?
Are you all broke?	Gbokshkam ne?
When did you first start speaking Indian?	Ni je pi nétum ga je webneshnabémyen?
Do you speak Indian?	Gneshnabém ne?
Do you speak Potawatomi?	Gdebodéwadmim ne?
Where did you park your car?	Ni pi je ga je toyen gdodabyanem?
Are you ready?	Gdozhita ne?
Behave	Dadokmeben
Behave (pl)	Dadokmebek
Take it easy/Be Quiet	Égach
My back aches	Ngigijpekwene
Do you know that man?	Gkenma ne o nene?
Do you know that woman?	Gkenma ne o kwé?
Do you know those people?	Gkenmak ne gi bmadzejek?
What time is it?	Ni je étso yawek?
What time is it? (another)	Ni je tso dbegnek
It is one o’clock	Ngot dbegenek
It is noon	Nawkwék
It is midnight	Aptadbeket
Good morning	Mno waben
Good evening	Mno pkonyak
Good afternoon	Mno gishnawkwék
I want some coffee	Énedwendayan anet gapi

Greetings to one another

Men’s greetings to one another and within groups….

Hau bozho ginwa

Bozho jayek ginwa

Ndenwemagnek

Ndenwemagnenanek

Nijneshnabek

Nijbmadsejek

Nikan

Nikanek

Nijnenwik

Nenwedok

Wadokwuk

Nijkowes

Menwidokwuk

When addressing both male and female;

Nenwedok mine kwedok

Nijneshnabek

Nikanek

Women addressing one another…..

Hau bozho ginwa

Hau bozho jayek ginwa

Ndenwemagnek

Ndenwemagnenanek

Kwedok

Nijkwedok

Nidgekok

Nijkowes

Wadokwuk

Menwidokwuk

Some immersion type stuff

• Gégo bye bidgekén. Gde bogtheshkwewzede! Don’t come in. Your feet are muddy!
• Pegdowshen i pkwakwet. Throw the ball to me.
• Pegdow i pkwakwet. Throw him/her the ball.
• Bokdonenwi o ndanes. My daughter is pouting.
• Megwetsownekeni – Octopus
• Wgi thagzedzo o ngwes dbekok. My son burned himself last night.
• Nekwsegwzedejen. I have a splinter in my foot.
• Wdenwan ni wdedeymen. He takes after his dad.
• Wdenwan ni wneneymen. She takes after her mom.
• Mikwnebwamshen. Remind me.
• Wdapkadebzo. He/she is having a Charlie horse.
• Ngi-mikwnebwama. I reminded him/her.
• Anmikwa – to take someone to task for something
• Cho ngeshktosin ewi mbayan. I am unable to sleep.
• Nbakwnemak – he/she opens it for me
• Kenandep – skull/bonehead (Some use this jokingly to say “bonehead.”)
• Ni je etsegongezet o penojes? How many days old is that baby?
• Boniken! Leave it alone. (singular)
• Bonikmok! You all leave it alone. (plural)
• Ngi-bonikan. I left it alone.
• Dapneshen. Pick me up.
• Mbagnek shgeshem o penoje. Put the baby on the bed.
• Ngi-pamse’a o ndeish. I am walking the dog.
• Mbemse shi myewesek. I am walking on the path.
• I shna ewi jakgishgewat nnijansek wpi nishwabdekpbomgek. In 20 years, my kids will be all grown up.
• Gégo jinewsekén. Don’t be greedy.
• Gégo kwansegsekén. Don’t be stingy!
• Anodze – another word for greedy
• Metawgak – sandy area
• Ngi-nkweshkak. He met me.
• Nmokjane. I have a pimple on my nose.

Some brain teasers for translation by one of my students.

Gnebech                       Perhaps, maybe, I think that

Ndenim                         My husband (possessive of nene)

Ndeygwam                   My horse

Ndey                             My dog

Mbé                               See, I told you so!,  There!

