kalama - sound, noise; to make noise, to play an instrument
Kalama is used to mean sound or noise:
kalama ni li seme? -- What was that noise?

kalama is usually combined with the word musi to mean music or song:
kalama musi li pona tawa mi. -- I like music.
Just as jan precedes people's names, kalama musi precedes the names of specific songs:
kalama musi Jingle Bells - I like the song Jingle Bells.

To talk about music by a certain group or artist:
kalama musi pi jan Elton-John li nasa. -- The music of Elton John is odd.

Kalama can be used as a verb:
mi kalama kepeken ilo. -- I make noise using an instrument.
o kalama ala! -- Don't make noise!

nasin - road, way, doctrine, method

Nasin as HOW ?
Look at this sentence:
sina pali e ni kepeken nasin seme? -- How did you make this?

ona li pali e ni kepeken nasin seme?  - How did she make that?

 sina pakala e ilo kepeken nasin seme? - How did you break the tool?

kulupu - group, community, society

pi - of
 

The use of pi (OF)

tomo pi telo nasa -- building of alcohol; a bar, pub, etc.

You see, pi is used to separate a noun from another noun that has an adjective.
patterned form:
 Noun 1 + pi + Noun 2 + an adjective that modifies noun 2, but NOT noun 1

Remember:
There must be an adjective to describe noun 2. If not, pi is not used at all, and you get this:
   (noun 1) (noun 2)

   [tomo telo] nasa -> restroom crazy (crazy restroom)
   tomo pi [telo nasa] -> Building of water crazy -> Bar

More Examples:
   jan pi ma tomo -- person of the city, a city-dweller
   kulupu pi toki pona -- group of Toki Pona, the Toki Pona community
   nasin pi toki pona -- ways of Toki Pona, the ideology behind Toki Pona
   jan lawa pi jan utala -- leader of soldiers, a commander or general
   jan lawa pi tomo tawa kon -- leader of airplanes, a pilot

 nasin sewi = religion
   jan pi nasin sewi Kolisu - person of Christian religion, a Christian
 
   jan pi pona lukin -- person of visual goodness, an attractive person
   jan pi ike lukin -- person of visual badness, an ugly person

The use of Pi as possesive

If you want to say my house you say tomo mi.
Similarly, your house is tomo sina.

However, if you want to name a specific person who owns the house, you have to use pi:
  
  tomo pi jan Lisa -- house of Lisa, Lisa's house
   kili mi -- my fruit
   kili pi jan Susan -- Susan's fruit
   ma ona -- her country
   ma pi jan Keli -- Keli's country
   len jan -- somebody's clothes
   len pi jan Lisa -- Lisa's clothes
   nimi pi mi mute -- our names
   tomo pi ona mute -- their house

The use of pi to express the opposite of some words:

   jan wawa -- strong person
   jan pi wawa ala -- person of no strength --> a weak person

You cannot say jan wawa ala because that would mean no strong people

a weak person
Incorrect --> jan wawa ala
Corect -----> jan pi wwa ala

I talked about people
Incorrect --> mi toki pi jan
Correct ----> mi toki jan

I come from America
Incorrect: mi kama pi ma America.
Correct: mi kama tan ma Amerca.

Remember the pattern:
Noun 1 + pi + Noun 2 + an adjective that modifies noun 2, but NOT noun 1
 

Another use of pi

pi has one other use.
Observe the following sentences:

   kili ni li pi mi. -- This fruit is mine.
   tomo ni li pi jan Tami. -- That house is Tommy's.
   ilo ni li pi sina. -- This tool is yours.
   ma ni li pi jan Tosi. -- This land is the Germans'.
   toki ni li pi mi mute. -- This language is ours.

More Phrases

   mi sona ala e nimi pi ona mute - I don't know their names.
   mi wile ala toki pi kalama musi - I don't want to talk about music.
   mi wile toki meli - I want to talk about girls.