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ona vs. ni: Difference between revisions
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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. ona li pona.|I'm using a tool. It [the tool] is good.}}▼
{{Example|kasi mute li lon. ona laso li pona.|There are many plants. The blue ones [plants] are good.}}▼
{{Example
|mi kepeken ilo. ona li pona.
}}
{{Example
|jan Mimi li moku e kili ona.
|Mimi is eating her [Mimi's] fruit.
|jan [moku insa mi ijo] li moku e kili ona
}}
{{Example
|kasi mute li lon. ona laso 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, it can 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
|mi kepeken ilo. ni li pona.
{{Example|mi wile kama sona e toki Alapi. mi o ni.|I want to learn the Arabic language. I should do this [learn the Arabic language].}}▼
}}
{{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.
▲
}}
Note that when {{tp|ona}} is used, {{tp|[ijo] ni}} can be used instead:
{{Example|mi moku e kili. ona li pona.|I eat a fruit. It [the fruit] is good.}}▼
{{Example
{{Example|mi moku e kili. kili ni li pona.|I eat a fruit. This fruit is good.}}▼
|mi moku e kili. ona li pona.
}}
{{Example
|mi moku e kili. kili ni li pona.
}}
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. Here are more examples of the difference {{tp|ona}} and {{tp|ni}} can make in a sentence:
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