APWAD - A Potawatomi Word a Day

Zagech - Outside

Zagjesén                     Go outside!    (one person)

Zagjesék                      Go outside!    (more than one)

Zagdena o                    Chase him/her outside! 

Mno gishget zagech       It’s a nice day outside

Ksenyamget zagech       It’s cold outside

Gmeyamget zagech        It’s raining outside

Shkwadém - Door

Nek she i shkwadém                Look at the door

Ni pi je i shkwadém?                  Where is the door?

Baknen i shkwadém                 Open the door

Gbakwan i shkwadém               Close the door

 

Bé- - All the time (a prefix)

Bégishek                      All day

Bédbeket                     All night

Bédbekok                    All last night

Bégishnawkwek            All afternoon

 

Mba - To Sleep 

Nwi mba                I am going to sleep.

gwi mba ne           are you going to sleep?

Gi mno mba ne     did you sleep well?

mbèwa o penojés  the baby is sleeping.

mégwa mbéwa o danes    my daughter is still sleeping.

néta mbat      she is always sleeping.

Mawjeshno - To Gather/anim.—-mawjeto/inan.

Émawjeshnowat                          They are gathering

Émawjeshnowat Bodéwadmik    The Potawatomis are gathering

Mawjekiwen                          Gathering ground

Nwi zhyamen ibe Bodéwadmik émawjeshnowat    We (not you) are going over there where the Potawatomis are gathering.

Mawjekiwek nwi zhya             I am going to the gathering grounds

Jak - All

Jayek                 another All

Jak gégo/Jak she gégo           Everything

Jak weye             Everyone

Jayek ginwa         All of you

Jayek winwa         All of them

 

Bama - Later

Bama mine               Later again (see you later again)

Bama pi                   At a later time (see you sometime)

Bama pi mine            At a later time again (see you again sometime)

Bama pi gokotni         “See you later, alligator”

Bama pi gwi wabmenan   Later sometime we will see each other

Bama pi gwi kigdomen     Later sometime we will talk to each other

Yajmo - Refers to someone who stands and tells a story, lectures, speaks at length on a subject

E’yajmot o                He is speaking

E’gi yajmot o            He spoke

E’yajmowat                They are speaking

Gwi yajmo ne?          Are you going to speak?

Gaga she nwi yajmo    I am going to speak soon

Megwa - More

Megwa ne?              More?  (”would you like more?”)

Megwa ne gapi?        More coffee?

Megwa ne wiyas?      More meat?

Megwa ne pkwe’shgen?     More bread?

Megwa ne ziwtagen?         More salt?

Megwa ne waskek?            More pepper?

Kigdo - To talk

Kigdo o                       That person is talking

Kigdowat                    They are talking

Nkigdomen                  We are talking (but not to you)

Gkigdomen                  We (all) are talking

Ngeked                        I am talking

Gwi kigdo ne?               Are you going to talk?