Core language mnemonics for English speakers

Structure

ma I / me / 1 — ma like in ma-ma, the first person — I / me / 1
sa you / 2 — same as the first, but the second — you / 2
ta he / she / they / it / 3 — ta-ta! that person over there — he / she / they / it / 3
me because / causality / 4 — means to an end — every effect has a cause — because / causality / 4
te middle / centered / 5 — tea time at 5 — the middle number (1-9) — middle / centered / 5
na place / where / 6 — navigate to a place, six directions (N/S/E/W/up/down) — place / where / 6
le group / sharing / gathering / a set / 7 — let's all share, seven split the pot — group / sharing / a set / 7
wu 8 — wu! it's an 8-ball! — 8

be matter / density / existence — to be — to exist — matter / density / existence
po hardness / stone / rock — pound rock — hardness / stone / rock
to temperature / warm — toast is hot — temperature / warm
li wetness / water — liquid — wetness / water
su heavy / weight — superheavy — heavy / weight
so big / size — so huge! — big / size
wo volume / depth / 3D — world has volume and depth — volume / depth / 3D

ba containment / inside — banana peel is bigger and banana is contained — containment / inside
da far / distance / length — how far dat? — far / distance / length
wa path / around — way is a path — path / around
ka height / on top of something — kanopy is high up — height / on top of something
pa direction / away — pass through — direction to/from
va to the right / lateral / sideways — van going left and right — to the right / lateral / sideways
ve speed / movement — very fast — speed / movement

bi focus / clear / clarity / sharp — binoculars — focus / clear / clarity / sharp
di thing / something — dis and dat thing — thing / something
mi self — mine own self — self
ne want / intend / need — need is strong want — want / intend / need
pi knowledge / memory / story — pi — you memorize its digits — knowledge / memory / story
si thought / mind / creativity / intelligence — sixth sense — the mind's eye — thought / mind / creativity / intelligence
pe visibility / vision / light / electromagnetic wave — perception — visibility / vision / light
mo smell — Moe smells real bad in The Simpsons — smell
se taste — seasoning — taste

bu more / greater than — but wait, there is more! — more / greater than
ga kind / type — a galaxy of kinds and types — kind / type
gu ownership — guard your belongings — ownership
du communication / language / code — dubbed in another language — communication / language / code
ke diffused / spread / permeate — ketchup spreads everywhere — diffused / spread / permeate
ku similar / same way — kut from the same cloth — similar / same way

ji stability / permanence / inertia — jig for stability in carpentry — stability / permanence / inertia
za high frequency — zap at high frequency — high frequency
nu quantity / number / diversity — number — quantity / number / diversity
ti past / time — time — past / time
ja connection / and / add — jam things together — connection / and / add