Toki Pona: Example Sentences

Example sentences, roughly from simple to intermediate, each with a translation and, where useful, a one-line grammar note. Practise them on the Toki Pona practice page (Sentences deck).

Toki Pona	English	Note
mi moku.	I eat; I’m eating.	no li after mi
sina pona.	You are good.
jan li moku.	The person eats.	li separates subject and predicate
ona li suli.	He/she is big; it is important.
mi moku e kili.	I eat fruit.	e marks the object
jan li lukin e waso.	The person sees the bird.
mi jan pona sina.	I am your friend.	jan pona = friend
tomo mi li lili.	My house is small.	modifiers follow the noun
mi tawa tomo.	I go home.	tawa as a verb, no preposition needed
mi tawa ma tomo.	I’m going to the city.	ma tomo = city
mi lon tomo.	I am at home.	lon = to be at
soweli li lape lon supa.	The animal sleeps on the bed.
mi pana e lipu tawa sina.	I give the book to you.	tawa = to (a recipient)
mi pali kepeken ilo.	I work with a tool.	kepeken = using
mi wile moku.	I want to eat.	wile before a verb
mi ken toki e toki pona.	I can speak Toki Pona.	ken before a verb
mi kama sona e toki pona.	I’m learning Toki Pona.
mi sona ala e nimi ni.	I don’t know this word.	ala follows what it negates
sina moku ala moku?	Do you eat? / Are you eating?	verb ala verb = yes/no question
sina wile e seme?	What do you want?	seme replaces the unknown part
jan seme li kama?	Who is coming?
tenpo pini la mi lili.	In the past, I was small.	context + la
tenpo kama la mi tawa ma ante.	In the future I’ll go to another country.
tenpo ni la mi pali.	Now I am working.
sina kama la mi pilin pona.	If you come, I’ll be happy.	a clause before la gives the condition
telo li kama tan sewi.	Water comes from the sky; it’s raining.
suno li seli.	The sun is hot.
tenpo pimeja li kama.	Night is coming.
mi en sina li jan pona.	You and I are friends.	en joins subjects
mi moku e kili e pan.	I eat fruit and bread.	repeat e for several objects
ona li moku li lape.	He eats and sleeps.	repeat li for several predicates
jan pi toki pona li mute.	Toki Pona speakers are many.	pi regroups: person of good-language
tomo pi jan pona mi li suli.	My friend’s house is big.
lipu ni li pona tawa mi.	I like this book.	pona tawa mi = good to me
mi olin e mama mi.	I love my parent(s).
o moku!	Eat!	o + verb = command
jan Wiki o, kama!	Wiki, come here!	name + o = calling someone
mi wile e ni: sina pona.	I want this: that you are well.	ni: introduces a clause
mi sona e ni: ona li jan pona.	I know that he is a good person.
mi pilin e ni: ni li ike.	I feel that this is bad.
ilo sona li pona tawa pali.	Computers are good for work.	ilo sona = computer
mi kepeken ilo toki.	I’m using a phone.	ilo toki = phone
kalama musi li pona tawa mi.	I like music.	kalama musi = music
mi wile tawa tomo moku.	I want to go to a restaurant.	tomo moku = restaurant
jan lili li musi.	The child is playing.	jan lili = child
ona li pakala e ilo.	He broke the tool.
mi awen lon tomo.	I’m staying at home.
nasin ni li tawa ma tomo.	This road goes to the city.
jan ale li jan sama.	All people are siblings.	jan sama = sibling
toki pona li toki lili.	Toki Pona is a small language.