Klingon grammar

There are five types of noun suffixes. A word cannot have two suffixes of the same type.[8]

This type has three suffixes:

• The augmentative suffix-ʼaʼ,

ghom group → ghomʼaʼ crowd

• The diminutive suffix -Hom,[8]

yuQ planet → yuQHom planetoid

• and the endearment suffix -oy.

vav father → vavoy daddy

• If the noun to which the endearment suffix is added ends with a vowel, a glottal stop is inserted between them:[9]

ghu baby → ghuʼoy dear baby

This type of suffix forms plurals. There are three suffixes, one for each noun class.

• The suffix -puʼ is for beings capable of using language.[6]

qetwIʼ runner → qetwIʼpuʼ runners

• The suffix -Duʼ is for body parts,

ghop hand → ghopDuʼ hands

• The suffix -mey is used for all other nouns.

quS chair → quSmey chairs

• When -mey is used for nouns that would normally take -puʼ or -Duʼ, it carries the connotation of being all over the place.

ghot person → ghotmey people all over the place

A noun does not require a plural suffix if a pronoun or pronominal prefix serves to indicate that it is plural,[10] or if it is being used in conjunction with a number.[11]

Duypuʼ chaH or Duy chaH

They are emissaries.

raSmey DIghor or raS DIghor

We broke the tables.

This type of suffix indicates the speaker's opinion of the applicability of the noun. There are three suffixes:

• The suffix -qoq indicates that the speaker thinks what they are referencing is not actually represented by the noun.

QaH the help → QaHqoq the so-called help

• The dubitative suffix -Hey indicates the speaker is not entirely sure if the object they are referencing is represented by the noun.[12]

choH change → choHHey apparent change

• The suffix -naʼ indicates that the speaker is entirely sure that the object is represented accurately by the noun.[13]

jup friend → jupnaʼ true friend

This type of suffix indicates possession or specifies which object is referred to. It contains twelve suffixes.

There are ten possession suffixes, indicating who is the possessor of the object, which may be a person. For first- and second-person possessors, there are different forms depending on whether the "object" is a being capable of using language.

There are also two determiner suffixes:[14]

• -vam this indicates an object that is nearby or that is being discussed
• -vetlh that indicates an object that is not nearby or that had previously been discussed

Examples:

• Non-language-user possessives: nav paper → navwIj my paper
• Language-user possessives: qeSwIʼpuʼ advisors → qeSwIʼpuʼlIʼ your advisors
• Determiners: Soj food → Sojvam this food

This type of suffix serves a syntactic role in the sentence. It contains five suffixes.

• The locative suffix -Daq indicates the action of the sentence is taking place in, at or on the noun.[15] With certain verbs, it indicates motion towards the noun.

juHmaj our home → juHmajDaq in our home

• The ablative suffix -voʼ indicates that the action is taking place away from the noun. Again, with certain verbs, it indicates motion away from the noun.

qoj cliff → qojvoʼ away from the cliff

• The causal suffix -moʼ indicates that the action is occurring because of the noun.

ghuʼ situation → ghuʼmoʼ because of the situation

• The dative/benefactive suffix -vaD indicates the indirect object, and/or the noun for which the action has been done.[15]

jeʼwIʼ buyer → jeʼwIʼvaD to/for the buyer

• The topicalizing suffix -ʼeʼ indicates the topic of the sentence or emphasises the noun in the phrase, and also marks the head noun of a relative clause.[16]

Klingon verb prefixes mark both the subject and the object.

* Expressed with the type-5 verb suffix -luʼ

Prefixes must be present even if the nouns or pronouns they reference are declared explicitly.[19] In certain cases with a third person object, a first or second person indirect object can be omitted by using the first and second person object prefixes instead. This is known as the prefix trick.[20]

Examples:

• No object: Qong sleep → jIQong I sleep
• Subject and object: nob give → Dunob It gives (to) you
• Imperative: laD read → yIlaD Read it

This type of suffix forms reflexive verbs. There are two suffixes.

• The reflexive suffix -ʼegh indicates that the individual subject(s) does/do the action to her/him/itself/themselves.[21]

jIlegh I see → jIleghʼegh I see myself

maʼang We reveal → maʼangʼegh We reveal ourselves (individually)

• The reciprocal suffix -chuq indicates that the individual subjects do the action to each other.[22] Intransitive verbs cannot take this suffix.

Sulegh You(pl) see → Suleghchuq You(pl) see each other

This type of suffix deals with the subject's volition. There are five suffixes.

• The suffix -nIS indicates that the subject is required to or has the necessity to complete the action.

chojaʼ You tell me → chojaʼnIS You need to tell me

• The suffix -qang indicates that the subject is willing to perform the action.

lungev They sell it → lungevqang They are willing to sell it

• The suffix -rup indicates the subject is prepared to complete the action.

ghuʼ poj He/She analyzes the situation → ghuʼ pojrup He/She is ready to analyze the situation

• The suffix -beH indicates that the subject has been set up to complete the action. -beH is used with devices, whereas -rup is used with beings.[22]

ghoghlIj qon It records your voice → ghoghlIj qonbeH It is ready to record your voice

• The suffix -vIp indicates that the subject is afraid to do the action.[23]

bImej You leave → bImejvIp You are afraid to leave

This type of suffix describes the action of the verb. There are two suffixes.

• The suffix -choH indicates a change of state to that indicated by the verb:

yIt He/she/it walks → yItchoH He/she/it starts walking

Doq It is red → DoqchoH It becomes red

• The suffix -qaʼ indicates the action had been stopped, but is now resuming, or that the action is being performed again.[23]

yIQong Sleep! → yIQongqaʼ Go back to sleep!

