1. Telling time

2. Mentioned previously
We mentioned previously that time is a foreign thing in traditional Potawatomi life. Something got done in the time it took to do it. If it didn’t get done you went without. For example if a person told you a ceremony started at around 3:00pm it would be more realistic than saying we will start at 3:00pm.

3. How to ask what time it is
Ni jetso yawek? (Literally how much of it is there) (This is favored in Kansas)
_______ Yawen. It is ________ (also favored in Kansas)
Ni jetso dbegenak? ( How much is there measured) (Favored in Wisconsin)
_________ Dbe genak- It measures out to (favored in Wisconsin)
_________ Dbe gne is also used when you are not talking about an exact time.

4. Again the pi tends to indicate time.
It cant be used alone though.
Ni pi je- where
Ni je pi- when
Bama pi- later on. (literally a later time)

5. Numbers review 1-10 Ngot- one Nish- two Nswe- three Neyew- four
Nyanen- five
Ngot watso- six
Noek- seven
Shwatso- eight
Shak- nine
Mdatso- ten

6. 11-20 Mdatso shech ngot- 11 Mdatso shech nish- 12
Mdatso shech nswe’- 13
Mdatso shech neyew- 14
Mdatso shech nyanen- 15
Mdatso shech ngot watso 16
Mdatso shech noek- 17
Mdatso shech shwatso- 18
Mdatso shech shak- 19
Nishwabtek- 20

7. 30,40,50,60,70,80,90,100 Nswabtek- 30 Neyew wabtek- 40
Nyanomtene- 50 (numbers change a little at 50)
Ngot watsomtene- 60
Noeksomtene- 70
Shwatsomtene- 80
Shaksomtene- 90
Ngot wak- 100

8. Some words you will need to make it easier
Gaga- soon
Bwamshe- before
Gish- after
Apte- half (used for 30)
Waben- morning for a.m.
Pkonyak-evening for p.m.
Mine- and. In order to make a number clear use mine between the hour and smaller number.
Noek mine nishwabtek shech nyanen yawen. It is 7:25.

9. Remember you can use either yawen or dbegenak, dbegne.
Also be creative it might be much easier to say soon it will be six than 5:53 or to say 5 before 6:00 than 5:55.
Nish apte yawen- It is 2:30
Shwatso mine neyewabtek dbegenak. It is 8:40.
Nishwabek bwamshe shak yawen. It is 20 before 9 so 8:40.

10. Mdatso shech nish mine nishwabtek dbegenak. It is 12:20.
Mdatso shech nyanen gish nish yawen. It is 15 after two so 2:15.
Mdatso apte yawen ode waben. 10:30 am.
Ten and half it is this morning.
Shak mine nyanomtene shech shak yawen. It is 9:59. or just
Gaga Mdatso wi yawen. Soon it will be 10:00.