Lesson 5 of 18 · Unit 2: One thing, many things
Plural VIIs
Talking about more than one thing: three groups of verbs, and the two endings that make them plural.
By the end of this lesson you'll be introduced to
- The three groups this course's chart sorts VII verbs into, and how to tell them apart
- The one rule that makes any of them plural — and why it has three lines
- 20 documented plural forms you can trace back to a documented verb
- One more piece these class days add to the end of a verb
You already know what a VII is. This lesson is about what happens to one when there is more than one thing.
Three groups, decided by the last letter
Start here
Three groups, decided by the last letter
NewThis course works from a published chart of VII verbs. Before it says anything about plurals, it sorts verbs into three groups — and the only thing it looks at is the last letter of the written word.
That is the whole test. No listening, no guessing: look at how the word ends.
Across the 104 VII verbs this course documents, that comes to 39 ending in a vowel, 45 ending in d, and 20 ending in n — every one of them lands in exactly one group.
Applies to: VII verbsThe chart is a chart of VII verbs. Nothing here tells you how verbs of other classes behave.
Try it
Which group does this documented verb belong to?
Aabadad
Making it plural
The rule
Making it plural
NewNow the groups earn their keep. To talk about more than one thing, you add an ending — and which ending depends on which group the verb is in.
This course states the rule twice over, in two independent places: the published chart gives it, and the class notes give it again in their own words. They agree.
Ends in a vowel
VII + wan
Chart's example
ate → atewan
Ends in D
VII + oon
Chart's example
aabadad → aabadadoon
Ends in N
VII + oon
Chart's example
onizhishin → onizhishinoon
Piece added-wan / -oonNumber marker
Two of the three lines do the same thing, which makes this easier than it looks: a vowel at the end takes one ending, and everything else takes the other.
Applies to: VII verbsThis is the chart's rule for VII verbs and their plurals — not a general rule for making anything plural.
Try it
Which line of the chart applies to this verb?
Adite
The rule, in real sentences
See it working
The rule, in real sentences
NewHere are plural forms this course actually writes down, each next to the verb it is built on. Tap any piece to see what it is doing.
This course writes this one only as “gii-wanisinoon”, with the marker on the front — so that is how it is shown here.
These aren't worked out here — they are forms the course wrote down, and the chart's rule explains every one of them.
Try it
This is a documented plural form. Which documented verb is it built on?
aabadadoon
One more piece: an extension
Also on these days
One more piece: an extension
NewThese class days introduce one other piece — something added on the end of a verb, making a longer word that means much the same thing.
Giizhiitaabecomesgiizhiitaamagad
“be ready, finished” → “it is ready”
This course's two sources describe what the extension is for differently, so this lesson doesn't give it a job to memorise. Recognise it when you meet it, and don't add it yourself.
Try it
Where does this extension go?
Where this fits
The plural is one row of a larger chart. The same three groups run all the way down it, so the work you just did carries into every row that follows.
Tap a cell in the highlighted row to see the chart's own wording and example.
A Form Plural
This lesson
Also on the chart — later in the course
- A Form Negative Singular
- A Form Negative Plural
- B Form Singular & Plural
- B Form Negative Singular & Plural
Same three groups, different endings. Those rows come in later lessons.
The chart calls this row the A Form Plural. The longer write-up behind that chart describes an A Form as independent — the thought does not depend on anything else in the sentence. There is also a B Form, which does depend on the rest of the sentence — that comes in a later lesson.
Chart: Anton Treuer, Oshkaabewis Native Journal, Vol. 4 / No. 1, Spring 1997. Explanation of the form labels: Anton Treuer, SPPS Ojibwe Curriculum, Spring 2009.
Words from these class days
New- View entry →giizhiitaamagadVerb
it is ready
- View entry →Giga-miinigoowizVerb
you will be given
- View entry →MamaandawiziwinNoun
the force
- View entry →MiinaandeVerb
it is purple
- View entry →MiskoziVerb
s/he is red
- View entry →MiskwaaVerb
it is red
- View entry →MiskwaabikadVerb
it is red (metallic)
- View entry →MiskwegadVerb
it is red (cloth)
Forms you'll see
These are plural forms of verbs you already have — not separate words to learn.
Seen before
ReviewCheck your understanding
You don't need a perfect score — finishing is what completes the lesson.
Preparing your questions…
Finish this lesson
Work through the lesson's activities, then mark it complete. Your quiz score doesn't have to be perfect.
- Sort a verb into its group — not yet done
- Pick the right line of the chart — not yet done
- Trace a plural back to its verb — not yet done
- Say where the extension attaches — not yet done
- Finish Check your understanding — not yet done
Source
This lesson draws on three class days, which cover the same two points. The paradigm itself is from a published chart: Anton Treuer, Oshkaabewis Native Journal, Vol. 4 / No. 1, Spring 1997. Every Ojibwe word and form on this page comes from the material cited above; the English explanations were written for this app.
More from this stretch
This lesson covers several class days from the original course. The extra vocabulary and documented examples those days brought are here — try each example before its English shows.
Class day: September 10
New vocabulary this day (2)
Examples from this day
_____ indizhinikaaz.
What does it say?
Aaniin endasogonagizid wa'aw giizis?
What does it say?
Aaniin ezhi-ayaayan?
What does it say?
Aaniish ezhi-ayaayan?
What does it say?
Anishinaabe indaaw.
What does it say?
Anishinaabe na gidaaw?
What does it say?
Biinadoon niibidan.
What does it say?
Da-onizhishinoon.
What does it say?
Class day: September 12
New vocabulary this day (5)
Examples from this day
_______ indizhinikaaz.
What does it say?
Aaniin endasogonagizid wa'aw giizis?
What does it say?
Aaniin ezhi-ayaayan?
What does it say?
Aaniish ezhi-ayaayan?
What does it say?
Anishinaabe indaaw.
What does it say?
Anishinaabe na gidaaw?
What does it say?
Baswewewan.
What does it say?
Da-gashkawan.
What does it say?