Toki Pona quiz

More questions about Toki Pona

These visible examples show the question style. LearnClash turns the full topic into ranked duels and spaced repetition.

1. 1 Easy

   Which philosophy is most often named as an inspiration for the minimalist design of Toki Pona?

   Answer: Taoism

   Why: Lang read Taoist texts while inventing it in 2001 and quoted the Dao De Jing when presenting it, though she plays down the link.

2. 2 Medium

   How is the word "computer" typically expressed in Toki Pona?

   Answer: Knowledge tool

   Why: The official ku dictionary was built by surveying speakers, and it ranks ilo sona for computer well above the alternative ilo nanpa.

3. 3 Hard

   Which Toki Pona word refers to raccoons or procyonids?

   Answer: kijetesantakalu

   Why: Sonja Lang coined this seven syllable word as a 2009 April Fools joke, and speakers used it so much that her 2021 dictionary listed it as essential.

4. 4 Easy

   How does Toki Pona express the concept of a friend using basic vocabulary?

   Answer: Good person

   Why: Because Toki Pona lacks a dedicated word for friend, speakers combine 'jan' (person) and 'pona' (good) into 'jan pona'.

5. 5 Medium

   Which word is used to negate a statement in Toki Pona?

   Answer: ala

   Why: It follows whatever it cancels, as in mi lape ala for I do not sleep, and the same little word also means zero.

6. 6 Hard

   What does the Toki Pona compound "tomo tawa" literally mean?

   Answer: Moving room

   Why: The modifier follows the noun, so the phrase reads as a room characterised by going rather than as two separate ideas.