toki pona enhanced

toki pona enhanced, one of the unoffical symbols

toki pona enhanced (aka TPE) is a dialect of toki pona that formalizes the syntax and the lexicon of toki pona employing advances in the science of Lojban.

Basic sentence structure

Main TPE words are verbs like

"soweli" = to be an animal (e.g. a dog or a cat)

"moku" = to eat (something)

soweli li moku
A mouse eats.

The verb before the particle "li" becomes a noun. The verb after "li" remains a verb.

TPE also have words that act only as nouns. Those are pronouns:

"mi" = I

"sina" = you

Thus they don't require "li" to separate them from the forthcoming verb:

mi moku
I eat.

Two nouns of a verb

Verb can have more than one noun:

mi moku e ijo
I eat something.
I eat food.

"moku" = to eat (something)

The second noun is put after the verb and separated with the particle "e".

Compound verbs

"toki" = to talk, say (something)

"pona" = to be good, to repair (something)

"toki pona" = to talk in a good way

toki pona li moku
A good talker eats.

Stringing verbs together makes the second, third etc. verbs modify the first verb. Thus we get adjectives that unlike English is put afterwards: literally in TPE we say "talker, the good, eats."

Pronouns can also modify verbs:

"soweli" = to be an animal (e.g. cat)

"soweli mi" = to be my animal

ni li soweli mi
This is my cat.

"ni" = this

ona li soweli sina
It is your cat.

Modal verbs

Some verbs can be used as modal verbs (auxiliary verbs):

mi wile toki
I want to talk.

"wile" = modal verb: to want to ...

Compound verb rule is applied to them. However, some modal verbs can function as verbs, in this case the rule with "e" is applied.

Negation

mi moku ala
I don't eat.

"ala" = to be false, not

To negate a verb you put "ala" after it thus getting a compound verb.

Questions

The question verb "seme" is used for asking content questions:

seme li moku
Who eats?

Sentences with questions usually have a raising intonation.

sina moku ala moku
Do you eat?

moku
I do.

moku ala
I don't.

To ask yes/no questions repeat the verb twice with the word "ala" inside. To answer yes repeat that verb. To answer no repeat the verb with ala after it.

Pre-nouns

Pre-nouns work the same as modal verbs but make the next word a noun:

mi kepeken ijo
I use a tool.

"kepeken" = modal verb: to use ...

"ijo" = is a tool (like fork, knife ...)

Topic and comment

A more common sentence have two parts: topic and comment separated with the particle "la":

soweli li moku la ona li kepeken ijo
When a mouse eats it uses a fork. (literally)
A mouse eats using a fork (actual meaning)

"ona" = he, she, they, it

Topic is before "la", comment is after "la".

"la" is used to express prepositions. In this case the preposition "with" is rephrased in TPE with the modal verb "kepeken".

"la" can also be used to express conditions like "if" and "when". This sentence can also be translated as "If a mouse eats it uses a fork."

Anaphora

soweli li moku la ona li kepeken ijo
When a mouse eats it uses a fork. (literally)
A mouse eats using a fork (actual meaning)

Anaphoric verb "ona" refers to the previous noun known from context. In this isolated example it definitely refers to the noun "soweli" since there are no other nouns before "ona".

Separating sentences

Sentences are separated by lowering the intonation till the end of the sentence and putting an at least short pause after them.

Question sentences are separated by raising the intonation till the end of the sentence and putting an at least short pause after them.

In writing sentence is separated by a dot placed at the end of it.

Linking sentences together

mi moku. en la mi tawa

"tawa" = to go, to move (to some place)

"en" = and

If you want to show that two sentences express the same idea use "en la" to connect them.

mi moku. sin la kon li seli

"seli" = to be hot, to burn (something)

"sin" = to be new

If you change the subject of what you are talking about start the next sentence with "sin la" to show it belongs to a new subject. In books "sin la" is also used to separate paragraphs.

Metaphorical usage of prepositions

The verb to say actually requires three nouns:

I say this to you.

"toki" = to say (something)

"toki" specifies only the first two nouns. In such cases metaphors are used. In english to is used. TPE is similar in this regard. It uses "tawa":

mi tawa sina la mi toki e ni.
When I am towards you, I say this. (literally)
I say this to you.

"tawa" = to go to (some place), to be oriented towards (something or someone)

Differences from toki pona

In toki pona language "moku" as a noun can mean both "eater" ("the one who eats") and "food". in TPE it means onle "eater". For the second meaning you say

mi moku e ijo. ona li pona
I eat something. It (i.e. food) is good.

