li
li is a particle in toki pona that separates the subject from the rest of the sentence.
Function of li
li separates the subject from the predicate. The predicate can be a verb (with or without object), a noun, an adjective, or a prepositional phrase. It is omitted when the subject is "mi" or "sina" alone.
- ona li moku.
- They eat.
- soweli li suwi.
- The dog is cute.
- kili li moku.
- Fruits are food.
- mi tawa tomo.
- I'm going home.
- sina en mi li lukin e sitelen tawa.
- You and I watch a movie.
Multiple predicates
Typically, li is repeated when multiple predicates apply to the same subject.
- ona li kama li tawa.
- They come and go.
pu says that when multiple predicates are applied to "mi" or "sina" a new sentence should start.[1]
- mi toki. mi moku.
- I speak and eat.
Many speakers, however, use a second li in this case:
- mi toki li moku.
- I speak and eat.
This is referred to as "extended li style" and has received official sanction from ku.
Etymology
The toki pona particle li is originally from the Esperanto third-person singular pronoun "li."[2] This explains pu's style of breaking a first-person sentence into two rather than applying li to a first- or second-person subject.