Numbers
Numbers in Toki Pona are unusual among languages, even constructed ones. Rather than positional notation, where the "three" in "twenty three" is treated differently than in "three thousand", number words in Toki Pona are simply added together (sign-value notation).
Simple system[edit | edit source]
  | |
| Pronunciation | /wan/ (listen) |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% → ) 2022: Core (100%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Number, content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1973 |
  | |
| Pronunciation | /tu/ (listen) |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% ↗ ) 2022: Core (99%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Number, content word |
| Codepoint | U+F196E |
As modifiers, the words wan and tu can mean 1 and 2 respectively. However, they can still mean other things in context.
mi wile e ilo tu e linja wanmi wile e ilo tu e linja wan.
I want two tools and one string.
I want a cutting tool (scissors) and a unifying sheet (tape).
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmu.te/ (listen) |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% → ) 2022: Core (100%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Number, content word |
| Codepoint | U+F193C |
Any numbers above 2 can be expressed with mute.
soweli mute li musoweli mute li mu.
Many animals are making noises.
Advanced system[edit | edit source]
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈlu.ka/ (listen) |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% ↗ ) 2022: Core (99%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Number, content word |
| Codepoint | U+F192D |
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈa.le/ (listen) |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (90% ↘ ) 2022: Core (92%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Number, content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1904 |
Alternatively, number words can be strung together in descending order to form larger numbers by addition. (This is often compared to Roman numerals, but unlike those, Toki Pona numbers aren't subtracted when a larger one is placed after a smaller one.)
akesi tu wan li tawaakesi tu wan li tawa.
Three lizards are moving.
Outside of wan and tu, the words luka, mute, and ale can mean 5, 20, and 100 respectively.
mi sitelen e kala luka tumi sitelen e kala luka tu.
I drew seven (5 + 2) fish.
I drew two hand-fish (perhaps octopuses).
Ordinals[edit | edit source]
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnan.pa/, [ˈnam.pa] (listen) |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% ↗ ) 2022: Core (99%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F193D |
As a particle, nanpa introduces and marks a number phrase as an ordinal number. As number phrases are introduced with nanpa, the use of the particle pi is optional.[1]
waso nanpa tu wan li kute e nimiwaso nanpa tu wan li kute e nimi.
The third bird heard a word.
Philosophy[edit | edit source]
Large numbers being inconvenient to express is an intentional philosophical choice by jan Sonja, as she considered exact numbers to rarely be truly necessary.[2] Some speakers take this further and forgo numbers altogether.
Alternative number systems[edit | edit source]
A common project among tokiponists is creating other ways to express numbers in the language. Some of them are made as serious proposals, whether to "improve" the language or for personal writings. Others are explicitly intended to be humorous, such as nasin nanpa kijetesantakalu.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ jan Juli (2021). "ordinals". nasin toki pona. GitHub. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ↑ Yerrick, Damian (23 October 2002). "Toki Pona li pona ala pona? A review of Sonja Kisa's constructed language Toki Pona". Pin Eight.