Dictionary

TPE word	class	translation	translation with "e"	as modal verb
a, kin	[interjection]	(emphasis, emotion or confirmation)
akesi	[verb]	is a non-cute animal (e.g. reptile, amphibian)
ala	[verb]	to be false, is not
ala	[number]	zero
alasa	[verb]	to be a hunter	to hunt, forage (something)
ale, ali	[verb]	to represent all of them or each of them; is in abundance, is countless, bountiful, plentiful
anpa	[verb]	to bow down, to be downwards, to be humble, low, dependent
ante	[verb]	is different, altered, changed; other
anu	[verb]	to present either option; or
awen	[verb]	is enduring, kept, protected, safe, waiting, staying		to continue to
e	[particle]	(before the second noun of a verb)
en	[verb]	is a union, is connected; and
esun	[verb]	is a market, shop, fair, bazaar, business transaction
ijo	[verb]	is a thing, phenomenon, object, matter
ike	[verb]	is bad, non-essential, irrelevant
ilo	[verb]	is a tool, implement, machine, device
insa	[verb]	is a center, content, the inside, is between, is an internal organ, stomach
jaki	[verb]	is disgusting, obscene, sickly, toxic, unclean, unsanitary
jan	[verb]	is a human being, person, somebody
jelo	[verb]	is yellow, yellowish
jo	[verb]	to have, carry, contain, hold
kala	[verb]	is a fish, marine animal, sea creature
kalama	[verb]	to produce a sound; recite; utter aloud
kama	[verb]	to arrive, come, is in future	to arrive to, come to (place)	to become, manage to, succeed in
kasi	[verb]	is a plant, vegetation, herb, leaf
ken	[verb]	to be possible		to be able to, be allowed to, can, may
kepeken	[verb]	to use, is a user
kepeken	[pre-noun]	to use; with, by means of
kili	[verb]	is a fruit, vegetable, mushroom
kiwen	[verb]	is a rock, stone, metal, hard object
ko	[verb]	is a clay, clinging form, dough, semi-solid, paste, powder
kon	[verb]	is an air, to breath, is the essence, spirit, is a hidden reality, unseen agent
kule	[verb]	is colorful, pigmented, painted
kulupu	[verb]	is a community, company, group, nation, society, tribe
kute	[verb]	is an ear, to hear, listen, to pay attention to, obey
la	[particle]	(between the topic and comment)
lape	[verb]	to sleep, to rest
laso	[verb]	is blue, green
lawa	[verb]	is a head, to represent a mind
lawa	[verb]	to control, direct, guide, lead, own, plan, regulate, rule
len	[verb]	is a cloth, clothing, fabric, textile, cover, layer of privacy
lete	[verb]	is cold, cool, uncooked, raw
li	[particle]	between any first noun except mi alone or sina alone and its verb; also used to introduce a new verb for the same first noun
lili	[verb]	is little, small, short, to represent a small number; few, a bit, young
linja	[verb]	is long and flexible thing, is a line, cord, hair, rope, thread, yarn
lipu	[verb]	is a flat object, book, document, card, paper, record, website
loje	[verb]	is red, reddish
lon	[verb]	is located at, is present at, is real, true, existing
luka	[verb]	arm, hand, tactile organ
luka	[number]	five
lukin	[verb]	to look, see, examine, observe, read, watch	to look at, to see, examine, observe, read, watch (something)	to seek, look for, try to
lupa	[verb]	is a door, hole, orifice, window
ma	[verb]	is an earth, land, outdoors, world, country, territory, soil
mama	[verb]	is a parent, ancestor, creator, originator, caretakes, sustainer
mani	[verb]	is some money, cash, savings, wealth, large domesticated animal
meli	[verb]	is a woman, female, feminine person, wife
mi	[pronoun]	I; me, we, us
mije	[verb]	is a man, male, masculine person, husband
moku	[verb]	to eat, drink, consume, swallow, ingest
moli	[verb]	is dead, to die
monsi	[verb]	is back, behind, rear
mu	[interjection]	(animal noise or communication)
mun	[verb]	is a moon, night sky object, star
musi	[verb]	is artistic, entertaining, frivolous, playful, recreational
mute	[verb]	to represent a large number; many, a lot, more, several, very
nanpa	[particle]	_-th (ordinal number)
nanpa	[verb]	is a number, to represent some quantity
nasa	[verb]	is unusual, strange, foolish, crazy, drunk, intoxicated
nasin	[verb]	is a way, custom, doctrine, method, path, road
