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==={{tp|li}} is not "is"===
The word "is" is a verb, whereas {{tp|li}} is not a verb. It is a particle that <em>introduces</em> a verb, regardless of whether the sentence would be translated with "is".
Take the following example:
{{Example|mi pona.|I (›) am good.}}
{{Example|ona li pona.|They › are good.}}
{{Example|ona li pona e ijo.|They › improve » something.}}
It is more consistent to say that "to be good" and "improve" are both translations of {{tp|pona}}. This pattern is true of all [[content word]]s.
This is also why {{tp|li}} cannot be used in a [[pi phrase|{{tp|pi}} phrase]]. {{tp|li}} is a particle that has higher priority than {{tp|pi}}, not a content word that could be used within a {{tp|pi}} phrase.
==References==
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