Verb Type 2 – A Second Way to Say Someone is Doing Something
To tell stories and ask questions you need to do more than make simple, direct statements. You can certainly use Verb Type 1 to describe the setting and you can state what is happening, but to show that a verb is somehow connected to other thoughts you need to know the second ending for Verb Type 2. The second ending is always used after an “A” question, a connecting word (“giishpin izhaayaan” – if I go) or following another verb (“nimbakademin mii wiisiniyaang” – just us are hungry so we are eating). Sometimes while telling a story a person will use all second endings.
When to use First Endings:
- It is the first verb in the sentence, and it is not an “A” Question.
When to use Second Endings:
- It is the first verb in an “A” Question/
- It is the Second, Third, Fourth… verb in the sentence.
In English these are the “who, what, why” questions. These are also known as “A” Questions.
| Awenen (w), Wegonesh / Wenesh (e) – Who | Aaniin ezhi – How | |
| Aaniin (w) / Wenesh (e) – What | Aaniin dash / Aaniin wenji – Why | |
| Aaniindi (w) / Aapiish (e) – Where | Aaniin apii (w) / Weneshpii (e) – When |
Other words that connect your thoughts include:
| gaye, miinawaa – also, and, again | mii dash / dash – then | jibwaa – before |
| aanawi, misawaa – although | mii – so | ishkwaa – after |
| megwaa, epiichi – while | giishpin – if | noonde- – before the usual time |
| gemaa, ganabaj – maybe | azhigwa – already | wenji- / onji- because, for, in |
When reviewing the chart below you will notice you do not use any prefixes when using a Second Ending.
| Pronoun In Ojibwe | Pronoun In English | First Endings Single Statements or “ina” Questions |
Second Endings Connected Thoughts or “A” Questions |
| niin | I |
See Lesson Verb Type II – How to Say Someone Does Something for When and How to Use First Endings |
|
| giin | you | ||
| wiin | he / she | verb + d | |
| niinawind | just us | verb + yaang | |
| giinawind | all of us | ||
| giinawaa | you all | verb + yeg | |
| wiinawaa | them | verb + waad |
Aanikanootan (Translate It)
Note: There are both western (w) and eastern (e) dialect examples in the examples below.
Bizindan (Listen to It)
Listen to the conversation below. Do you recognize any verbs or verb parts? Do you notice when a speaker begins to use all second endings? Do you notice when one speaker says “we” and excludes the person listening?
You Practice
Now that you have practiced using second endings, use this full chart to reference for an easier way to create sentences and stories. Practice writing your own!
| Pronoun In Ojibwe | Pronoun In English | First Endings Single Statements or “ina” Questions |
Second Endings Connected Thoughts or “A” Questions |
| niin | I | ||
| giin | you | ||
| wiin | he / she | o + verb *the “o” is optional | verb + d |
| niinawind | just us | ni + verb + min nin (initial d,j,g,z,zh) nim (initial b) nind (initial vowel) |
verb + yaang |
| giinawind | all of us | gi + verb + min gid (initial vowel) gim (initial b) |
|
| giinawaa | you all | gi + verb + m gid (initial vowel) gim (initial b) |
verb + yeg |
| wiinawaa | them | o + verb + wag (final vowel) *”o” is optional | verb + waad |