mi li and sina li

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The word li is dropped when the subject of a sentence is only mi or only sina. Many learners overcorrect for this rule, but the exact phrasing is important. If the subject has other words besides mi or sina, or if multiple subjects are joined with en, then li should be left in. (More beginner's traps)

The phrases mi li and sina li are generally considered to be ungrammatical. If a sentence starts with mi or with sina as the only word in the subject, the predicate immediately follows after.

Why no li?

Learners sometimes wonder why li gets added for everything else, but not for mi and sina. Because the underlying confusion, or curiosity, can have different causes, there are many possible answers.

• Because this is how the language works, and how it has worked from the very beginning. After decades, only a minority of speakers use li differently, if any.
• The particle li introduces a verb to a subject more complicated than only mi or only sina. It's commonly said that li is "omitted" after mi or sina, or that there is a "hidden" li. This could mean that Toki Pona likes to concentrate on mi and sina being more immediate subjects. They hold such importance in the language that anything else is more complex or more external to an immediate experience so that it needs an extra separation by a particle.
• Etymologically speaking, li is a third-person marker. It is derived from the Esperanto third-person singular pronoun li and functions similarly to Tok Pisin's particle i, which introduces the verb except when the subject is the singular first or second person pronoun
• In terms of practical benefits, omitting li after mi makes it less likely to be confused with ni. It also makes sentences shorter and slightly more varied in terms of word distribution.

When to add li anyway

The relationship li has to mi and sina is often overly shortened to "no li after mi or sina". However, taking this abbreviated explanation at face-value can lead to confusion for learners, in some cases where the word li follows mi and sina.

li is not added if mi is the only word in the subject or if sina is the only word in the subject. With en, there are now two subjects, so li is added.

mi en sina li pali　

mi en sina li pali.

li follows mi and sina when used as modifiers. In the sentence below, sina is not the subject, it is only part of the subject.

soweli sina li pona　

soweli sina li pona.

li is still used if mi or sina are modified.

mi tu li kama　

mi tu li kama.

Multiple predicates

pu says that when multiple predicates are applied to mi or sina, a new sentence should start.

sina pali　 sina wawa　

sina pali. sina wawa.

Some speakers use a second li in this case. This is referred to as "extended li style" in ku.

sina pali li wawa　

sina pali li wawa.

Edge cases

In some cases, speakers' styles may lead to differences in how li is used.

Most notably, there is no clear community consensus on whether you need to use a li when the subject of a sentence is mi a or sina a. Some feel that it's better to use li, because mi a is similar to mi kin or mi taso, which both require a li in most people's style of Toki Pona. Others feel that it's better not to use li, because a is not a content word. In practice, both methods are used by different people.

mi a wawa　

mi a wawa.

mi a li wawa　

mi a li wawa.