Zhonyawgemek nwi zhya wabek – I will go to the bank tomorrow
Zhonyawgemek ngi zhya wnago – I went to the bank yesterday
Ni pi je i zhonyawgemek – Where is the bank?
Nedwabdan i zhonyawgemek – I’m looking for the bank
Zhonyawgemek ne gwi zhya – Will you go to the bank?
Zhonyawgemek ne gwi zhyam – Will y’all go to the bank?
mShkwapkos is a small copper, a unit of currency from the fur trading days, but copper was well known to the Potawatomi long before European contact. Potawatomi people knew how to extract copper and beat it into jewelry, utensils, dishes, and many other useful items.
Nyanno mshkwapkosen éngedék i wawen – That egg costs 5 cents
Nishwabtek mshkwapkosen éngedéwat ni mnejimnen – Those peas cost 20 cents
Nyéwabtek mshkwapkosen éngezwat gi penik – Those potatoes cost 40 cents
Shwatso mtene mshkwapkosen éngedék i nebyégen – That pen costs 80 cents
Nyéwo mekwi mine nishwabtek mshkwapkosen éngedék i nonagnabo – That milk costs $4.20.
Yéspen is also a term from the fur trading era, meaning one raccoon pelt.
Nswéo yéspenen éngedék i wishkbabo – That soda costs 75 cents (three quarters)
Nyanno yéspenen éngedéwat ni mshimnen – Those apples cost $1.25 (five quarters)
Nisho yéspenen éngezwat gi penik – Those potatoes cost 50 cents (two quarters)
Nisho éspenek ngi wabmak – I saw two raccoons (don’t confuse éspen with yéspen!)
Ik she yé i ngot yéspen – It’s your quarter! (once upon a time there were phone booths, and a call cost a quarter…)
Mekwi is a term for a dollar, but its use comes from the fur trading days. A Mekwi is a Beaver Pelt.
Ngot mekwi éngedék i wishkbabo – That soda costs one dollar
Mdatso mekwi éngedéwat ni gokbenagnen – Those baskets cost ten dollars
Aptomekwi éngedék i shkemot – That bag costs 50 cents (half dollar)
Nishwabtek mekwi éngedék i biskewagen – That shirt costs twenty dollars
Ngotwak mekwi éngedék i zenba biskewagen – That ribbon shirt costs 100 dollars
Ngotwak shech nyannomtene mekwi éngedék i waboyan – That blanket costs 150 dollars
Gégo dapneken é’i nmekwi’em – Don’t pick up my money over there!
Wenpengedé also changes when the object is animate or inanimate, singular or plural
Animate:
Wenpengeze o nemosh – That dog is cheap
Wenpengezwik gi nemoshek – Those dogs are cheap
Inanimate:
Wenpengedé i waboyan – That blanket is cheap
Wenpengedénon ni waboyanen – Those blankets are cheap
Other uses:
Wenpenet – Easy, Cheap
Wenpesh – Free
Wenpengedémget – It is cheap
This verb changes when the expensive object is singular or plural, animate or inanimate
Animate
Meskezo o nemosh – That dog is expensive.
Meskezwik gi nemoshek – Those dogs are expensive
Inanimate
Meskedé i waboyan – That blanket is expensive
Meskedéno ni waboyanen – Those blankets are expensive
Other forms:
Meskedémget – It is expensive
Zam meskedé – Too expensive
Only used with animate items
Ni je éngezot o kek? – How much does that kettle cost?
Nyano mekwi éngezot o kek – That kettle costs $5
Ni je éngezwat gi nemoshések – How much do those puppies cost?
Nishwak mekwi éngezwat gi nemoshések – Those puppies cost $200
Ni je éngezot o pen – How much does that potato cost?
Ngot yésben éngezot o pen – That potato costs 25 cents
only used with inanimate items
Ni je éngedék i biskewagen? – How much does that coat cost?
Nyéwabtek mekwi éngedék i biskewagen – That coat costs $40
Ni je éngedéwat ni gokbenagnen – How much do those baskets cost?
Mdatso mekwi éngedéwat i gokbenagnen – Those baskets cost $10.
Ni je éngedék i waboyan? – How much does that blanket cost?
Nishwabtek mekwi éngedék i waboyan – That blanket costs $20.
Zhonyawgemek – Bank
Mekwi – Dollar (1 beaver pelt)
Aptemekwi – 1/2 Dollar (1 beaver pelt)
Yésben – Quarter (1 raccoon pelt)
Paysés – Nickel (slang for 5 cents)
Densés – Dime (slang for 10 cents)
Neaseno 