APWAD - A Potawatomi Word a Day

Bashkjéshkwa - Burst with foot or body

*bashkjéshkwa is an animate verb, you can only use it to describe bursting something animate, like an insect.

Ngi bashkjéshkwa o skemé - I burst that mosquito

Ngi bashkjéshkwa o ézgak - I burst that tick

Ngi bashkjéshkwa o gwakwadé - I burst that grasshopper

Cho ngi bashkjéshkwasi o mémégé - I didn’t burst that butterfly

Cho ngi bashkjéshkwasi weye - I didn’t burst anyone

Skemé - Mosquito

Skemék - Mosquitos

Gwabma ne o skemé? - Do you see that mosquito?

Gnodwa ne o skemé - Do you hear that mosquito?

Nwabma o skemé - I see that mosquito

Ngi wabma o skemé - I saw that mosquito

Cho ngi nodwasi o skemé - I didn’t hear that mosquito

Ngi bashkjéshkwa o skemé - I burst that mosquito

Ézgak - Woodtick

Ngi wabma o ézgak - I saw that woodtick

Gwabma ne o ézgak - Do you see that woodtick?

Cho ngi wabmasi o ézgak - I didn’t see that woodtick

Ni pi je o ézgak? - Where is that woodtick?

Ngi bashkjéshkwa o ézgak - I burst that woodtick

Mang - Loon

Ngi wabma o mang ibe - I saw that loon over there

Ngi nodwa o mang ibe - I heard that loon over there

Gwabma ne o mang? - Do you see that loon?

Gnodwa ne o mang? - Do you hear that loon?

Mang ne yawe o? - Is that a loon?

Zisbakwet - Maple Sugar

Mezwéyak - Maple Sugar Cakes

Begodé - Maple Taffy

Shenamesh - Maple Tree

Bézgwaboté - Maple Syrup

Ziwagmedé - Maple Syrup

Biskemwenen - Clothing

Byédweshen anet biskemwenen - Bring me some clothes

Ni pi je gbiskemwenen? - Where are your clothes?

Gdeton ne anet biskemwenen? - Do you have any clothes?

Mnéschegen ni gbiskemwenen - Put your clothes in order (straighten them up, put them away, organize them)

Odanek nwi zhya éwi gishpnedoyan anet biskemwenen - I will go to town to buy some clothes

Odanek ngi zhyamen égi gishpnedoyak anet biskemwenen wnago - We went to town to buy some clothes yesterday

Nshonadanmet - Wind is blowing in all directions

Gi nshonadanmet - Wind was blowing in all directions

Gi nshonadanmet wnago - It was blowing in all directions yesterday

Gi nshonadanmet zagech wnago - It was blowing in all directions outside yesterday

Gi nshonadanmet zagech wnago shote édayak - it was blowing in all directions outside yesterday here where we live.

Nshiwénmet ngom - It’s really windy today

Wi nshiwénmet ngom - It’s going to be very windy today

Wi nshiwénmet ngom shote - It’s going to be very windy here today

Wi nshiwénmet zagech ngom shote - It’s going to be very windy outside here today

Wi nshiwénmet zagech ngom gnebech shote - Perhaps it’s going to be very windy outside here today

For more weather words, see www.neaseno.org/weather.htm

Wigwas - Birchbark

Wigwam - House (traditionally covered in birchbark)

Wigwasatek - White Birch Tree

Ni pi je anet wigwas? - Where is some wigwas?

Mishen anet wigwas - Give me some wigwas

Byédweshen anet wigwas - Bring me some wigwas

Nénmoshen anet wigwas - Pass me some wigwas

Babma - To check on someone

Nwi babma o penojé - I will check on the baby

Nwi babmak gi gigyagoyek - I will check on the girls

Nwi babmego wabek - We will check on you tomorrow

Ngi babmamen wnago - We checked on him/her yesterday

Gwi babmeymen ne? - Will you check on us?