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ona vs. ni: Difference between revisions

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ona vs. ni (edit)

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{tp|ona}} vs. {{tp|ni}}}}<!-- {{tp title|ona|ni}} results in a broken title. -->
The pronouns {{tp|[[ona]]}} and {{tp|[[ni]]}} are used differently depending on context and is sometimes misunderstood by learners. The word {{tp|ona}} is a {{w|third-person pronoun}}. It can contain the information about a content phrase. While {{tp|ni}} is a demonstrative pronoun, similar to English's ''this'' / ''that''.
{{Needs work|formatting}}
 
The pronouns {{tp|[[ona]]}} ("he, she, it, they") and {{tp|[[ni]]}} ("this, that") are used differently depending on context.
 
{{tp|ona}} is a third-person pronoun. It can contain the information of a noun phrase (a head noun plus its modifiers):
 
{{Example
|mi kepeken ilo. <mark>ona</mark> li pona.
|I'm using a tool. It [the tool] is good.
|mi kepeken ilo {{idsp}} <mark>ona </mark>li pona
}}
 
{{Example
|jan MimiAlu li moku e kili <mark>ona</mark>.
|MimiSomeone is eating her<mark>their</mark> [MimiAlu's] fruit.
|jan [moku insaale miluka ijouta] li moku e kili <mark>ona</mark>
}}
{{Example
|kasi mute li lon. <mark>ona laso</mark> li pona.
|There are many plants. <mark>The blue ones</mark> [plants] are good.
|kasi mute li lon {{idsp}} <mark>ona laso </mark>li pona
}}
 
{{tp|ni}} is a demonstrative pronoun, similar to English's ''this'', ''that'', ''these'', and ''those''. Besides being able to contain the information of a noun phrase, itthe pronoun {{tp|ni}} canmay also hold the information of an entire sentence. Not only that, the information that {{tp|ni}} contains can come after it is said:
 
{{Example
|mi kepeken ilo. ni li pona.
|I'm using a tool. This [using a tool] is good.
}}▼
{{Example▼
|jan Mimi li moku e kili ni: ona li loje walo li tan ma Pasiju.
|Mimi is eating this fruit: it [the fruit] is whitish red and it comes from Brazil.
|jan [moku insa mi ijo] li moku e kili ni : ona li loje walo li tan ma [pilin awen sona insa jan uta]
}}▼
{{Example▼
|mi wile kama sona e toki ante. mi o ni.
|I want to learn another language. I should do this [learn another language].
}}
 
Note that when {{tp|ona}} is used, the phrase {{tp|[ijo] ni}} can be used instead, with {{tp|ijo}} being substituted with any [[content word]]:
 
{{Example
Line 47 ⟶ 37:
}}
 
Notice in the first example of each ({{tp|mi kepeken ilo}}), how substituting {{tp|ona}} for {{tp|ni}} changes the meaning of the second part. HereFor areexample, more examples ofcompare the difference {{tp|ona}} and {{tp|ni}} can make in afollowing sentencesentences:
 
{{Example|mi wile ala moku e kili ona.|I don't want to eat her fruit.}}
<div style="column-count: 2;">
{{Example|mi wile ala moku e kili ni.|I don't want to eat this fruit.}}
▲{{Example
{{Example|mi sona e toki mute. ona li pona.|I know many languages. They [the languages] are good.}}▼
|mi wile ala moku e <mark>kili ona</mark>.
{{Example|mi sona e toki mute. ni li pona.|I know many languages. This [knowing many languages] is good.}}▼
|I don't want to eat <mark>her fruit</mark>.
▲}}
▲{{Example
|mi wile ala moku e <mark>kili ni</mark>.
|I don't want to eat <mark>this fruit</mark>.
▲}}
</div>
<div style="column-count: 2;">
{{Example
|mi sona e toki mute. <mark>ona</mark> li pona.
▲{{Example|mi sona e toki mute. ona li pona.|I know many languages. <mark>They</mark> [the languages] are good.}}
|mi sona e toki mute {{idsp}} <mark>ona </mark>li pona
}}
{{Example
|mi sona e toki mute. <mark>ni</mark> li pona.
▲{{Example|mi sona e toki mute. ni li pona.|I know many languages. <mark>This</mark> [knowing many languages] is good.}}
|mi sona e toki mute {{idsp}} <mark>ni </mark>li pona
}}
</div>
[[Category:Grammar]]
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