Talk:e

From Toki Pona

e

The particle e is used to introduce a direct object, i.e. a person or thing that something is being done to. e is placed between the verb and the direct object.

mi olin I love.

mi olin e sina I love you.

The direct object answers the question “what?” or “whom?”. Whom do I love? You. Therefore sina is the direct object of the verb olin, and we add the word e before sina.

In Toki Pona, the basic word order is fixed: [subject] + (li) + [verb] + e + [direct object]

soweli li moku The dog eats.

soweli li moku e kili The dog eats a turnip.

Verbs with a direct object are said to be transitive. Verbs without a direct object are intransitive.

In some cases, adding e to an intransitive verb will change its meaning to a transitive one. This is often translated in English as “make, render”.

waso toki ni li moli This parrot is dead.

ona li moli e waso toki He made the parrot. He killed the parrot.

jan Papu li pona Bob is good.

jan Papu li pona e tomo Bob makes the house good. Bob improves the house, e.g. cleaning, organizing, repairing or decorating.

If a sentence has more than one direct object, repeat e for each one. In English we would normally use the word “and” or “or”.

mi moku ala e soweli e waso I don’t eat red meat or poultry.

mi moku e kala e kili taso I only eat fish and vegetables.

e [introduces direct object] e … e and [direct objects]