Small talk
The language is named in part for this page: pikotika small-say. Small talk is not a lesser kind of speech — it is what most conversation between people who like each other actually consists of, and it runs on a few dozen words you already have.
Opening: how are you?
The hello, the name, and where you are from are on Meeting people; the goodbye and the short reactions you drop between the other person's sentences are on Pleasantries and filler. Everything in between is this page.
Tu ri pona, ker? asks whether you are well; Tu ri kermoto? you RI what-manner asks what state you are in — the one to use for ‘How have you been?’ after an absence.
| Pikotika | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tu ri pona, ker? | How are you? |
| Tu ri kermoto? | How have you been? |
| Meka ronka turan vin! | It's been so long! |
| Eko ri konten sarve a tu vin. | It's good to see you. |
| Ker ri nova? | What's new? |
| Tis ri pona yan, non? | Nice day, isn't it? |
The tag at the end says how you expect to be answered: , ker? is a real question, , non? expects agreement, , si? asks for confirmation. Small talk lives on the last two — see Questions and answers.
Answering, and handing it back
| Pikotika | Literally | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Pan ri pona. | all RI good | All good. |
| Muropus, sets pona. | many-work, but good | Busy, but good. |
| Sam vons pantempo. | same than every-time | Same as always. |
| Nem nova. | no new | Nothing new. |
| Eko ri piko kansa. | I RI slightly tired | A little tired. |
| Eko ri mas pona in tistempo. | I RI more good in this-time | I'm better now. |
| Kum tu, ker? | and you, what | And you? |
Kum tu, ker? works to return pretty much any question, without repeating it.
Asking after other people
Put the person in front of ri and ask kermoto about them. tu in front of a noun is the possessive — there is no separate word for ‘your’ (see Modifiers).
| Pikotika | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tu marisomo ri kermoto? | How's your husband/wife? |
| Tu nino ri kermoto? | How are your children? |
| Tu parimen ri pona, ker? | Is your family well? |
| Tu vemapari ri kermoto? | How's your mother? |
| Tu nino ri vake a ker? | What are your kids up to? |
| Tu nino anyoturan ri ker? | How old are they now? |
| Pam tika a kontensarve ver tu parimen. | Say hello to your family for me. |
And the answers:
| Pikotika | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tisomo ri pona. | He's fine. / She's fine. |
| Meka! | Big! (of children) |
| Piko nino ri apa ire ver imparroko in tis anyo. | The little one started school this year. |
| Mas anyomeka nino ri impar in mekaimparroko. | The older one is studying at university. |
| Tempo ri veros ire. | Time goes fast. |
marisomo marry-person is husband and wife both, and nino is one child or several — so Tu nino ri kermoto? asks after however many there are. Say tu viro marisomo or tu vema marisomo only if you need to be that specific. See Nouns and pronouns.
Work and study
| Pikotika | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tu opus ri kermoto? | How's work? |
| Tu nova opus ri ker? | What is your new job? |
| Tu ri opus in kerroko? | Where do you work? |
| Eko ri opus in monikase. | I work at a bank. |
| Eko ri impartonaromo. | I'm a teacher. |
| Eko ri tene a nova opus. | I have a new job. |
| In yer, sorin; sets tistempo eko ri kusta a tis. | Hard at first, but now I like it. |
| Eko ri non opus in tistempo. | I'm not working right now. |
| Eko ri opus vin; tistempo eko ri son yu. | I've finished working; now I just enjoy myself. (retired) |
| Eko ri impar a Pikotika. | I'm learning Pikotika. |
Notice the pair Tu nova opus ri ker? and Tu nova opus ri kermoto? The first asks what the job is and wants a noun back; the second asks how it is going. The same split runs through the page: ker wants a value, kermoto wants a state.
Where you live
| Pikotika | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tu ri viva in tis sitas, ker? | Do you live here in the city? |
| Tu ri viva in kerroko? | Where do you live? |
| Eko ri viva nir mekaaku. | I live near the sea. |
| Eko ri viva in pits ora turan ver sur. | I live about two hours north. |
| Tu ri in tisroko ker turan? | How long have you been here? |
| 2 anyo turan, eko ri viva in tisroko. | I've lived here two years. |
| Tu ri kusta a tis sitas, ker? | Do you like it here (in this city)? |
| Tis ri ronka moto. | That's a long way. |
turan marks any stretch of time, and it comes after the amount: 2 anyo turan is ‘for two years’. See Telling time.
