Personal pronouns: Difference between revisions

	ona
Pronunciation	/ˈo.na/;
Usage	2023: Core (100% ↗︎ )2022: Core (99%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱥆 U+F1946

	sina
Pronunciation	/ˈsi.na/;
Usage	2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱥞 U+F195E

	mi
Pronunciation	/mi/;
Usage	2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%)
Book and era	nimi pu
Part of speech	Content word
Codepoint	󱤴 U+F1934

Browse history interactively

Content added Content deleted

VisualWikitext

Inline

Latest revision as of 22:45, 4 February 2024

The personal pronouns in Toki Pona are mi (first-person), sina (second-person), and ona (third-person). In terms of morphology and syntax, pronouns act the same as any other content word.

Number[edit | edit source]

Pronouns are grammatically unmarked for number, meaning that any pronoun may be singular or plural. If number need be specified, it can be added as a modifier, such as mi wan ('I'), mi tu ('us two'), mi mute ('we'),^[a] and mi ale ('we all').

Possessives[edit | edit source]

When used as modifiers, personal pronouns almost always imply possession:

ijo mi

ijo mi

my stuff
our stuff

ijo sina

ijo sina

your stuff

ijo ona

ijo ona

their stuff

Distinction[edit | edit source]

Pronouns are not marked for gender. One can narrow down the referent of a pronoun by using any quality as a modifier.

ona jelo

ona jelo

the yellow one(s) of them

sina suli o

sina suli o!

Hey, the tall one(s) of you!

li dropping[edit | edit source]

If the subject of a sentence is only mi or only sina, then the particle li, which would usually follow it, is dropped.

mi pona　 ijo mi li pona　

mi pona. ijo mi li pona.

sina pona　 sina kin li pona　

sina pona. sina kin li pona.

mi en sina li pona　

mi en sina li pona.

ona li pona　

ona li pona.

sitelen pona[edit | edit source]

The sitelen pona glyphs for mi (󱤴), sina (󱥞), and ona (󱥆) are composed of a circle and a stem line originating from it, possibly representing hands pointing at the direction of the person. These may be drawn with either a straight or curved stem. Rarely, these may also be drawn mirrored as of the standard versions.

Other pronouns[edit | edit source]

Apart from personal pronouns, the words ni ("this, that") and seme ("what") also are pronouns, as they stand in for a content word or phrase.

Notes[edit | edit source]

↑ Similarly to other content words, mute is generally reserved for three or more individuals. If "we" refers to two people it is more common to use mi tu or just mi instead of mi mute.

[1] Similarly to other content words, mute is generally reserved for three or more individuals. If "we" refers to two people it is more common to use mi tu or just mi instead of mi mute.

