Gi gne ste tam ne ga wje yajmoawat gi kékyajek wnago
Did you understand what those elders told the people yesterday?
Gne sto twam ne ga wje kedyan
Do you all understand what I said?
Gne sto tam ne i nga ket?
Do you people understand what I said?
Ahau, gse tem ok jayék éktot ode kewézi
Ok, understand everything this old man says!
Bsetmok
Listen (all of you)
Ahau, bsetmok jayék éktowat gi nakéndemwajek mine gsetemok jayék i ézhyayen ibe émawjeshnowat gi neshnabék.
Ok, listen (all of you) to everything these wise ones say to you all and understand all they say when you go over there where those Indians have gathered!
Bno wi pi égi penojéwiyak pené she gi yajmowat ibyé nebgeshmok gi kékyajek.
Long ago when we were children always those elders spoke to us when evening came.
Bama she pi gwi byé na wat ni kenomagewnen bwamshe ebyat o gatikno.
They will bring those teachings back before this spotted eagle returns!
[1] Today it is difficult to harvest birchbark. Long ago the birchbark was smooth. The Indians long ago had an easy time when they harvested birchbark. It was perfectly smooth when they made things. They didn’t appreciate it.
[2] One time Nenabozho saw a grove of birch trees, and touched the trees with his bare finger.
[3] “It’s so very nice. It grows so plentiful,” said Nenabozho. “The Indian will have such an easy time when he picks the bark. I’ll fix it. I will make it harder for the Indian to to peel off the trunk. He’ll work hard. He’ll appreciate it.”
[4] Nenabozho spoke to the chickadee. The bird landed. Nenabozho grasped its legs, using [the bird] as he struck it against the birch trees repeatedly, leaving numerous small indentations with the bird’s wings on the smooth bark.
[5] And then Nenabozho went into the woods again, breaking balsam branches, whipping the birch trees all over. So it became brittle. See! The birchbark had been tough. And so he whipped them. And the marks even showed on the inside of the trees’ bark there.
[6] Nenabozho said, “Now the Indian will have to spend a long time searching for smooth birchbark. He’ll appreciate it more when he finds [good] birchbark. That’s why the birchbark looks the way it does now, as the birch tree bears the marks of the bird wings used by Nenabozho and the balsam boughs he used to whip them.
Kokoko égi shenkanawat o gi Neshnabék ngodek anaké énodagzet. Égi mendokaset o égi wdebwétagsewat ma shna égi mya schegét o kokoko.
Page 4
Ngodet o shkenwé épamsét i mtegwakik. Kokoko éjibdebet i owimtego. Gi mig zhechké o égi shedé’at o shkenwé.
Page 6
Wégwén weji’igwan gwékabitot i wdebé o Kokoko. Béba gwékabitot o! Haw, mig zhechké ode égi pij wabdet o shkenwé.
Page 8
Hau, égi wabdet i wégwéndek ézhechkéyan i éshedé’at. I yé i ga shketot i. Abte she égi shketot …. cho mamda égi shketoset égishikadét.
Page 10
Ahau, égi bmeptot ibe édat gi widmot o w’osen ga je wabmat o Kokoko ézhechkét. Ni je ézhechkét o Kokoko égi najdot o w’osen? Mendokaze ne o?
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Égi jibdebet o w’os ga je denat ode atsokan.
Page 14
O Nenebush gi kche yawe ngodek i ma éndashit éyéyak égi wdenat. Wawika gi mya schegét, égi yayéngét gi bemadsejek mine gi méjbyéyek. Ma shna gi shewenma’at jayék gi bemadsejek gé wi.
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Ngodek gi pamset i mtegwakik o Nenebush. Wawika gi zhechké i. Gi medagwéndet i, gi mno gishget…ma shna gi nensé mine gi msegekwé i mtegwak.
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Mégwa she épamset ibe, weye éwepodwat shkwaj ji’gwan. Pené gi wepodwat weye i, i yé o Kokoko gi yawe…gi pij shiwendezot, ma shna gi manenit o Nenebush émigadit.
Page 20
Nwésh gi migadwat nizhok. Édaso gi shketowat épkenagéwat, ma she kew gi dasgenénat o kokoko égi bimiskonat i wdebénen jak gizhinat.
Page 22
A pené iw pi, o Kokoko ma shna anwe gwékabitat i wdebé. Éwabdet i gwe’at éshyat. Iw pi shkwéyak éwabdet ga je wdojbyat.
Page 24
Gode Bodéwadmi penojék ga je widmowat gi wgetsimek cho wika ézhechkéwat ézhechkét o Kokoko, ma shna nasap ézhewébsewat gé wi…anasap se ode gishek!
[1] Today it is difficult to harvest birchbark. Long ago the birchbark was smooth. The Indians long ago had an easy time when they harvested birchbark. It was perfectly smooth when they made things. They didn’t appreciate it.
[2] One time Nenabozho saw a grove of birch trees, and touched the trees with his bare finger.
