- Anne
Explaining the Monologue to Learn Toki Pona
Does the Monologue to learn Toki Pona make sense to you?
Below I have created explanations, line by line, translating the words and explaining some of the rules that this monologue helps you understand better.
The Monologue to Learn Toki Pona Explained
1. Hello! This is Michael.
toki! ni li jan Miseli.
toki -> hi
ni -> this
li -> indicates separation of the subject and verb
jan -> person
Miseli -> Tokiponization of the name Michael
In Toki Pona, proper nouns can be adjusted to the phonology of Toki Pona. These are called unofficial words. All unofficial words are adjectives and must follow a noun that they can describe. Hence, a name is describing a person -> jan.
2. He is the leader of a strong tribe.
ona li jan lawa pi kulupu wawa.
ona -> he
li -> separates the subject and verb
jan -> person
lawa -> lead/head (jan lawa - head person - leader)
pi -> of
kulupu -> community/tribe
wawa -> strong
The word pi indicates we are modifying a word with another word that uses an adjective that doesn’t apply to the first word. For instance, (noun) (modifier 1) (modifier 2) implies this grouping: [(noun) (modifier 1)] (modifier 2), which means that modifier 2 is modifying the whole of the noun and modifier 1. To apply the associative property (so to speak), we need the word pi: (noun) pi [(modifier 1) (modifier 2)]. Now modifiers 1 and 2 combine to modify the noun. You can see examples and learn more here.
3. He has a wife and two children.
ona li jo e meli e jan lili tu.
ona -> he
li -> separates the subject and verb
jo -> possesses
e -> separates verb from direct object
meli -> female/wife
e -> separating another direct object
jan -> person
lili -> little (jan lili - little person - child)
tu -> two (jan lili tu - two little people - two children)
When we have multiple direct objects, we use e to separate them.
4. His wife’s name is Anna.
nimi meli li jan Ana.
nimi -> name
meli -> girl
jan -> person
Ana -> Anna (jan Ana - Anna person - recall that names are adjectives)
See how a possessive is created by using the possessor as an adjective? Thus nimi meli, or girl name implies the name of he girl.
5. In the daytime, he and his son go hunting for fish and forage for herbs.
tenpo suno la jan Miseli en jan lili mije li alasa e kala e kasi.
tenpo -> time
suno -> sun (tenpo suno - sun time - day)
la -> separates the context phrase from the main sentence
jan Miseli -> Michael
en -> and (for separating multiple subjects)
jan lili -> child
mije -> masculine (jan lili mije - male child)
alasa -> hunt/forage
e -> separating verb from direct object or separating direct objects
kala -> fish
kasi -> plants/herbs
The word la is designed to give context for sentences, such as time and if-then statements. A good way to think of it is: When (part before la), then (part after la).
6. At home, the second child and her mom make bread and clothes.
lon tomo la jan lili pi nanpa tu en mama li pali e pan e len.
lon -> located at
tomo -> home/structure
la -> separates context from the sentence
jan lili -> child
pi -> of
nanpa -> number
tu -> two
en -> and
mama -> parent
pali -> build/make
pan -> bread
len -> clothing
Notice the use of pi here: nanpa tu (number two) is modifying the child. Without pi, it would mean something like, “two numbered children”.
7. At night, they circle around the fire, sing, draw in the dirt, and look at the moon.
tenpo pimeja la ona li sike lon seli, li kalama musi, li pali e sitelen lon ma, li lukin e mun.
tenpo -> time
pimeja -> dark (tenpo pimeja - dark time - night)
ona -> they
sike -> circle (used as a verb here)
lon -> located at
seli -> fire
kalama -> make noise
musi -> amusing/artistic (kalama musi - artistic noise - music/singing)
pali -> build/make
sitelen -> image (pali e sitelen - build a picture - draw)
ma -> land/earth (pali e sitelen lon ma -> drawing in the dirt)
lukin -> look
mun -> moon/stars
8. A child says, “Mom, there is a blue lizard in my hand. I like this!”
jan lili li toki e ni: mama o, akesi laso li lon luka mi. ni li pona tawa mi!
toki -> speaks
ni -> this
mama -> mom/parent
o -> call to attention (the comma makes it a call to attention and not a command)
akesi -> reptile/amphibian
laso -> blue
lon -> located on
luka -> hand
mi -> mine/me/I (lon luka mi - on hand mine - on my hand)
pona -> good
tawa -> in the perspective of
When someone says something, we have to say “[ona] li toki e ni:” because it means “[they] say this”. Also, the way we say that we like something in Toki Pona is “[something] li pona tawa mi.” It means, “[something] is good to me.”