Free time
| Pikotika | Literally | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Tu ri vake a ker por yu? | you RI do A what for play | What do you do for fun? |
| Tu ri vake a ker in tu nonopustempo? | you RI do A what in you not-work-time | What do you do in your time off? |
| Eko ri kusta a musi kum kitavite. | I RI like A music and writing-see | I like music and reading. |
| Eko ri vake a musi. | I RI make A music | I play music. |
| Eko ri kusta a tanko musiire. | I RI like A tango music-go | I like to dance tango. |
| Ekomen ri ire ver surtera in pan senseyanvin. | I-group RI go to up-earth in every seven-day-finish | We go to the mountains every weekend. |
| Tu ri tene a kasepeste, ker? | you RI have A home-animal, what | Do you have any pets? |
| Si, pits kasepeste kum wun kasekanis. | yes, two home-animal and one home-dog | Yes, two cats and a dog. |
| Tu senseyanvin ri kermoto? | you seven-day-finish RI what-manner | How was your weekend? |
Winding up
Say you have to go, say when you will meet again, and part.
| Pikotika | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Perton — eko ri neses ire. | Sorry — I have to go. |
| Ekomen ri pospona yunta komi in tar tempo. | We should eat together sometime. |
| Ekomen ri kan sarve, ker? | Can we meet? |
| Eko ri kan tika ver tu in tar senseyan, ker? | Can I call you next week? |
| Pam tika ver eko! | Keep in touch! |
Then part: Tarsarve!, Pona ire., Pertoneksire. — see Pleasantries and filler.
A whole conversation
Alice and Lena run into each other after a couple of years.
| Pikotika | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Aras: Rena! Kontensarve! Meka ronka turan vin! | Alice: Lena! Hello! It's been so long! | |
| Rena: Aras! Eko ri konten sarve a tu vin. Tu ri kermoto? | Lena: Alice! It's good to see you. How have you been? | |
| Aras: Pan ri pona. Muropus, sets pona. Kum tu, ker? | Alice: All good. Busy, but good. And you? | |
| Rena: Sam vons pantempo. Eko ri opus sista in monikase. | Lena: Same as always. I'm still working at the bank. | |
| Aras: Kum tu nino ri kermoto? | Alice: And how are your children? | |
| Rena: Meka! Mas anyomeka nino ri impar in ar sitas; piko nino ri apa ire ver imparroko in tis anyo. | Lena: Big! The older one is studying in another city; the little one started school this year. | |
| Aras: Meka yer, ker? Tempo ri veros ire. | Alice: Already? Time goes fast. | |
| Rena: Ves. Kum tu marisomo ri kermoto? | Lena: It does. And how's your husband? | |
| Aras: Tisomo ri pona. Tisomo ri tene a nova opus — tistempo tisomo ri komivakeomo in piko komiroko nir ronkaaku. | Alice: He's well. He has a new job — he's a cook now, at a little restaurant by the river. | |
| Rena: Sorpe! Tisomo ri kusta a tis, ker? | Lena: Wow! Does he like it? | |
| Aras: In yer, sorin; sets tistempo, meka. Komivakeomo men ri ponasenti. | Alice: Hard at first, but now, very much. The kitchen staff are kind. | |
| Rena: Meka pona. Eko ri konten oti a tis. Eko ri neses veni komi in tisroko! | Lena: That's great. I'm glad to hear it. I'll have to come and eat there! | |
| Aras: Artopi: tu ri viva in tis sitas sista, ker? | Alice: By the way — do you still live here in the city? | |
| Rena: Non. 2 anyo turan, ekomen ri viva nir mekaaku. | Lena: No. For two years now we've lived near the sea. | |
| Aras: Tu ri kusta a tis, ker? | Alice: Do you like it? | |
| Rena: Meka. In pan senseyanvin, ekomen ri akuire. | Lena: Very much. Every weekend we swim. | |
| Rena: Perton — eko ri neses ire. Eko ri sarve a nontisomo in 5 parte turan. | Lena: Sorry — I have to go. I'm meeting someone in five minutes. | |
| Aras: Pona. Ekomen ri pospona yunta komi in tar tempo. | Alice: All right. We should eat together sometime. | |
| Rena: Si! Eko ri kan tika ver tu in tar senseyan, ker? | Lena: Yes! Can I call you next week? | |
| Aras: Pam tika ver eko. Kum pam tika a kontensarve ver tu marisomo. | Alice: Please do. And say hello to your husband for me. | |
| Rena: Eko ri vake a tis. Tarsarve! | Lena: I will. See you later! | |
| Aras: Pona ire! | Alice: Take care! |