zaagi'idiwin
inanimate
The English word 'love' is translated into Ojibwe as zaagi'idiwin.
zaagi'idiwin is the noun used to represent the concept of strong affection. To express the actual feeling or action of loving someone or something, you must use a verb form instead.
Meaning: strong affection (noun)
Which one should you use?
zaagi'idiwin is the inanimate noun meaning 'love'. In contrast, if you want to express the action of loving, you should use the verb forms zaagi' or zaagitoon.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form zaagitoon is a transitive verb used to say 'I love him/her/it'.
Did you know?
- Ojibwe uses 'polysynthetic' structures, meaning a single word can function as an entire sentence. A variation of the root zaagi' can communicate who is loving whom and how they feel without needing additional words.
- The concept of 'love' in Ojibwe culture is often tied to the idea of reciprocity and interconnectedness within a community, rather than just an isolated internal emotion.
- Unlike English, where 'love' can be used for both a person and a piece of pizza, Ojibwe verb forms can subtly shift to reflect the animacy or importance of the object of affection.
Example sentences for Ojibwe are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Zhaawan and Oma are talking about their family.
- ZhaawanZaagi'idiwin gaawebiin omaa.Love is helpful here.
- OmaEyaany, zaagi'idiwin miiyigo.Yes, love is with me.
- ZhaawanZaagi'idiwin gaawebiin gaawebiin.Love is very helpful.
- OmaZaagi'idiwin miiyigoda.Love is with us.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries zaagi'idiwin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