nena	[verb]	is a bump, button, hill, mountain, nose, protuberance
ni	[verb]	is that, this (object or event)
nimi	[verb]	is a name, word
noka	[verb]	is a foot, leg, organ of locomotion; bottom, lower part
o	[interjection]	hey! O! (vocative or imperative marker)
oko	[verb]	is an eye
olin	[verb]	to love	to love, have compassion for, respect, show affection to (someone or something)
ona	[verb]	is he, she, it, they
open	[verb]	to begin, start, open	to begin, start, open, turn on (something)
pakala	[verb]	is botched, broken, damaged, harmed, messed up
pali	[verb]	to do, take action on, work on, build, make, prepare (something)	to do (some event)
palisa	[verb]	is a long hard thing, branch, rod, stick
pan	[verb]	is a cereal, grain; barley, corn, oat, rice, wheat; bread, pasta
pana	[verb]	to give, send, emit, provide, put, release	to give, send, emit, provide, put, release (something)
pi	[particle]	of
pilin	[verb]	is a heart (physical or emotional), to feel (something; an emotion, a direct experience)
pimeja	[verb]	is black, dark, unlit
pini	[verb]	is in past, is completed, ended, finished
pipi	[verb]	is a bug, insect, ant, spider
poka	[verb]	is a hip, side, nearby	to be next to (something)
poki	[verb]	is a container, bag, bowl, cup, cupboard, drawer, vessel
pona	[verb]	is good, positive, useful, friendly, peaceful, simple	to repair (something)
pu	[verb]	to interact with the official Toki Pona book
sama	[verb]	is the same, similar, is a sibling, peer, fellow; each other	is the same as (something)
seli	[verb]	is a fire, is a cooking element, chemical reaction, heat source
selo	[verb]	is an outer form, outer layer, bark, peel, shell, skin, boundary	is an outer part of (something)
seme	[verb]	is what? is which?
sewi	[verb]	is an area above, highest part, something elevated, is awe-inspiring, divine, sacred, supernatural	is an area above (something)
sijelo	[verb]	is a body (of person or animal), physical state, torso
sike	[verb]	is round or circular thing, ball, circle, cycle, sphere, wheel, one year long
sin	[verb]	is new, fresh, additional, another, extra
namako	[verb]	is special, gist, new fresh, woman as a special thing, to have umami taste
sina	[PRONOUN]	you
sinpin	[verb]	is a face, foremost, front, wall
sitelen	[verb]	is an image, picture, representation, symbol, mark	is an image, picture, representation, symbol, mark of (something)
sona	[verb]	to know	to be skilled in, be wise about, have information on (something)	to know how to
soweli	[verb]	is an animal, beast, land mammal
suli	[verb]	is big, heavy, large, tall, important; adult
suno	[verb]	is the sun, light, bright, is a glow, radiance, shine, light source
supa	[verb]	is a horizontal surface, thing to put or rest something on
suwi	[verb]	is sweet, fragrant, cute, innocent, adorable
tan	[verb]	to be the reason or source	to be the reason or source of (something)
taso	[verb]	to contradict; but, however, only	to contradict (something)
tawa	[verb]	to go, move, be oriented	to go to, to move to, to be oriented towards (something)
telo	[verb]	is a water, liquid, fluid, wet substance, beverage
tenpo	[verb]	is the time, duration, moment, occasion, period, situation
toki	[verb]	to say, speak, talk (something), to communicate, use language, think	to say (something)
tomo	[verb]	is an indoor space, building, home, house, room
tu	[number]	two
tu	[verb]	is a pair
unpa	[verb]	to have sexual or marital relations	to have sexual or marital relations with (someone)
uta	[verb]	is a mouth, lips, oral cavity, jaw
utala	[verb]	to battle, challenge, compete against, struggle against	to battle, challenge, compete against, struggle against (something)
walo	[verb]	is white, whitish, light-colored, pale
wan	[verb]	is unique, united
wan	[number]	one
waso	[verb]	is a bird, flying creature, winged animal
wawa	[verb]	is strong, powerful, confident, sure, energetic, intense
weka	[verb]	is absent, away, ignored
wile	[verb]	must, need, require, should, want, wish		must, need, require, should, want, wish to do (something)