The sex of the brute creation is most commonly denoted by prefixing the words Iâbai, male; and nôzhai, female.
6. Reciprocal changes of the noun. The pronominal particles with which verbs as well as substantives, are generally encumbered and the habit of using them in particular and restricted senses, leaves but little occasion for the employment of either the present or past infinitive. Most verbs are transitives. A Chippewa does not say, I love, without indicating, by an inflection of the verb, the object beloved; and thus the expression is constantly, I love him, or her, &c. Neither does the infinitive appear to be generally the ultimate form of the verb.
In changing their nouns into verbs, it will not therefore be expected, that the change should uniformly result in the infinitive, for which there is so little use; but in such of the personal forms of the various moods as circumstances may require. Most commonly the third person singular of the indicative, and the second person singular of the imperative, are the simplest aspects under which the verb appears; and hence these forms have been sometimes mistaken for, and reported as the present infinitive. There are some instances, in which the infinitive is employed. Thus, although an Indian cannot say, I love, thou lovest, &c. without employing the objective forms of the verb to love: yet he can say I laugh, I cry, &c. expressions in which the action being confined to the speaker himself, there is no transition demanded. And in all similar instances the present infinitive, with the proper pronoun prefixed, is employed.
There are several modes of transforming a substantive into a verb. The following examples will supply the rules, so far as known, which govern these changes.
| Indicative. | Imperative. | |
| Chimân, a canoe. | Chimai, he paddles. | Chimain, paddle thou. |
| Pashkizzigun, a gun. | Pashkizzigai, he fires. | Pashkizzigain, fire thou. |
| Jeesidyigun, a broom. | Jeesidyigai, he sweeps. | Jeesidyigain, sweep thou. |
| Weedjeeagun, a helper. | Weedôkagai, he helps. | Weedjeei-wain, help thou. |
| Ojibwâi, a Chippewa. | Ojibwâmoo, he speaks Chippewa. | Ojibwâmoon, speak thou Chippewa. |
Another class of nouns is converted into the first person, indicative of a pseudo declarative verb, in the following manner.
| Monido, | A spirit. | Ne Monidôw, | I (am) a spirit. | |
| Wassaiâ, | Light. | Ne Wassaiâw, | I (am) light. | |
| Ishkodai, | Fire. | Nin Dishkodaiw, | I (am) fire. | |
| Weendigô, | A monster. | Ni Weendigôw, | I (am) a monster. | |
| Addik, | A deer. | Nin Daddikoow, | I (am) a deer. | |
| Wakyigun, | A house. | Ni Wakyiguniw, | I (am) a house. | |
| Pinggwi, | Dust, ashes. | Nim Pinggwiw, | I (am) dust, &c. |
The word am, included in parentheses, is not in the original, unless we may suppose the terminals, ow, aw, iw, oow, to be derivatives from Iaw. These changes are reciprocated by the verb, which, as often as occasion requires, is made to put on a substantive form. The particle win added to the indicative of the verb, converts it into a substantive. Thus—
| Keegido, | He speaks. | Keegidowin, | Speech. |
| Pâshkizzigai, | He fires. | Pashkizzigaiwin, | Ammunition. |
| Agindasoo, | He counts. | Agindasoowin, | Numbers. |
| Wahyiâzhinggai, | He cheats. | Wahyiazhinggaiwin, | Fraud. |
| Minnikwâi, | He drinks. | Minnikwâiwin, | Drink. |
| Kubbâshi, | He encamps. | Kubbâishiwin, | An encampment. |
| Meegâzoo, | He fights. | Meegâzoowin, | A fight. |
| Ojeengai, | He kisses. | Ojeendiwin, | A kiss. |
| Annôki, | He works. | Annôkiwin, | Work. |
| Pâpi, | He laughs. | Pâpiwin, | Laughter. |
| Pimâdizzi, | He lives. | Pimâdizziwin, | Life. |
| Onwâibi, | He rests. | Onwâibiwin, | Rest. |
| Annamiâ, | He prays. | Annamiâwin, | Prayer. |
| Nibâ, | He sleeps. | Nibâwin, | Sleep. |
| Odâwai, | He trades. | Odâwaiwin, | Trade. |
Adjectives are likewise thus turned into substantives.