Wégmakwé wdansen            Queen’s daughter

Wégmakwés                           Princess (diminutive)

Békadzet                       Be quiet, be calm, be patient, be peaceful

Nbékades, mbékades, nde békades

Békadze                        He/she is

Békadzet                       One who is

Kéndaswen                   Knowledge, education, art of becoming knowledgeable, becoming knowledgeable

Cho wi nda zhya si ibe énim’ediwat nde gizsom ndeto odo pi, i yé i ézhewébek égizsoyesh ébyat.

Mteno gi gizhabék mine gi gizhakwék ébidgéwat ibe éméndokaswat.

Gazhkjek

Penojek

Wéshkjek

Kékyajek

Ndebénma o ndey.

Mbwachewé’a o nitawes wabek gnebech.

Wgi gishpnedo ni waskonédonen o ndenim.

Nmedagwéndmenem gi ndokyanek, o ndéygwam mine o ndey.

Ggi wabma ne o wégmakwés égi zhyayen ibe épa nim’ediwat gi neshnabék.

Wgi bkadze ne o ga wje pkenagé i naganiwen wnago.

Ngi kigdo’a o wgyéyom wnago ga wje pkenagét, békadzet yawe o gi kedo.

Mbé, i yé i ga kto yan kche weswnago.

Mbé, i yé édépsenyan.

Mbé, i yé i ne ga wje widmoyan.

Hau                                         Well, so! Can also be a greeting or recognition.

Majishkat                               Move

Méméjek                                In particular

Bédo                                       I hope that/I wish that

Asho igwan                            On the other side of

Débso                                     Quite a bit/enough of

Shpemsegok                          Upstairs, somewhere up above

Iw se                                       And/used in story telling

                                                So/used in story telling

Dbenwé                                  Real

Agmesé                                   Walk in snowshoes

Ndagmesé                               I walk in snowshoes

Agmesét                                 Walk in snowshoes

Ni’wesh                                  lover/secret lover

Shpemek                                Above, heaven

Shpem                                    Up, above

Débwétwa                              Believe some one

Éwabdemok édébwétmok    Seeing is believing

Cho she ngi débwétwasi

I really didn’t believe him/her

Gbmadsownenan se gzheshmownenan

Our life is our language

Gzheshmownenan se gbmadsownenan

Our language is our life

Ni’wesh ma o yawe.

Méméjek ode Bodéwadmimwen nwi kenomagé nomek pkonyak.

Hau, gishpen ode zheshmowen ébédoyék ékéndemyék pené she gwi shketoyék ékigdoyék éwi débséyék, méméjek i bodéwadmimwen.

Sneget se ode gzheshmownenan éwi kéndet weye ma shna dbenwé i.

Gishpen ékéndet weye ode majmowen wéwéne i émno majishkat pené o bémadzet.

Iw se égi kedwat gi getsimnajek mno wi pi mine gwi mno zhewébes ézhyayen asho igwan naké shpemsegok gishpen éneshnabémyen.

Pené égi wipémwét ngoji o, ik she yé i ga wje agmesét.

Gizes

Gizos

Gizsom

Gizsoyesh

Gmowen

Gmonoswen

Gméyamget

Wénbisamgegt

Gméyam

Gméya

Gi gmowen bédbekok shote mjésh gi bgeshnomget i mbish gaga she gi moshknowen.

Kyétnam shna gi gméyamget geshép ngom.

Nyézanzik gode gigabések ga wje bambetowat shote mine ibe kche odan dbekok, mjesh i mbish gi mnoshknémget ni myéwnen.

Nwésh mowe o sekmekwé, i yé i ga wje bgednot o mamogosnan i mbish, mine i wawyastowen, mine i kche nodnen, wa je zibyéné’at o gokmeskignan, naké o sekmekwé.

I yé i wa zhe wébek gishpen émowet o sekmekwé.

Iw se ga kedwat gi kekyajek nangodgen égi penojéwiyan.

Iw énajmoyan, mbé!

Nwi zagnena’a o nemosh bwamshe zhishignegét.

Ggi zagnena’a ne o nemo.

Pené she ézagden’at o nemo.

Zagdenéa nemo yawe o kwésmo.

Zheké kenomagé o nde kwéyom pkonyak.

Wéwéne ga wje zhechkét o kwé égi kenomagét ode zheshmowen.