APWAD - A Potawatomi Word a Day

Taswen - Cupboard, Cabinet, Closet

Taswen i yawen         That is the closet

Taswenen ni yawnon     Those are cabinets/closets

Ni pi je i taswen?        Where is the closet/cabinet?

Nwabdan i taswen          I see the closet/cabinet

Taswenek nde zhya       I’m going to the closet/cabinet

Tetagen - Bell

Tetagen i yawen         That is a bell

Tetagnen ni yawnon     Those are bells

Tetagas i yawen         That is a little bell

Tetagasen ni yawnon    Those are little bells

Ngi nodan i tetagen      I heard the bell

Ggi nodan ne i tetagen?    Did you hear the bell?

Wabgon - Pumpkin

Wabgon i yawen              That is a pumpkin

Wabgonen ni yawnon       Those are pumpkins

Ni pi je i wabgon?             Where is that pumpkin?

Nde gbaton ode wabgon    I am cooking this pumpkin

Ngi gbaton i wabgon         I cooked that pumpkin

Waboyan - Blanket

Waboyan ode yawen       This is a blanket

Waboyan i yawen            That is a blanket

Ni pi je i waboyan?          Where is that blanket?

Waboyanen node yawnon   These are blankets

Waboyanen ni yawnon       Those are blankets

Yawe - He/she is

Neshnabé ndaw       I am Neshnabé

Neshnabé gdaw       You are Neshnabé

Neshnabé o yawe     He/she is Neshnabé

Neshnabék gi yawik   They are Neshnabé

Gokbenagen i yawen  That is a basket

Gokbenagnen ni yawnon    Those are baskets

Note the difference between animate and inanimate.

Bidapkowebna - To put something animate in the oven

Bidapkowebnan - To put something inanimate in the oven

Ngi bidapkowebna o bidi        I put that chicken in the oven

Ngi bidapkowebnak gi penik    I put those potatoes in the oven

Ngi bidapkowebnan i wiyas      I put that meat in the oven

Ngi bidapkowebnanen ni zawjisésen      I put those carrots in the oven

Wjanda - To cook

Ngi wjanda ode bidi              I cooked this chicken

Ngi wjandak gode penik        I cooked these potatos

Ngi wjandon i wiyas             I cooked that meat

Ngi wjandowen ni zawjisésen    I cooked those carrots

Gbashma - To cook

Nde gbashma ode bidi         I’m cooking this chicken

Nde gbashmak gode penyek    I’m cooking these potatos

Nde gbaton i wiyas              I’m cooking that meat

Nde gbatonen node zawjisésen          I’m cooking these carrots

*Note:  There are several words that mean “to cook” in Potawatomi.

Zaskokwana - To fry something (animate)

Zaskokwaden - To fry something (inanimate)

Ngi zaskokwaden i wiyas     I fried that meat

Ngi zaskokwana o gigo       I fried that fish

Ngi zaskokwadanen anet negeshen     I fried some bologna

Ngi zaskokwanak gi gigosek       I fried those fish

Ngi zaskokwaden i bkwéshgen       I fried that bread

Wabek - Tomorrow

Wabek nwi mikjéwi bégishek           Tomorrow I will work all day

Tadiwgemek nwi zhya wabek           To the casino I will go tomorrow

Gnebech nwi minké wabek              Maybe I will pick berries tomorrow

Ni je wa zhechkéyen wabek?           What will you do tomorrow?

Ni pi je wa zhyayen wabek?             Where will you go tomorrow?