[3] “It’s so very nice. It grows so plentiful,” said Nenabozho. “The Indian will have such an easy time when he picks the bark. I’ll fix it. I will make it harder for the Indian to to peel off the trunk. He’ll work hard. He’ll appreciate it.”
[4] Nenabozho spoke to the chickadee. The bird landed. Nenabozho grasped its legs, using [the bird] as he struck it against the birch trees repeatedly, leaving numerous small indentations with the bird’s wings on the smooth bark.
[5] And then Nenabozho went into the woods again, breaking balsam branches, whipping the birch trees all over. So it became brittle. See! The birchbark had been tough. And so he whipped them. And the marks even showed on the inside of the trees’ bark there.
[6] Nenabozho said, “Now the Indian will have to spend a long time searching for smooth birchbark. He’ll appreciate it more when he finds [good] birchbark. That’s why the birchbark looks the way it does now, as the birch tree bears the marks of the bird wings used by Nenabozho and the balsam boughs he used to whip them.
Kokoko égi shenkanawat o gi Neshnabék ngodek anaké énodagzet. Égi mendokaset o égi wdebwétagsewat ma shna égi mya schegét o kokoko.
Page 4
Ngodet o shkenwé épamsét i mtegwakik. Kokoko éjibdebet i owimtego. Gi mig zhechké o égi shedé’at o shkenwé.
Page 6
Wégwén weji’igwan gwékabitot i wdebé o Kokoko. Béba gwékabitot o! Haw, mig zhechké ode égi pij wabdet o shkenwé.
Page 8
Hau, égi wabdet i wégwéndek ézhechkéyan i éshedé’at. I yé i ga shketot i. Abte she égi shketot …. cho mamda égi shketoset égishikadét.
Page 10
Ahau, égi bmeptot ibe édat gi widmot o w’osen ga je wabmat o Kokoko ézhechkét. Ni je ézhechkét o Kokoko égi najdot o w’osen? Mendokaze ne o?
Page 12
Égi jibdebet o w’os ga je denat ode atsokan.
Page 14
O Nenebush gi kche yawe ngodek i ma éndashit éyéyak égi wdenat. Wawika gi mya schegét, égi yayéngét gi bemadsejek mine gi méjbyéyek. Ma shna gi shewenma’at jayék gi bemadsejek gé wi.
Page 16
Ngodek gi pamset i mtegwakik o Nenebush. Wawika gi zhechké i. Gi medagwéndet i, gi mno gishget…ma shna gi nensé mine gi msegekwé i mtegwak.
Page 18
Mégwa she épamset ibe, weye éwepodwat shkwaj ji’gwan. Pené gi wepodwat weye i, i yé o Kokoko gi yawe…gi pij shiwendezot, ma shna gi manenit o Nenebush émigadit.
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Nwésh gi migadwat nizhok. Édaso gi shketowat épkenagéwat, ma she kew gi dasgenénat o kokoko égi bimiskonat i wdebénen jak gizhinat.
Page 22
A pené iw pi, o Kokoko ma shna anwe gwékabitat i wdebé. Éwabdet i gwe’at éshyat. Iw pi shkwéyak éwabdet ga je wdojbyat.
Page 24
Gode Bodéwadmi penojék ga je widmowat gi wgetsimek cho wika ézhechkéwat ézhechkét o Kokoko, ma shna nasap ézhewébsewat gé wi…anasap se ode gishek!
Construct Verbs using Body Parts and other things…
Noun Form
Construct Form
Nibden – my teeth
-yabdé -abdé or -denwi
Nenji – my hand
-nejé
Nzet – my foot
-zeté
Njash – my nose
-jané
Ndon – my mouth or my lip
-doné
Ntog – my ear
-togé
Ndep – my head
-debé
Nshkishek – my eye
-gwé (eyed or faced)
Ngotagen – my throat
-dagwné, -gotagé
Ndamken – my chin or my jaw
-damké, -damkné
Nek – my arm
-neké
Ken – bone
-kené
Nwinsesén – my hair
-sesé or -nankwé
Ndesam – my skin
-wshé
Nkaké – my chest
-kaké
Ndodosh – my breast
-dodoshmé
Nowéy – my cheek
-nowyé
Wnagen – dish
-wnagé
Nibi-water
-abo (liquid)
-Gwé
-Gwé and kwé can sound suspiciously similar, so it is very important to listen carefully and use correct pronunciation. -Gwé can refer to the face or to the eyes.
Jigwé Thunder (Next to His Face)
Shomigwé He/she is smiling
Mniwnagigwé Infected runny eye
Pesangigwé Black eye (bruised eye)
Meningwé He/she has eye boogers
Bokigwé one-eyed, single-eyed
Bokigwénwi Wink
Winingwé Dirty Face
Other endings to watch for are -kadé and -gadé. -Kadé refers to “legged,” while -gadé is an inanimate intransitive ending.
Nyéwokadé He/she is Four-legged
Nishokadé He/she is Two-legged
Gkejgadé Something is hidden
Wébnegadé Something is discarded
Here are some contextual examples of endings, some coupled with other particles. This language is based on PARTICLES which have meaning, but must be attached to other particles to form complete thoughts.