[a]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{nimi|mi
 |PoS=content word
+}}
-}}{{nimi|sina
+{{nimi|sina
 |PoS=content word
+}}
-}}{{nimi|ona
+{{nimi|ona
 |PoS=content word
 }}
-The '''personal pronouns''' in [[Toki Pona]] are '''{{tp|mi}}''' (first person), '''{{tp|sina}}''' (second person), and '''{{tp|ona}}''' (third person). Pronouns act like any other [[content word]] when it comes to syntax and number.
+The '''personal pronouns''' in [[Toki Pona]] are '''{{tp|[[mi]]}}''' (first-person), '''{{tp|[[sina]]}}''' (second-person), and '''{{tp|[[ona]]}}''' (third-person). In terms of morphology and syntax, pronouns act the same as any other [[content word]].
 ==Number==
+Pronouns are grammatically unmarked for {{w|Grammatical number|number}}, meaning that any pronoun may be singular or plural. If number need be specified, it can be added as a [[modifier]], such as {{tp|mi [[wan]]}} ('I'), {{tp|mi [[tu]]}} ('us two'), {{tp|mi [[mute]]}} ('we'),<ref group="lower-alpha">Similarly to other content words, {{tp|[[mute]]}} is generally reserved for three or more individuals. If "we" refers to two people it is more common to use {{tp|mi tu}} or just {{tp|mi}} instead of {{tp|mi mute}}.</ref> and {{tp|mi [[ale]]}} ('we all').
-Pronouns do not mark [[number]], so they can be singular and plural.
-{{Example|mi|
-I/me
+==Possessives==
-we/us
+When used as modifiers, personal pronouns almost always imply possession:
-}}
-{{Example|sina|
-you
+{{Example|ijo <mark>mi</mark>|<mark>my</mark> stuff<br /><mark>our</mark> stuff}}
-y'all <small>(or any other plural form)</small>
+{{Example|ijo <mark>sina</mark>|<mark>your</mark> stuff}}
-}}
-{{Example|ona|
+{{Example|ijo <mark>ona</mark>|<mark>their</mark> stuff}}
-it <small>(or she/her, he/him, singular they/them, and the like)</small>
+==Distinction==
-they/them
+Pronouns are not marked for [[gender]]. One can narrow down the referent of a pronoun by using any quality as a modifier.
-}}
+{{Example|ona jelo|the yellow one(s) of them}}
-If number must be specified, it can be added as a [[modifier]]:
+{{Example|sina suli o!|Hey, the tall one(s) of you!|sina suli o}}
-{|
-|{{Example|mi [[wan]]|I}}
-|{{Example|mi [[tu]]|us two}}
-|{{Example|mi [[mute]]|we<ref>Just like with regular [[noun]]s, {{tp|mute}} is generally reserved for three or more individuals. If "we" refers to two people it is more common to use {{tp|mi tu}} or just {{tp|mi}} instead of {{tp|mi mute}}.</ref>}}
-|{{Example|mi [[ale]]|we all}}
-|}
+=={{tp|li}} dropping==
-<references />
+{{Main|mi li and sina li}}
+If the [[subject]] of a [[sentence]] is only {{tp|mi}} or only {{tp|sina}}, then the particle {{tp|[[li]]}}, which would usually follow it, is dropped.
-==Possessives==
-When used as modifiers, personal pronouns almost always imply possession:
-{{Example|[[ijo]] <u>mi</u>|
-<u>my</u> stuff
+{{Example|mi pona. ijo mi <mark>li</mark> pona.}}
-<u>our</u> stuff
+{{Example|sina pona. sina kin <mark>li</mark> pona.}}
-}}
-{{Example|ijo <u>sina</u>|<u>your</u> stuff}}
+{{Example|mi en sina <mark>li</mark> pona.}}
-{{Example|ijo <u>ona</u>|<u>their</u> stuff}}
+{{Example|ona <mark>li</mark> pona.}}
+=={{tp|sitelen pona}}==
-==Distinction==
+The {{tp|[[sitelen pona]]}} glyphs for {{tp|mi}} ({{UCSUR char|{{codepoint|mi}}}}), {{tp|sina}} ({{UCSUR char|{{codepoint|sina}}}}), and {{tp|ona}} ({{UCSUR char|{{codepoint|ona}}}}) are composed of a circle and a stem line originating from it, possibly representing hands pointing at the direction of the person. These may be drawn with either a straight or curved stem. Rarely, these may also be drawn mirrored as of the standard versions.
-Pronouns do not mark [[gender]]. Instead, you can narrow down the referent of a pronoun by using <em>any</em> quality as a modifier.
-{{Example|ona [[jelo]]|the yellow one(s) of them}}
-{{Example|sina [[suli]] [[o]]!|Hey, the tall one(s) of you!}}
-=={{tp|li}} dropping==
-{{Main|li}}
-If the [[subject]] of a [[sentence]] is only {{tp|mi}} or only {{tp|sina}}, the {{tp|[[li]]}} that would follow is dropped.
-{{Example|mi [[pona]]. ijo mi <ins>li</ins> pona.}}
-{{Example|sina pona. sina [[kin]] <ins>li</ins> pona.}}
-{{Example|mi [[en]] sina <ins>li</ins> pona.}}
-{{Example|ona <ins>li</ins> pona.}}
 ==Other pronouns==
-{{tp|[[ni]]}} ("that") and {{tp|[[seme]]}} ("what") are also pronouns, as they stand in for a content word or phrase, but they are not personal pronouns. See also [[ona vs ni|{{tp|ona}} vs {{tp|ni}}]].
+{{Hatnote|See also: [[ona vs. ni|{{tp|ona}} vs. {{tp|ni}}]]}}
+Apart from personal pronouns, the words {{tp|[[ni]]}} ("this, that") and {{tp|[[seme]]}} ("what") also are {{w|pronoun}}s, as they stand in for a content word or [[phrase]].
+==Notes==
+<references group="lower-alpha" />
+<!--
+==References==
+<references />
+-->
 {{Words}}
 [[Category:Parts of speech]]

Words
Parts of speech	Content words (Roles · Prepositions · Preverbs · Names · Numbers) · Particles (Semiparticles) · Interjections
Usage	Book presence (nimi pu · nimi ku) · Eras (pre-pu · post-pu · post-ku) · Usage categories · nimi sin · Synonyms · Reserved words · Place and language names
Core words	a · akesi · ala · alasa · ale / ali · anpa · ante · anu · awen · e · en · esun · ijo · ike · ilo · insa · jaki · jan · jelo · jo · kala · kalama · kama · kasi · ken · kepeken · kili · kiwen · ko · kon · kule · kulupu · kute · la · lape · laso · lawa · len · lete · li · lili · linja · lipu · loje · lon · luka · lukin · lupa · ma · mama · mani · mi · moku · moli · monsi · mu · mun · musi · mute · nanpa · nasa · nasin · nena · ni · nimi · noka · o · olin · ona · open · pakala · pali · palisa · pan · pana · pi · pilin · pimeja · pini · pipi · poka · poki · pona · pu · sama · seli · selo · seme · sewi · sijelo · sike · sin · sina · sinpin · sitelen · sona · soweli · suli · suno · supa · suwi · tan · taso · tawa · telo · tenpo · toki · tomo · tu · unpa · uta · utala · walo · wan · waso · wawa · weka · wile
Common words	kijetesantakalu · kin · kipisi · ku · leko · meli · mije · misikeke · monsuta · n · namako · soko · tonsi
Uncommon words	epiku · jasima · kokosila · lanpan · linluwi · majuna · meso · nimisin · oko
Resources	Dictionaries · Glossary · Cognates · Glosses · Minimal pairs