makade-mashkikiwaaboo
The English phrase coffee is translated into Ojibwe as makade-mashkikiwaaboo. Wiktionary also lists gaapii.
Meaning: beverage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Ojibwe |
|---|
| makade-mashkikiwaaboo |
| gaapii |
The term refers to the beverage coffee.
What does it mean word for word?
The word makade-mashkikiwaaboo is a compound meaning 'black medicine water'. The component makade means black.
Did you know?
- The word gaapii is a linguistic traveler that connects Ojibwe to the Middle East. It is a borrowed term originating from the Arabic word qahwa, which originally referred to wine before it meant coffee.
- In many Ojibwe contexts, calling something 'medicine' (mashkiki) can imply it has spiritual or restorative power, elevating 'coffee' from a simple habit to a restorative substance.
- Because gaapii is borrowed from French, it reflects the historical contact and trade between the Anishinaabe people and French settlers in North America.
Examples in context
- Makadewaagamin makade-mashkikiwaaboo.Coffee is black.This sentence is useful for describing the color of the makade-mashkikiwaaboo.Tatoeba #13334234 by Radek, translation #13334245 by Radek
Example conversation
Miskwaa and Zhaawan are in the kitchen in the morning.
- MiskwaaZhaawan, makade-mashkikiwaaboo niminaandago.Zhaawan, I am making coffee.
- ZhaawanMiigwech, nindaa-mazwi go.Thank you, I like it too.
- MiskwaaMakade-mashkikiwaaboo wezhibaan aaniish?Do you want coffee now?
- ZhaawanEn, makade-mashkikiwaaboo nindaanandaagii.Yes, I need some coffee.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffee” translations and entries makade-mashkikiwaaboo, gaapii, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gaapii, makade-mashkikiwaaboo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
