Personal pronouns
  | |
| Pronunciation | /mi/ |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1934 |
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsi |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% → )2022: Core (100%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F195E |
  | |
| Pronunciation | /ˈo |
|---|---|
| Usage | 2023: Core (100% ↗︎ )2022: Core (99%) |
| Book and era | nimi pu |
| Part of speech | Content word |
| Codepoint | U+F1946 |
The personal pronouns in Toki Pona are mi (first-person), sina (second-person), and ona (third-person). In terms of morphology and syntax, pronouns act the same as any other content word.
Number[edit | edit source]
Pronouns are grammatically unmarked for number, meaning that any pronoun may be singular or plural. If number need be specified, it can be added as a modifier, such as mi wan ('I'), mi tu ('us two'), mi mute ('we'),[a] and mi ale ('we all').
Possessives[edit | edit source]
When used as modifiers, personal pronouns almost always imply possession:
ijo miijo mi
my stuff
our stuff
ijo sinaijo sina
your stuff
ijo onaijo ona
their stuff
Distinction[edit | edit source]
Pronouns are not marked for gender. One can narrow down the referent of a pronoun by using any quality as a modifier.
ona jeloona jelo
the yellow one(s) of them
sina suli osina suli o!
Hey, the tall one(s) of you!
li dropping[edit | edit source]
If the subject of a sentence is only mi or only sina, then the particle li, which would usually follow it, is dropped.
mi pona ijo mi li ponami pona. ijo mi li pona.
sina pona sina kin li ponasina pona. sina kin li pona.
mi en sina li ponami en sina li pona.
ona li ponaona li pona.
sitelen pona[edit | edit source]
The sitelen pona glyphs for mi (), sina (), and ona () are composed of a circle and a stem line originating from it, possibly representing hands pointing at the direction of the person. These may be drawn with either a straight or curved stem. Rarely, these may also be drawn mirrored as of the standard versions.
Other pronouns[edit | edit source]
Apart from personal pronouns, the words ni ("this, that") and seme ("what") also are pronouns, as they stand in for a content word or phrase.