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{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{tp|ona}} vs. {{tp|ni}}}}<!-- {{tp title|ona|ni}} results in a broken title. -->
How to use '''ona''' and '''ni''' and their differences:
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''.
 
{{Example
'''ni''' is a third person pronoun, similar to English's ''it, they, she, him, themselves, etc''.
|mi kepeken ilo. <mark>ona</mark> li pona.
*mi kepeken ilo. ni li pona. - |I'm using a tool. It [the tool] is good.▼
|mi kepeken ilo {{idsp}} <mark>ona </mark>li pona
}}
 
{{Example
'''ni''' can contain the information of a noun phrase (a head noun plus its modifiers), here are some examples:
|jan Alu li moku e kili <mark>ona</mark>.
▲*mi kepeken ilo. ni li pona. - I'm using a tool. It [the tool] is good.
*jan Mimi li moku e kili ni. - Mimi|Someone is eating her<mark>their</mark> [MimiAlu's] fruit.
|jan [ale luka uta] li moku e kili <mark>ona</mark>
*kasi mute li lon. ona laso li pona. - There are many plants. The blue ones [plants] are good.▼
}}
{{Example
|kasi mute li lon. <mark>ona laso</mark> li pona.
▲*kasi mute li lon. ona laso 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
}}
 
Besides being able to contain the information of a noun phrase, itthe canpronoun {{tp|ni}} may also hold the information of an entire sentence. Not only that, the information that ''{{tp|ni''}} contains can come after it is said, examples:▼
'''ni''' is a demonstrative pronoun, similar to English's ''this, that, these, and those''.
 
{{Example
▲Besides being able to contain the information of a noun phrase, it can also hold the information of an entire sentence. Not only that, the information that ''ni'' contains can come after it is said, examples:
*|mi kepeken ilo. onani li pona. - I'm using a tool. This [using a tool] is good.
|I'm using a tool. This [using a tool] is good.
*jan Mimi li moku e kili ni: ona li loje walo li tan ma Pasiju. - Mimi is eating this [information will come] fruit: it [the fruit] is whitish red and it comes from Brazil.
}}
*mi wile kama sona e toki Alapi. mi o ona. - I want to learn the Arabic language. I should do this [learn the Arabic language].
Note that when ''ni'' is used, ''[ijo] ni'' can be used instead:
*mi moku e kili. ni li pona. - I eat a fruit. It [the fruit] is good.▼
*mi moku e kili. kili ni li pona. - I eat a fruit. This fruit is good.▼
 
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]]:
Notice in the first example of each (mi kepeken ilo), how substituting ''ni'' for ''ona'' changes the meaning of the second part. Here are more examples of the difference ''ona'' and ''ni'' can make in a sentence:▼
*mi wile ala moku e kili ni - I don't want to eat her fruit.▼
*mi wile ala moku e kili ona - I don't want to eat this fruit.▼
*mi sona e toki mute. ni li pona. - I know many languages. They [the languages] are good.▼
*mi sona e toki mute. ona li pona. - I know many languages. This [knowing many languages] is good.▼
 
{{Example
|mi moku e kili. ona li pona.
▲*mi moku e kili. ni li pona. - |I eat a fruit. It [the fruit] is good.
}}
{{Example
|mi moku e kili. kili ni li pona.
▲*mi moku e kili. kili ni li pona. - |I eat a fruit. This fruit is good.
}}
 
▲Notice in the first example of each ({{tp|mi kepeken ilo}}), how substituting ''ni''{{tp|ona}} for ''ona''{{tp|ni}} changes the meaning of the second part. HereFor areexample, more examples ofcompare the difference ''ona'' and ''ni'' can make in afollowing sentencesentences:
 
<div style="column-count: 2;">
{{Example
|mi wile ala moku e <mark>kili ona</mark>.
▲*mi wile ala moku e kili ni - |I don't want to eat <mark>her fruit</mark>.
}}
{{Example
|mi wile ala moku e <mark>kili ni</mark>.
▲*mi wile ala moku e kili ona - |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.
▲*mi sona e toki mute. ni 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.
▲*mi sona e toki mute. ona 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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