Preverbs
A preverb[a] is a type of content word that can go before the main verb of a sentence. Preverbs generally make distinctions in grammatical mood or aspect.
- ↑ Also pre-verb, auxiliary verb, auxverb, helper verb
In English[edit | edit source]
English uses many words as preverbs. For example:
- In "I can make it", "can" is a preverb. It means "I am able to make it".
But in "I can it", "can" is the main verb instead. There, it means something else ("I put it in a can"). - In "I have made it", "have" is a preverb. It means the making is complete.
But in "I have it", "have" is the main verb instead. There, it means something else ("I possess it"). - In "I will make it", "will" is a preverb. It means the making will happen in the future.
But in "I will it", "will" is the main verb instead. There, it means something else ("I command it").
In Toki Pona[edit | edit source]
Preverbs work very similarly in Toki Pona. When used as a preverb, a word can have a different sense than it would elsewhere in the sentence. For the most part, these senses are more clearly related than in English, and they translate nicely into English.
But in mi ken e ona, ken is the main verb instead. There, it means something else ("I allow it").
Stacking[edit | edit source]
Preverbs can be stacked:
mi kama wile moku.
mi kama wile moku.I come to need to eat. (I got hungry. / I'm getting hungry.)
jan li open wile lukin kama sona toki pona.
jan li open wile lukin kama sona toki pona.People start to want to try to come to know (how) to speak well. (People started wanting to try learning Toki Pona.)
Modifiers[edit | edit source]
Preverbs can also be modified. In standard usage, there is a limited group of semiparticles that can modify preverbs.
ona li wile a sona.
ona li wile a sona.They want to know. (emphasis on "want")
ona li wile ala sona.
ona li wile ala sona.They don't want to know.
Outside of standard usage, some users include more semiparticles and even some content words to modify preverbs.
ona li wile kin sona.
ona li wile kin sona.They also want to know. ("also" modifies "want", not "they")
ona li wile taso sona.
ona li wile taso sona.They just want to know.
ona li wile lili sona.
ona li wile lili sona.They somewhat want to know.
ona li wile mute sona.
ona li wile mute sona.They really want to know.
Ambiguity[edit | edit source]
In standard Toki Pona, preverbs are not marked with any particle. For nonstandard styles, see Preverb marking.
Like prepositions, this makes preverbs a bit ambiguous. For example, mi kama taso can mean "I became alone" if kama is a preverb and taso ("to be alone") is the main verb. Or, it can mean "I only arrived" if kama is the main verb and taso is a modifier.
Questions[edit | edit source]
In a verb ala verb question, the preverb may be the repeated word.
sina wile ala wile sona?
sina wile ala wile sona?Do you want to know?
List of preverbs[edit | edit source]
| Usage | Word | Preverb sense | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| pu | awen | to continue to… to keep …ing to stay … | |
| kama | to come to… to become … |
Going from not (doing) something, to doing or being it. | |
| ken | to be able to… can … | ||
| sona | to know (how) to… | ||
| wile | to need / want to… | ||
| lukin | to try to… to try …ing |
Cognate with English "looking to…" | |
| Common | alasa | ||
| Uncommon | open | to start to… to start …ing | |
| pini | to finish …ing | ||
| tawa | to go (in order) to… | Going somewhere to do something. Contrast nonliteral English "going to". Compare prepositional use. | |
| Rare | olin | to love to… to love …ing | |
| pakala | to fail to… to mess up (at) …ing | ||
| pake | to stop …ing | pake is a rare word. This usage is more direct than pini. |