OJIBWEMOWIN GRAMMAR CHEAT SHEET

VAI Grammar Cheat Sheet

Personal Pronouns
I, ME Tenses – (must have the dash)
nin + verb* (starts w/ {d, j, g, z or zh}) Past: (did)

nim + verb* (starts w/ {b}) Gii - VAI

nind + verb* (starts w/ {vowel}) Present: (can / are)
ni + verb* (everything else) *nothing* VAI
*drop short vowel from end (a, i, o)
Future: (will)
YOU Wii - VAI (going to/want to)
gi + verb* (starts w/ consonant) Da / ga - VAI (will or shall)
gid + verb* (starts w/ vowel)
Initial Consonant Change for Tenses only:
drop short vowel from end (a, i, o)
B–P
WE (INCLUSIVE) all of us G–K
gi + verb + **min D–T
Z–S
WE (EXCLUSIVE) not you
J - Ch
ni + verb + **min

YOU ALL
Negation______
gi + verb + **m “Gaawiin” (no) is always added first
If a verb ends with a consonant, use “zii” suffix.
**if verb ends with “am” double the
last ‘a’ and use the ‘gi’ prefix When the verb ends with a vowel, use “sii.”
**if verb ends with a consonant, suffix
Gaawiin nimbakadesii I am not hungry
the verb with “im”
THEY Minwendamoog They are happy

Gaawiin minwendanziiwag No, they are not

Verb (ends in consonant) + oog
happy
Verb (verb ends in vowel) + wag

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OJIBWEMOWIN GRAMMAR CHEAT SHEET