Particles

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particle.

In Toki Pona grammar, a particle is a word with no semantic meaning that marks the grammatical structure of a sentence. Particles are crucial to forming understandable sentences. li, e, o, and la are taught in that order in Toki Pona: The Language of Good and many other resources.

Particles can be one of the main challenges of adapting from English to Toki Pona grammar. However, the concept is not unique to Toki Pona; many natural languages have grammatical particles.

Particles like li and e are required to mark sentence structure. (More beginner's traps)

pu

These nimi pu are particles:

Sentence-structuring

Particle	Follows	Introduces
e	A predicate phrase (which becomes transitive) Another direct object	A direct object
en	A subject	Another subject
la	A context phrase or clause	The main clause
li	The subject (unless there is only one, and it is only mi or only sina) Another predicate	A predicate
o	A subject being addressed Another predicate	The predicate of a command or hope
pi	A phrase	A multi-word modifier phrase

Other

• a
• ala
• anu
• kin
• mu
• n
• taso

Nonstandard

The subject of this section is nonstandard and will not be understood by most speakers.

If you are a learner, this information will not help you speak the language. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the standard style, and to be informed and selective about which nonstandard styles you adopt.

These nimi sin are particles:

• alu
• ja
• ki
• lo
• su (particle)
• ta
• te/to
• wa
• we (particle)