9. The other child says, “Oh no! Dad, there is a gross bug on my back. I don’t like this. Kill it!”
jan lili ante li toki e ni: ike! mama o, pipi jaki li lon monsi mi. ni li ike tawa mi. o moli e ona!
ante -> other/different
toki e ni: -> says this
ike -> negative interjection
mama -> dad/parent
o -> call to attention
pipi -> bug
jaki -> gross/unclean (pipi jaki - gross bug)
lon -> on
monsi -> back (lon monsi mi - on my back)
mi -> mine
ni -> this
ike -> bad
tawa mi -> from my perspective
o -> command (note there is no comma)
moli -> kill
ona -> it
Notice you can say you don’t like something in a similar way to saying you do like it: ni li ike tawa mi. Also notice that when o is not followed by a comma, it becomes a command.
10. While Michael is breaking branches, he hears the calls of his children.
jan Miseli li pakala e palisa la ona li kute e kalama pi jan lili.
jan Miseli -> Michael
pakala -> break
palisa -> stick(s)
la -> indicating context phrase
ona -> he
kute -> hears
kalama -> calls/shouts
pi -> of
jan lili -> children/child
Notice how we don’t have any verb tenses in Toki Pona and we don’t have a distinction between singular and plural? Toki Pona is ambiguous, which is one of its beauties. Notice also that if we didn’t use the word pi, we would have kalama jan lili - small (people shouts) - faint shouts of people, verses kalama pi jan lili - (small people) shouts - shouts of children. Also notice how Toki Pona places modifiers after words, unlike we do in English (but they do in French!).
11. He puts the bug in a bag and gives it to the child.
ona li pana e pipi lon poki. ona li pana e poki tawa jan lili.
ona -> he
pana -> gives/puts
pipi -> bug
lon -> into
poki -> bag/container
tawa -> to
jan lili -> child.
Notice tawa is a versatile word. It can mean moving, perspective, and can indicate an action towards.
12. He says, “Maybe you can kill the bug.”
ona li toki e ni: ken la, sina ken moli e pipi.
ona li toki e ni: -> he says this
ken -> can
la -> context (ken la - maybe)
sina -> you
moli -> kill
pipi -> bug
The phrase ken la more literally translates to “if capable, then” which means “maybe”.
13. The kid opens the bag and kills the bug with a rock.
jan lili li open e poki li moli e pipi kepeken kiwen.
jan lili -> child
open -> open
poki -> bag/container
moli -> kills
pipi -> bug
kepeken -> using
kiwen -> rock
You can have multiple actions if you use li over and over. Also see how kepeken indicates you are using something to complete this action.
14. Michael says “Good, now go to bed.”
jan Miseli li toki e ni: pona! tenpo ni la o lape.
pona -> positive interjection
tenpo -> time
ni -> this (tenpo ni - this time - now)
la -> context linker
o -> command
lape -> sleep
15. The boy said, “I don’t want to sleep.”
jan lili li toki e ni: mi wile ala lape.
mi -> I
wile -> want
ala -> not (mi wile ala - I want not - I don’t want)
lape -> sleep
When mi or sina is the subject, we don’t need to use the word li. When we want to negate a verb, we can simply put ala after it.
16. Michael said, “Are you challenging me?”
jan Miseli li toki e ni: sina utala ala utala e mi?
sina -> you
utala -> challenge/fight
ala -> not
“Are you challenging or not challenging me?” is how you could translate this sentence. When we ask yes/no questions, we repeat the word twice with ala in between. To answer, the person would either repeat the word surrounding ala (meaning yes), or say the word with ala after it (meaning no).
17. The wind made the child’s body cold.
kon li lete e sijelo pi jan lili.
kon -> air
lete -> cold
sijelo -> body
18. He said, “No. I’m going to bed. I know the way. Indeed.”
jan lili li toki e ni: utala ala. mi lape. mi sona e nasin. Kin.
utala -> challenge
ala -> not
lape -> sleep
sona -> know
nasin -> path/way
kin -> emphasis/confirmation
When the boy says “utala ala”, he is saying, “Not challenging,” meaning no. If he wanted to say yes, he would say, “utala.” The word kin is also interesting.
19. After the fire finished, Michael and Anna ate apples and drank water.
seli li pini la, jan Miseli en jan Ana li moku e kili loje e telo.
seli -> fire
pini -> done/finished
en -> and
moku -> eat
kili -> fruit/veggie/mushroom
telo -> liquid
20. They said, “I love you.”
ona li toki e ni: mi olin e sina.
mi -> I
olin -> love/respect
sina -> you
Note that olin can only be used as affectionate love (meaning living things, generally people). You can’t olin an item.
21. **This part will not be translated, since it is not appropriate for all audiences.**
ona li unpa.
Learn it here.
