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A question is a sentence that solicits some information from the listener. There are three main ways to form questions in toki pona.

Forms of questions in toki pona

verb ala verb

To form a yes-or-no question, repeat the main word of the predicate, and add the word ala between the repetitions.

sina moku ala moku?: Do you eat?
ona li pona ala pona tawa sina?: Are they good to you?

anu

The anu can be used to ask question about alternatives. See the article on anu for more details.

ona li lukin e waso anu soweli?: ona li lukin e waso.

anu seme

As a special case, the pair of words anu seme can be added to the end of a sentence to turn it into a yes-or-no question. Sonja Lang introduced this style of question in a forum post on 2003-02-12^[1]:

sina kama anu seme?

(literally: you're coming or what?)

I think you're coming, but please correct me and tell me what is really happening.

aren't you coming?

She compares its meaning to "the way 'oder' can be used in colloquial German."^[1] A question formed with anu seme typically is less forceful and more open to alternative answers than a question formed by repeating the main verb.

seme

The seme can be used to form general questions. It replaces the word in the sentence the speaker wants information about.

sina moku e seme?: What are you eating?
sina seme e kili?: What do you do with the fruit?
seme li moku e kili?: Who/What is eating the fruit?

The word seme can also modify other words.

jan seme li moku e kili?: Who (what person) eats the fruit?
jan li moku seme e kili?: How is the person eating the fruit?
jan li moku e kili seme?: What kind of fruit is the person eating?

Answering questions in toki pona

yes-or-no

A positive answer to a yes-or-no question can be given by repeating the word asked about:

akesi li suwi ala suwi?: suwi.
Are lizards cute?: Yes.

To say no, repeat the word asked about followed by ala, or use the word ala on its own.

sina wile ala wile moku e pipi?: wile ala.; ala.
Do you want to eat bugs?: No.

General questions

A question asked with seme can be answered with a sentence providing the information that was asked for.

ona li pali e seme?: What are they doing?
ona li kepeken ilo.: They are using a tool.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 [1]New question type

External resources

[newquestiontype-1] 1.0 ^1.1 [1]New question type

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+A [[Questions|question]] is a [[Glossary#sentence|sentence]] that solicits some information from the listener. There are three main ways to form questions in toki pona.
-{{Other license|ask|it was copied from ''[[ma pona pi toki pona]]''}}
-== The 3 canonical ways to form a question ==
+== Forms of questions in toki pona ==
-=== yes-or-no question ===
+=== '''verb''' ''ala'' '''verb''' ===
+To form a yes-or-no question, repeat the main word of the predicate, and add the word [[ala]] between the repetitions.
-use "PREDICATE ala PREDICATE"
-sina moku ala moku?
+; sina moku ala moku? : Do you eat?
+; ona li pona ala pona tawa sina? : Are they good to you?
+=== ''anu'' ===
-Do you eat?
+The [[Category:Particles|particle]] [[anu]] can be used to ask question about alternatives. See the [[anu|article on anu]] for more details.
-ona li pona ala pona tawa sina?
+; ona li lukin e waso anu soweli? : ona li lukin e waso.
+==== ''anu seme'' ====
-Are they good to you?
+As a special case, the pair of words ''anu seme'' can be added to the end of a sentence to turn it into a yes-or-no question. [[Sonja Lang]] introduced this style of question in a forum post on [[2003-02-12]]<ref name=newquestiontype>[http://forums.tokipona.org/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=112]New question type</ref>:
+<blockquote>
-=== (soft) yes-or-no question ===
-add "anu seme" at the end
+; sina kama anu seme?
+: (literally: you're coming or what?)
+: I think you're coming, but please correct me and tell me what is really happening.
+: aren't you coming?
+</blockquote>
+She compares its meaning to "the way 'oder' can be used in colloquial German."<ref name=newquestiontype /> A question formed with ''anu seme'' typically is less forceful and more open to alternative answers than a question formed by [[#'''verb''' ''ala'' '''verb'''|repeating the main verb]].
-sina moku anu seme?
+=== ''seme'' ===
-You eat, don't you?
+The [[Category:Particles|particle]] [[seme]] can be used to form general questions. It replaces the word in the sentence the speaker wants information about.
+; sina moku e seme? : What are you eating?
-=== question about something ===
+; sina seme e kili? : What do you do with the fruit?
-replace the thing you're asking about with "seme"
+; seme li moku e kili? : Who/What is eating the fruit?
+The word [[seme]] can also [[Glossary#modifier|modify]] other words.
-sina moku e seme?
+; jan seme li moku e kili? : Who (what person) eats the fruit?
-What are you eating?
+; jan li moku seme e kili? : How is the person eating the fruit?
+; jan li moku e kili seme? : What kind of fruit is the person eating?
+== Answering questions in toki pona ==
-sina seme e kili?
+=== yes-or-no ===
+A positive answer to a yes-or-no question can be given by repeating the word asked about:
+; akesi li suwi ala suwi? : suwi.
-What do you do with the fruit?
+; Are lizards cute? : Yes.
+To say no, repeat the word asked about followed by [[ala]], or use the word [[ala]] on its own.
-seme li moku e kili?
+; sina wile ala wile moku e pipi?
-Who/What eats the fruit?
+: wile ala.
+: ala.
+; Do you want to eat bugs? : No.
+=== General questions ===
-jan seme li moku e kili?
+A question asked with [[#''seme''|''seme'']] can be answered with a [[Glossary#sentence|sentence]] providing the information that was asked for.
+; ona li pali e seme? : What are they doing?
-Who (what person) eats the fruit?
+; ona li kepeken ilo. : They are using a tool.
+== References ==
-== There is no word for "yes" in toki pona! ==
+<references />
-• To reply to a yes/no question (see ... questions), repeat the verb:
-akesi li suwi ala suwi?
-- suwi.
-• Alternatively, you can form a full sentence:
-akesi li suwi anu seme?
-- akesi li suwi!
-• Outside of answering to yes/no questions, there are different possibilities to express general affirmation or agreement.
-akesi li suwi.
-- lon. / ni li lon!
-- ni a!
-- suwi a!
-- mi pilin sama.
-(and many more)
-• More interjections might also work as "yes" or "yeah"
-[scoring a goal at sportsball]
-- pona!
-- wawa a!
-- aa!
 == External resources ==