Sometimes it is important to say what someone is not doing. The negative suffixes for a Verb Type 3 verb are different than what we learned for Verb Type 1 and 2.

The following formula can be used when creating a statement that is not happening:

(gaawiin) + (pronoun prefix) + (verb) + (negative suffix)

Pay close attention to when the verb matches the plural noun (in all forms except niinawind and giinawind). This means that you make the verb plural when there is a plural noun.

The following chart can be used to learn the Not Happening conjugations for Verb Type 3 verbs that end in “oon” and “in.”

Pronoun In Ojibwe	Pronoun In English	Single Statement *remove the “n” and conjugate * add (an) for plural sometimes	Question or Connected *remove the “n” and conjugate * no plural form needed
niin	I	ni + verb + siin (an) nin (initial d,j,g,z,zh) nim (initial b) nind (initial vowel)	verb + siwaan
giin	you	gi + verb + siin (an) gid (initial vowel) gim (initial b)	verb + siwaan
wiin	he / she	o + verb + siin (an)	verb + sig
niinawind	just us	ni + verb + siimin nin (initial d,j,g,z,zh) nim (initial b) nind (initial vowel)	verb + siwaang
giinawind	all of us	gi + verb + siimin gid (initial vowel) gim (initial b)	verb + siwang
giinawaa	you all	gi + verb + siinaawaa (n) gid (initial vowel) gim (initial b)	verb + siweg
wiinawaa	them	o + verb + siinaawaa (n)	verb + sigwaa

The noun associated with your not happening statement can come before or after the verb that is not happening, as long as “gaawiin” and the verb are next to each other. When the noun comes before the verb it places emphasis on the noun. Syntax and connecting words are often used to achieve what English uses stress to achieve.

For example,

(noun) + (gaawiin) + (pronoun prefix) + (verb) + (negative suffix)

OR

(gaawiin) + (pronoun prefix) + (verb) + (negative suffix) + (noun)

Notice where these two options are displayed in the example sentences below.

Lesson 36-1

1.	Nindagoodoomin	babiinzikawaaganan	misawaa	gaawiin mamoosiwaang	giboodiyegwaazonan.
	Just us hang	the coats	although	just us do not pick up	the pants.

2.	Aaniin dash	gaawiin gii-biinitoosiwan	ode’iminan	gaye	miinan?
	Why	did you not clean the	strawberries	and	blueberries?

3.	Ozhibii’iganatigoon	gaawiin gigii-biidoosiinaawaan.
	Writing sticks	you all did not bring.

4.	Waawaashkeshiwiiyaas	gaawiin gigii-miijisiimin.
	Venison meat	all of us did not eat.

Now try to practice translating the sentences below. After you are done with the translation examples below, try to write your own not happening statements!

Lesson 36-2

Listen to the conversation below. Do you recognize any vocabulary or word parts?

Lesson 36-3