Useful phrases in Toki Pona

A collection of useful phrases in Toki Pona, a simple pidgin-like language invented by Sonja Elen Kisa in 2001 and based on universal human experience designed to express as much as possible with just 120 words.

Jump to phrases

See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.

English Toki Pona
Welcome kama pona
Hello (General greeting) toki!
How are you? sina pilin seme?
Reply to 'How are you?' mi pilin pona. sina pona ala pona?
Long time no see tenpo mute la mi lukin ala e sina
What's your name? nimi sina li seme?
My name is ... nimi mi li ...
Where are you from? sina tan ma seme?
I'm from ... mi tan ma ...
mi kama tan ma ...
Pleased to meet you mi pona tan ni: mi sona e sina.
Good morning
(Morning greeting)
tenpo suno pona
Good afternoon
(Afternoon greeting)
tenpo suno pona
Good evening
(Evening greeting)
pimeja pona
Good night lape pona
Goodbye
(Parting phrases)
mi tawa (person leaving)
tawa pona (person staying)
Good luck! o pona
Cheers! Good Health!
(Toasts used when drinking)
nasa pona
Have a nice day tenpo suno ni o pona tawa sina
Bon appetit /
Have a nice meal
moku pona
Bon voyage /
Have a good journey
tawa pona
Yes lon (true)
[repeat verb of question]
No ala
Maybe ken
ken la
Do you understand? sina sona ala sona?
I understand mi sona
I don't understand mi sona ala
I don't know mi sona ala
Please speak more slowly o toki kepeken tenpo mute
Please say that again o toki sin e ni
Please write it down o sitelen e ni
Do you speak English? sina toki ala toki e toki Inli?
Do you speak Toki Pona? sina sona ala sona e toki pona?
sina toki ala toki e toki pona?
Yes, a little
(reply to 'Do you speak ...?')
mi sona lili
Speak to me in Toki Pona o toki tawa mi kepeken toki pona
How do you say ... in Toki Pona? ... li seme lon toki pona?
jan li toki e ni kepeken toki pona kepeken nasin seme ...
Excuse me o weka e ike mi
How much is this? mi wile pana e mani pi mute seme?
an li ken esun e ni kepeken mani mute seme?
Sorry mi pakala
Please mi wile
Thank you pona
Reply to thank you pona
Where's the toilet / bathroom? tomo telo li lon seme?
This gentleman will pay for everything jan mije ni li pana tan ali
jan mije ni li pana mani tan ali
This lady will pay for everything jan meli ni li pana tan ali
jan meli ni li pana mani tan ali
Would you like to dance with me? sina wile ala wile tawa musi poka mi?
I miss you sina weka tawa mi
I love you mi olin e sina
Get well soon o pona kepeken tenpo lili
Leave me alone! o tawa weka!
Help! o pana e pona tawa mi!
o pona e mi!
Fire! seli!
Stop! o awen ala e ni!
o pali ala!
o tawa ala!
Call the police! a! mi wile e jan utala pi ma tomo ni!
Christmas greetings tenpo suno pi jan Jesu o pona!
tenpo pimeja pi jan Jesu o pona!
New Year greetings tenpo pi sike suno sin o pona!
Easter greetings tenpo suno pi lon sin pi jan Jesu o pona!
Birthday greetings sina sike e suno! o pona!
One language is never enough toki wan li pona lili
toki mute li pona mute
My hovercraft is full of eels tomo tawa supa mi pi lon sewi li jo e kala linja mute mute
kala linja mute mute li lon insa pi tomo tawa supa mi pi lon sewi
tomo tawa mi pi tawa kepeken kon li jo e kala linja mute lon insa ali ona
kala linja (mute) li lon tomo tawa telo mi

Toki Pona translations by Aidan Beckley, with corrections and additions by Caesium Rubidium, Riley Martine and Simon Ager. Recordings by Nicole DiBiceglie.

Note: the stress in toki pona falls on the first syllable of words. In some of the recordings it is misplaced.

Download all the audio files

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.

Information about Toki Pona | sitelen pona | sitelen pona pona | Toki Pona Script | Sitelen script | Sitelen Emoji | Toki Pona Runes | Toki Pona Tengwar | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of babel

Links

Other collections of Toki Pona phrases
http://tokipona.net/tp/janpije/zompist.php
https://www.memrise.com/course/39855/toki-pona-phrases/
https://quizlet.com/160972434/toki-pona-phrases-flash-cards/

Phrases in constructed languages (conlangs)

Ishirkian, Iulji, Klingon, Laala, Lojban, Pig Latin, Quenya, Romániço, Solresol, Talossan, Toki Pona, Wightian

Phrases in other languages

[top]


Green Web Hosting - Kualo

You can support this site by Buying Me A Coffee, and if you like what you see on this page, you can use the buttons below to share it with people you know.

 

SpanishPod101 - learn Spanish for free

If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or by contributing in other ways. Omniglot is how I make my living.

 

Note: all links on this site to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.fr are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission if you click on any of them and buy something. So by clicking on these links you can help to support this site.

[top]

iVisa.com