Preverbs
A preverb[a] is a type of content word that may precede the main verb of a sentence. Preverbs generally make distinctions in grammatical mood or aspect, and they are often compared to auxiliary verbs in European languages.
When used as a preverb, a word can have a different sense than it would elsewhere in the sentence. For example, In mi ken pali e ona, ken is a preverb. It means "I am able to make it". However, in mi ken e ona, ken is the main verb instead. There, it means something else ("I allow it").
Stacking[edit | edit source]
Preverbs may be stacked to convey more complex meanings.
mikama wilemokumi kama wile moku.
I come to need to eat.
I got hungry. / I'm getting hungry.
jan liopen wile lukin kama sonatoki ponajan li open wile lukin kama sona toki pona.
People start to want to try to come to know (how) to speak well.
miken kamasona e ni2 ijo ijo ijomi ken kama sona e ni: …
I can come to know this: …[1]
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 sonaona li wile a sona.
They want to know. (emphasis on "want")
ona li wile ala sonaona 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 sonaona li wile kin sona.
They also want to know. ("also" modifies "want", not "they")
ona li wile taso sonaona li wile taso sona.
They just want to know.
ona li wile lili sonaona li wile lili sona.
They somewhat want to know.
ona li wile mute sonaona 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 ala A questions, the preverb may be the repeated word.
sina wile ala wile sonasina wile ala wile sona?
Do you want to know?
List of preverbs[edit | edit source]
| Usage | Word | Preverb sense | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| pu[2] | awen |
to continue to… |
|
| kama |
to come to… |
Going from not (doing) something, to doing or being it. | |
| ken |
to be able to… | ||
| sona | to know (how) to… | ||
| wile | to need / to want to… | ||
| lukin | to try to… to try …ing |
Cognate with English "looking to…" | |
| Common | alasa[3] | ||
| Uncommon | open[3] |
to start to… |
|
| pini[3] | to finish …ing | ||
| tawa[3] | to go (in order) to… | Unlike going to in English (which expresses a future tense), tawa refers to going somewhere in order to do something. Compare prepositional use. | |
| Rare | olin |
to love to… |
|
| pakala |
to fail to… |
||
| pake | to stop …ing | pake is a rare word. This usage is more direct than pini. | |
| tokana | to focus on …ing | tokana is an obscure word. This usage remains theoretical. |
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Also pre-verb, auxiliary verb, auxverb, helper verb.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ jan Peton. (14 June 2022). "nasin tenpo pi kamalawala Kanse". lipu kule.
- ↑ Lang, Sonja. (25 May 2014). Toki Pona: The Language of Good. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292300. OCLC 921253340.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lang, Sonja. (18 July 2021). Toki Pona Dictionary. Illustrated by Vacon Sartirani. Tawhid. ISBN 978-0978292362. p. 9.