22. Tomorrow Anna will go to the market.
tenpo suno kama la, jan Ana li tawa lon esun.
tenpo -> time
suno -> sun (tenpo suno - light time - day)
kama -> coming (tenpo suno kama - the coming day - tomorrow)
tawa -> go/travel
lon -> to
esun -> market
23. She needs tools to fix the leg of the couch.
ona li wile e ilo tan ni: ona li wan e noka supa kepeken ilo.
wile -> want/need
ilo -> tools
tan -> because of
wan -> one/united/make whole
noka -> leg
supa -> furniture (noka supa - leg of the furniture)
kepeken -> using
ilo -> tool
Here we use wan as a verb, meaning to make one or unite. We often describe marriage that way as well: tu li wan - Two are united.
24. When she was away, she bought some things and an orange dog with money.
mama li weka la ona li esun e ijo e soweli jelo loje kepeken mani.
weka -> away
esun -> bought/shopped
ijo -> things
soweli -> animal (often a dog)
jelo -> yellow
loje -> red (jelo loje - red yellow - orange)
kepeken -> using
mani -> money
While Toki Pona only has 5 colors, you can mix colors using colors as modifiers on other colors.
25. When the children saw the dog, they were happy.
jan lili li lukin e soweli la ona li pilin pona.
lukin -> look/see
soweli -> dog
pilin -> feeling/feel
pona -> good/positive
26. The dog was big and sweet and barked playfully.
soweli li suli li suwi li mu musi.
soweli -> dog
suli -> big/tall/fat
suwi -> sweet/innocent
mu -> any animal noise
musi -> fun/playful
27. The dog waited near the door.
soweli li awen lon poka lupa.
awen -> waiting/enduring
poka -> near
lupa -> hole/door/window
28. He had a white bird in his mouth.
ona li jo e waso walo lon uta.
jo -> possess
waso -> bird
walo -> white
uta -> mouth
29. Michael faced his two kids.
jan Miseli li lukin e jan lili ona.
lukin -> look/see
jan lili -> kid
ona -> his
Again, possessives are indicated as modifiers. I realized that I originally meant to translate this to two kids, so it would be: jan Miseli li lukin e jan lili tu ona.
30. He said, “Dangit, one or both of you will humble/train this strange dog.”
ona li toki e ni: pakala. sina wan anu sina tu li kama anpa e soweli nasa ni.
pakala -> can be used as a swear word (though I like to think of it a little more mildly since I don’t swear)
sina wan -> one of you
anu -> or
sina tu -> two of you
kama -> progressive verb
anpa -> humble/train
soweli -> dog
nasa -> crazy/strange/silly
Here, kama anpa implies progressing towards being humble, so it implies the process of training.
31. He went inside the house and read his new religious book (his new book of the higher path).
ona li tawa lon insa tomo li lukin e lipu sin ona pi nasin sewi.
tawa -> went
insa -> inside
tomo -> house
lipu -> book
sin -> new
nasin -> path/way
sewi -> high/divine
When we talk about religion, we call it nasin sewi, because it is the divine path.
32. The daughter colored her hair and the son put mud on his face.
jan lili meli li kule e linja lawa ona. jan lili mije li pana e ko ma lon sinpin ona.
jan lili -> child
meli -> feminine
kule -> color
linja -> line/thread/hair
lawa -> head (linja lawa - head thread - hair)
pana -> put
ko -> colloid/paste
ma -> land/earth (ko ma - land paste - mud)
sinpin -> face
33. Mom said, “Why are you so very dirty?”
mama meli li toki e ni: sina jaki mute mute tan seme a?
mama meli - feminine parent
jaki -> gross/unclean
mute -> very
tan -> because of
seme -> what
a -> emphasis
We can repeat a word to emphasize it, so mute mute means very very. The word seme is used to hold the place of the thing we are asking about. Thus tan seme means why, because she is asking “because of what” (this would be the Russian почему). We use seme for most questions that aren’t yes/no questions.
34. She wiped mud off his nose.
ona li weka e ko ma lon nena ona.
weka -> absent/removed
ko -> paste/semisolid
ma -> land
nena -> bump/nose
35. She said, “You and your sibling need to clean all of your skin. However, don’t use all of the water.”
ona li toki e ni: sina en jan sama sina li wile pona e selo sina. taso, o pali ala e telo ali.
sama -> same/peer
pona -> make good
selo -> skin
taso -> however/only/but
o -> command
pali -> make/build
ala -> not
telo -> liquid/water
ali -> all
36. Now that you can understand this, you can understand Toki Pona and read the Toki Pona book. Congratulations!
sina sona e ni la sina ken sona e toki pona li pu. pona!
sona -> know/understand
ken -> can
pu -> interact with the official Toki Pona book
pona -> congratulations
Challenge
Great job! You made it through! My challenge is to really absorb these explanations, and if you want to learn more, try checking out the hieroglyph version and the sign language version.