diff --git a/moonscript/compile/line.lua b/moonscript/compile/line.lua
index f6f2152..d73be1a 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile/line.lua
+++ b/moonscript/compile/line.lua
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ line_compile = {
   end,
   ["return"] = function(self, node) return self:add_line("return", self:value(node[2])) end,
   ["break"] = function(self, node) return self:add_line("break") end,
-  ["import"] = function(self, node)
+  import = function(self, node)
     local _, names, source = unpack(node)
     local to_bind = {  }
     local get_name
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ line_compile = {
     self:add_line(inner:render())
     return self:add_line("end")
   end,
-  ["export"] = function(self, node)
+  export = function(self, node)
     local _, names = unpack(node)
     local _item_0 = names
     for _index_0=1,#_item_0 do
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ line_compile = {
     end
     return nil
   end,
-  ["class"] = function(self, node)
+  class = function(self, node)
     local _, name, parent_val, tbl = unpack(node)
     local constructor = nil
     local final_properties = {  }
diff --git a/moonscript/compile/line.moon b/moonscript/compile/line.moon
index caba9e8..17da8e3 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile/line.moon
+++ b/moonscript/compile/line.moon
@@ -58,13 +58,13 @@ line_compile =
     error"unknown op: "..op if not op_final
     @stm {"assign", {name}, {{"exp", name, op_final, exp}}}
 
-  ["return"]: (node) =>
+  return: (node) =>
     @add_line "return", @value node[2]
 
-  ["break"]: (node) =>
+  break: (node) =>
     @add_line "break"
 
-  ["import"]: (node) =>
+  import: (node) =>
     _, names, source = unpack node
 
     to_bind = {}
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ line_compile =
 
     @add_line "end"
 
-  ["if"]: (node, ret) =>
+  if: (node, ret) =>
     cond, block = node[2], node[3]
 
     add_clause = (clause) ->
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ line_compile =
 
     @add_line "end"
 
-  ["while"]: (node) =>
+  while: (node) =>
     _, cond, block = unpack node
 
     inner = @block()
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ line_compile =
     @add_line inner:render()
     @add_line "end"
 
-  ["for"]: (node) =>
+  for: (node) =>
     _, name, bounds, block = unpack node
     bounds = @value {"explist", unpack bounds}
     @add_line "for", @name(name), "=", bounds, "do"
@@ -155,12 +155,12 @@ line_compile =
     @add_line inner:render()
     @add_line "end"
 
-  ["export"]: (node) =>
+  export: (node) =>
     _, names = unpack node
     @put_name name for name in *names when type(name) == "string"
     nil
 
-  ["class"]: (node) =>
+  class: (node) =>
     _, name, parent_val, tbl = unpack node
 
     constructor = nil
diff --git a/moonscript/compile2.lua b/moonscript/compile2.lua
index 37c31be..3e7d9de 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile2.lua
+++ b/moonscript/compile2.lua
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ local value_compile = {
       local out
       if #tuple == 2 then
         local key, value = unpack(tuple)
+        if type(key) == "string" and data.lua_keywords[key] then
+          key = { "string", '"', key }
+        end
         local key_val = self:value(key)
         if type(key) ~= "string" then
           key = ("[%s]"):format(key_val)
diff --git a/moonscript/compile2.moon b/moonscript/compile2.moon
index be9c1dc..b4666ac 100644
--- a/moonscript/compile2.moon
+++ b/moonscript/compile2.moon
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ value_compile =
     _, delim, inner, delim_end = unpack node
     delim..inner..(delim_end or delim)
 
-  ["if"]: (node) =>
+  if: (node) =>
     func = @block()
     func:stm node, returner
     @format "(function()", func:render(), "end)()"
@@ -113,8 +113,11 @@ value_compile =
     _comp = (i, tuple) ->
       out = if #tuple == 2
         key, value = unpack tuple
-        key_val = @value key
 
+        if type(key) == "string" and data.lua_keywords[key]
+          key = {"string", '"', key}
+
+        key_val = @value key
         key = if type(key) != "string"
           ("[%s]"):format key_val
         else
@@ -143,7 +146,7 @@ value_compile =
   length: (node) =>
     "#"..@value node[2]
 
-  ["not"]: (node) =>
+  not: (node) =>
     "not "..@value node[2]
 
   self: (node) =>
diff --git a/moonscript/data.lua b/moonscript/data.lua
index 49dcde9..1eb670f 100644
--- a/moonscript/data.lua
+++ b/moonscript/data.lua
@@ -43,3 +43,10 @@ function ntype(node)
 	return node[1]
 end
 
+lua_keywords = Set{
+	'and', 'break', 'do', 'else', 'elseif',
+	'end', 'false', 'for', 'function', 'if',
+	'in', 'local', 'nil', 'not', 'or',
+	'repeat', 'return', 'then', 'true',
+	'until', 'while'
+}
diff --git a/moonscript/parse.lua b/moonscript/parse.lua
index 9c29642..1a515ac 100644
--- a/moonscript/parse.lua
+++ b/moonscript/parse.lua
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ local build_grammar = wrap(function()
 		return false
 	end
 
+	local SimpleName = Name -- for table key
+
 	-- make sure name is not a keyword
 	local Name = Cmt(Name, function(str, pos, name)
 		if keywords[name] then return false end
@@ -342,7 +344,7 @@ local build_grammar = wrap(function()
 		ClassDecl = key"class" * Name * (key"extends" * Exp + C"")^-1 * TableBlock / mark"class",
 		Export = key"export" * Ct(NameList) / mark"export",
 
-		KeyValue = Ct((Name + sym"[" * Exp * sym"]") * symx":" * (Exp + TableBlock)),
+		KeyValue = Ct((SimpleName + sym"[" * Exp * sym"]") * symx":" * (Exp + TableBlock)),
 		KeyValueList = KeyValue * (sym"," * KeyValue)^0,
 		KeyValueLine = Cmt(Indent, check_indent) * KeyValueList * sym","^-1,
 
diff --git a/tests/inputs/syntax.moon b/tests/inputs/syntax.moon
index e92c4bc..90f9e34 100644
--- a/tests/inputs/syntax.moon
+++ b/tests/inputs/syntax.moon
@@ -150,3 +150,12 @@ m %= 2
 x = 0
 (if ntype(v) == "fndef" then x += 1) for v in *values
 
+
+hello =
+  something: world
+  if: "hello"
+  else: 3434
+  function: "okay"
+  good: 230203
+
+
diff --git a/tests/outputs/syntax.lua b/tests/outputs/syntax.lua
index 8b2c970..a92df46 100644
--- a/tests/outputs/syntax.lua
+++ b/tests/outputs/syntax.lua
@@ -111,4 +111,11 @@ for _index_0=1,#_item_0 do
       return x
     end
   end)())
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
+local hello = {
+  something = world,
+  ["if"] = "hello",
+  ["else"] = 3434,
+  ["function"] = "okay",
+  good = 230203
+}
\ No newline at end of file