We don't need pi!

Let's explore how you could use Toki Pona without pi!

Why?

Even if you keep using pi (and please do!), you'll find this lesson helps you understand Toki Pona better! All pi does is groups modifiers, but it isn't the only way you can do that. Most particles introduce a new head noun, which you can describe however you like with much more detail than a pi phrase. If your grammar gets especially complicated, you can start a new sentence instead. Speaking Toki Pona depends on both of these facts! As such, you'll find it surprisingly easy to avoid using pi.

Using pi

If you use more than one pi in a phrase, there are suddenly two different interpretations of the grammar which have different meanings. If that weren't enough, these two interpretations cannot be told apart in speech or writing- only in sitelen+pona. When using multiple pi, either of the following are possible:

First, each pi can affect the head noun, and not each other.

mi jan pi (kama sona) pi (toki pona)

This would be interpreted something like "I am a person of learning and Toki Pona." Importantly, the two descriptors are separate: This person is a learner, and they are associated with Toki Pona. They aren't necessarily learning Toki Pona!

Second, each consecutive pi can affect the previous.

mi jan pi (kama sona pi (toki pona)

This would be interpreted more like "I am a person of learning Toki Pona." Here, the two phrases are related, so the translation demonstrates that: learning and Toki Pona are part of the same idea.

These examples are unambiguous because of sitelen+pona, but this clarity isn't possible in the latin alphabet or in speech. Without visible markings of when pi phrases start and end, you'd need either another form of marking (such as emphasis in speech) or sufficient context to tell which meaning was intended.

Or, you can restate the sentence entirely without pi!

Removing pi

If you restate these sentences without pi, you can remove the grammatical ambiguity created by it. For example:

mi jan li kama sona li toki pona

This is a restatement of the first example sentence. There are now three verbs: jan, kama sona, and toki pona, which all separately describe the subject mi: "I am a person, and I learn, and I (speak) Toki Pona." Next example:

mi jan li kama sona e toki pona

This is a restatement of the second example sentence. However, there are now only two verbs: jan and kama sona. The second pi phrase is now an object, which better describes the relationship of kama sona to toki pona: "I am a person, and I am learning Toki Pona."

Examples

Try to restate these phrases without pi. You can look at my suggested restatement under the spoiler!

Here, pana sona is a single adjective that modifies jan. Using pi joins all following adjectives into a single adjective, pana sona describes jan. If you wanted to break this up, recognize that both jan and pana sona describe the subject of the sentence, mi- so the split up version should still describe mi!

Here, the adjectives behind pi now modify something other than the subject- they modify the object of a preposition, here tomo. This can also easily be broken up, with a separate sentence describing the tomo. However, there is a purpose to the kama wawa that actually goes back to applying to the subject! While restating this, ask yourself: What would you go to a tomo pi kama wawa to do?

Takeaway

You can always use Toki Pona's more simple grammar words to make a clearer sentence. Instead of trying to pack a ton of information into one phrase, let the information breathe by spreading it throughout a sentence or two with appropriate particles. You don't need to get rid of pi entirely to benefit from using it less often, and thinking about how you could express yourself without it!