Personal pronouns
  | |
| Pronunciation | /mi/ |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1934 |
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsi |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F195E |
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈo |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% ↗︎ )2022: Core (99%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1946 |
The personal pronouns in Toki Pona are mi (first-person), sina (second-person), and ona (third-person). In terms of number and syntax, pronouns act the same as any other content word.
Number
Pronouns are generally not marked for number. They can be either singular or plural:
mimi
I/me
we/us
sinasina
you
you (plural)
onaona
it, she/her, he/him, singular they/them
they/them
If number must be specified, it can be added as a modifier:
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Possessives
When used as modifiers, personal pronouns almost always imply possession:
ijo miijo mi
my stuff
our stuff
ijo sinaijo sina
your stuff
ijo onaijo ona
their stuff
Distinction
Pronouns are not marked for gender. One can narrow down the referent of a pronoun by using any quality as a modifier.
ona jeloona jelo
the yellow one(s) of them
sina suli o!sina suli o!
Hey, the tall one(s) of you!
li dropping
If the subject of a sentence is only mi or only sina, the particle li, that would usually follow it, is dropped.
mi pona ijo mi li ponami pona. ijo mi li pona.
sina pona sina kin li ponasina pona. sina kin li pona.
mi en sina li ponami en sina li pona.
ona li ponaona li pona.
Other pronouns
The words ni ("this, that") and 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.
Unused pronouns
When toki pona first got published on the internet in 2001, "iki" was used instead of "ona". In 2002-03-24, a poll was created in the Yahoo! group about whether iki should be changed as it seemed to be too long and too similar to ike. The options were to not change anything, drop iki when it’s the subject and is understood, change iki to i, or find another solution.[1] Then, in 2002-05-16, another poll on the Yahoo! group about iki opened as the result of the previous one was to find a new solution. The options were to not change anything, change iki to ipi, change iki to ona, or find yet another solution.[2] Finally, in 2002-05-31, the result of the poll was that iki changed to ona.[3][4]
While these pronouns are sometimes referenced for historical purposes, they don't actually see any noticable use beyond that.
Notes
- ↑ 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.