FEET
Magwzede He/she has Big Feet or Smelly Feet
Kchemagwzede He/she has Really Smelly Feet
Génozedé He/she has long feet
Tkozedé He/she has short feet
Gachzedé He/she has little feet
Wawagzedé He/she has pigeon feet (crooked feet)
Mbiwzedé He/she has wet feet
Datkezedé He/she has toes that point outward
Begwzedé He/she has dry feet
Nchiwzedé He/she has ugly feet
Mskwiwzedé He/she has bloody feet
Mskwéwzedé He/she has red feet
Mkedéwzedé He/she has black feet
Winzedé He/she has dirty feet
Binzedé He/she has clean feet
Zheshkiwzedé He/she has soil or sand on feet
Goniwzedé He/she has snowy feet
Mkwemizedé He/she has icy feet
Gishkzedé He/she has a cut off foot
Mnozedé He/she has good feet
Mowzedé He/she has poopy feet
Mtakgwzedé He/she has bare feet
Gzinzedé He/she washes feet
Gziszedé He/she scrubs feet
Mbegzedégabo He/she has a flat tire (literally: He/she is standing there with a flattened foot – implies vehicle)
HEAD
Mbiwdebé He/she has a wet head
Gzindebé He/she washes head
Psakwdebé He/she has a burning head (has a fever)
Peshkwdebé He/she is baldeHe/
Binagdebe He/she has a clean head
Winagdebe He/she has a dirty head
Mbwakawdebe He/she uses his head (smart or wise)
Édbesendebe He/she thinks lowly thoughts (humble)
Édbeséndezot H/s thinks lowly thoughts of himself/herself
SKIN
Wabshkewzhé He/she has White skin
Mskwiwzhé He/she has Blood on skin
Gzibigwzhé He/she washes their skin
Mektewzhe He/she has black/dark skin
Gzibinsewzhe Wash your skin
Bmedewensewzhe He/she has greasy skin
TEETH
Mniwabdé He/she has an abcessed or infected tooth
Wasadbégabo He/she stands with shiny teeth
Niskabdénwi He/she bares h/h teeth
Gsiyabdé He/she brushes teeth
Gsisyabdé He/she scrubs teeth
Throat and misc.
Gishkakgwendagwné He/she has a sore throat
Gikijdagwné He/she has a sore throat
Zagdamknégabo He/she stands with chin sticking out
Zagdamknéshen His/her chin sticks out
Gikmenejé His/her hand or finger is numb
Magnowyé He/she has big cheeks
Magdodoshmé He/she has big breasts
Magtogé He/she has big ears
Winankwé He/she has dirty hair
Binankwé He/she has clean hair
Mbiwnankwé He/she has wet hair
Mishigwé He/she has a hairy face
Mishkadé He/she has hairy legs
Mskwiwjané He/she has a bloody nose
Gzigwé He/she washes face
Gzinjé He/she washes hands
Gzibingé He/she washes things
Gzinagé He/she washes dishes
Gsisega He/she scrubs the floor
Winsega The floor is dirty
Mouth
Zamdoné He/she has a big mouth (talks too much)
Winagdoneket He/she is foul mouthed
Mbwakawdonet He/she speaks wise things
Mishkwedone He/she sounds ambitious or full of resolve
Mjekewdone He/she talks evil
Natkotagdone He/she has a smart mouth
Gikajgedone He/she has argumentative mouth
Genotagdone He/she tells tall tales/lies
Gimojtagdone He/she tells sneaky/shady stuff
Mnowejtagdone He/she speaks good things
Shiwejtagdone He/she talks fierce
Gimojtagwdonet He/she speaks falsely
Eye
Mnowejshkizhgoke He/she sees good things in others
The (g) and the are usually silent in these types of phrases
W + de + bmosé = (W)de bmosé
W + da + bmosé = (W)da bmosé
W + gi + bmosé = (W)gi bmosé
W + wi + bmosé = (W)wi bmosé
W + ge + bmosé = (W)ge bmosé
** Wa and Ga
Ni jew pi ne ga maji yen When did you leave?
Hau wnago geshep ga maji yan Oh yesterday morning I left
Ni je wa zhechke yen What will you do?
Hau ode she pi wa zhechke yan i Oh right now is when I will do it
Hopefully you can see from the above examples the difference between Potawatomi and English. English verb conjugation is very focused on the order of events and the timing of everything. There are many, many tenses in English, which are used to reflect the timing and the continuity, while the pronouns are separate words that are attached to the verbs with minimal modification. In Potawatomi, WHO did the action is more prominent than when the action occurred. Notice above, the differences in conjugation based on WHO did the action, as opposed to the ease with which tense markers are inserted and removed. There are further conjugations you will learn, becoming more and more complex as multiple persons complete complex actions, but you will find that the timing of those actions are easily viewed through tense markers.
Learn your pronouns! There are multiple sets of conjugation prefixes and suffixes, depending on WHO is doing the action and who they are interacting with, instead of when the action occurred.
are usually silent in these types of phrases
Neaseno 