Normalizing the language for everyday use

Normalization:  Target audience:  Tweens and Teens

Dokin!                                                                   Get up!

Ni je she shpemek?                                         What’s up?

Nshi                                                                       Bro

Tkéyamges                                                          I’m cool

Cho she mkanayan étkéyamsiyen              I don’t find you cool

Cho nedwendasi edokiyan                            I don’t want to wake up

Cho nedwendasi ebsegwiyan                      I don’t want to get up

Cho nedwendasi eskonoyan                        I don’t want to go to school

Megwa embayan                                              I’m still sleeping

Bgednoshen embayan megwa                    Let me sleep some more

Bgednoshen ezhadgeyan ngom                  Let me stay home today

Abdek ne eskonoyan ngom?                        Do I have to go to school today?

Ndezhya o nikan wigwamen                        I’m going to my friends house

Cho nedwendasi emijyan I                            I don’t want to eat that

Kapsek ne gdeton?                                          Do you have any chips?

Gwétajwenesh o                                               He/she is cringy

Nin se nda wénkwénge                                  I could drive

Nda wénkwéngé ne?                                      Can I drive?

Nda je wenkwenge?                                       Can I drive?

Nda yowen ne i gdo dabyanem pkonyak?              Can I use your car tonight?

Byénashen msenegéwgemek                      Take me to the library

Byénashen ibe o nikan wigwamen             Take me to my friend’s house

Gda bgednoshen ne édat o nikan?            Can you drop me at my friend’s house    

Gda bgednoshen ne éskonoyan?               Can you drop me at school?

Bgednoshen ézhyayan zhi msenaksegnen              Let me go to the movies

Abdek gwi giwé bwamshe abtadbeket     You have to be home before midnight

Byégiwén bwamshe aptadbeket!               Come home before midnight!

Teens talking to each other

Gbaknedonén                                                    Shut up/Shut your mouth

Gwétajwenesh o                                               He/she is cringy

Ngi nibabé                                                           I stayed up all night

Nzhigéndan gédasowen                                I hate math

Ngi nibabémen éwatoyak                             We stayed up all night having fun

Ngi nibabémen éwabnotakchegéyak        We stayed up all night on the computer

Biwabkojegen                                                    phone

Ndomajegen                                                      phone

Shegnonajegen                                                 phone

Géchnejiké                                                          scrolling (using your thumb)

Cho ggi bsedwesin                                           I didn’t hear you

Ndotmes                                                             I’m busy

Gégo gimochkéken                                           Don’t sneak around

Gégo dbabéken                                                 no peeking

Gzhadze o                                                           He/she is friendly, approachable

Iw she anwe                                                       I’m fine, it’s fine, everything is fine.

Jagdéwmagwet                                                 something smells burnt

Gi jagzo o                                                             he got burned

Haha ggi jagzo                                                   haha you got burned

Jagdét                                                                   BUUUUUURRRRNNN

Haha gi bebgeshen o                                       He fell pitching (he was throwing shade and it failed)

Nd’anwéndem                                                  I’m disgusted

Gi apjemajit                                                        he/she took off

Ode ngi asendan                                               I changed my mind about this

Ooo nwi ashto’a o                                            I’m going to get back at him/her

Babin                                                                     Wait up

Ge bagdowémen                                              Let’s play ball

Gégo bapshmashen                                        Don’t blow up on me (don’t cuss me out or holler at me)

Basyak ndeton bidagnek                                I have some change in my pocket

Gwi wid-bbadajman ngom                           I’m going to drag you around today

Ngyé ngi bbadajmek wnago odanek         My mother was dragging me around yesterday in town

Bbamajmo                                                          Gossip, spread rumors

Gégo bbamajdaken                                         Don’t gossip

Ni je ébbamajmot?                                          What’s the gossip?

Ni je ébbamajmayen o gigyago                   What rumors are you telling on that girl?

Ni je ébbamajdayen i skongemek?            What rumors are you telling about school?

Ngi nodagé                                                         I heard the news

Gégo bbanéndeken                                         No worries (don’t worry)

Myanéndem                                                      I’m bummed

Cho ga kedyan!                                                 I said no!

Cho mnoyési                                                      I don’t feel good

Cho zabénma o                                                 I don’t care for him/her

Cho débwétwa o                                               I don’t believe him/her

Dokmeben                                                          sit still

Chomamda ndokmeb!                                   I can’t sit still!

Yagwades ne?                                                    are you crazy?

Ndakwades                                                        I’m nervous/anxious/crazy

Yagwatkégishek                                                 Crazy day

Gi yagwatké ngom                                           It was crazy today

Bapnezwagnek                                                  all hell is breaking loose

Ngi nibabé énagdewéndemyan                  I stayed up all night thinking

Chomamda ngi mbasi dbekok                     I couldn’t sleep last night

Sneget                                                                  It’s hard/difficult (verb)

Snegéwen                                                           Something difficult (thing)

Ngi bashkdebé egi wabdeman                    What I saw blew my mind

I yé ngi bashkdebé                                           That blew my mind

Gde dkobkin                                                       You are grounded

Gwi wijewshen ne pkonyak?                        Do you want to come along with me tonight?

Cho, nde dkobin                                                No, I’m grounded.

Gwi wijéwshen épa odankéyak ne?           You want to go around town with me?

Cho, nwi zhadgé                                               No, I’m staying home

Cho she nin                                                         It wasn’t me/not me

Débwé                                                                  legit 

Author: neaseno

I was born on Powers Bluff in Wood County, Wisconsin, into a traditional community of Neshnabek. I was raised speaking only native languages, and learned to speak English upon entering school at the age of 6. As of this writing, I am one of 5 remaining Heritage Fluent Speakers of Potawatomi.

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