There is only one suffix in this category, the causative suffix -moH. This suffix indicates that the subject is causing the object to do something. If the verb to which it is added is transitive, the object becomes the indirect object. Many Klingon words are derived this way. For example, the verb clean (SayʼmoH) is derived from the verb be clean (Sayʼ).[24]

Intransitive verb:

poS lojmIt.

The door is open.

Causative form:

lojmIt poSmoH ghot.

The person caused the door to be open.

The person opened the door.

Transitive verb:

paq Danej.

You look for the book.

You look/are looking for the book.

Causative form:

paq qanejmoH

I caused you to look for the book.

I made you look for the book.

There are two unrelated suffixes in this group. The suffix -luʼ indicates an undefined subject.[24] The verb prefixes that are normally used for first or second person subject with third person singular object are used to indicate first or second person object. The suffix -laH indicates that the subject is capable of performing the action of the verb.[24]

Examples:

• -luʼ without prefix:

much bejluʼ

the presentation is watched, someone watches the presentation [Note 1]

much bej

He/she watches the presentation

• -luʼ with prefix:

vItlhaʼluʼ

I am chased, someone chases me

vItlhaʼ

I chase it

• -laH:

vIbomlaH

I can sing it

This type indicates the speaker's opinion of the action of the verb. There are four suffixes.

• The suffix -chuʼ indicates that the speaker considers the action is done in the best possible manner.

pIQoy we hear you → pIQoychuʼ we hear you clearly

• The suffix -bej indicates that the speaker is completely sure the action is occurring.

SuQeH you (plural) are angry → SuQeHbej you are definitely angry

• The dubitative suffix -lawʼ indicates that the speaker thinks the action is occurring, but is not sure.[25]

luyaj they understand it → luyajlawʼ they seem to understand it

• The suffix -baʼ indicates that the speaker thinks that it is obvious that the action is occurring.[26]

lupar they dislike it → luparbaʼ they obviously dislike it

This type indicates the verb's aspect. There are four Type 7 suffixes.

Note that aspect is different from tense and independent of it. A "completed" event (perfective aspect, -puʼ or -taʼ) can just as easily be set before, during, or after the time of description (past, present, or future tense), or unspecified for tense. For simplicity, this section says "is completed", not "was, is, or will be completed." (Do not confusive perfective aspect with "perfectly done".)

• The perfective suffix -puʼ indicates that, in the time context of the sentence, the action is completed.

qaS It occurs → qaSpuʼ It has occurred

vIghor I break it → vIghorpuʼ I broke it

• The suffix -taʼ also indicates that the action is completed, and further specifies that it was done on purpose.[27]

Qu' QIj She explains the mission → Qu' QIjtaʼ She has explained the mission

vIghor I break it → vIghortaʼ I broke it (on purpose)

• The suffix -taH indicate that the verb is occurring continuously.

jItlhuH I breathe → jItlhuHtaH I keep breathing

• The suffix -lIʼ indicate that the verb is occurring continuously, but that it has a definite ending point.[28]

megh vIvut I prepare lunch → megh vIvutlIʼ I am preparing lunch

The perfective aspect can also be indicated by the use of the verb form rIntaH after the main verb. This carries the connotation of irreversibility.[28]

ghorluʼ rIntaH It has been broken (and it cannot be mended)

There is only one suffix in this group, the honorific suffix -neS. It is used when addressing any type of superior, be it social, political, or military, and only when being very polite or having high regard for that person. It is never required.[29]

-neS: qaqIH I meet you → qaqIHneS I am honoured to meet you

Eleven suffixes specify syntactic roles in the sentence.

Two suffixes form specific types of noun from a verb.

• The suffix -wIʼ is used to form words for persons and things that do something, much as English nouns of the form X-er can mean either "person who does X" (listener, baker) or "thing that does X" (screwdriver, sprinkler).[17]

ʼIj listen → ʼIjwIʼ listener

woch be tall → wochwIʼ tall person or tall thing

• The suffix -ghach is used as a nominalizer for verbs ending in suffixes, which otherwise are unable to be nominalized. This suffix is usually used with other suffixes and is rarely found alone with the verb stem.[30][31]

QallaH be able to swim → QallaHghach the ability to swim

pIvchoH become healthy → pIvchoHghach becoming healthy

These two suffixes inflect the verb in specific grammatical moods.

• The interrogative suffix -ʼaʼ is used to form yes–no questions.[17]

DIboQnIS We need to assist them → DIboQnISʼaʼ? Do we need to assist them?

• The optative suffix -jaj is used to indicate a wish or desire of the speaker.[26]

bIQap You succeed → bIQapjaj May you succeed

The following seven suffixes are used to form subordinate clauses. A subordinate clause may go after or before the clause it modifies.[32]

Time

• The suffix -paʼ indicates that the event described in the main clause occurs chronologically before the event of this clause.

jItlheDpaʼ, HIboQ Before I depart, assist me

(jItlheD I depart, HIboQ assist me)

• The suffix -vIS indicates that the main clause is occurring at the same time as this clause. It is always used in conjunction with the type-7 suffix continuous suffix -taH.

lumtaHvIS, pagh taʼ He accomplishes nothing while he procrastinates

(lum procrastinate, taʼ accomplish, pagh nothing)

• The suffix -DIʼ indicates that the event of the main clause occurs immediately after the event of this clause is completed.

jImej chocholDIʼ As soon as you approach me, I leave

(jImej I leave, chochol you approach me)

Cause and effect

• The suffix -chugh is used to form conditionals.[29]

DaSamlaHchugh, DaSuqlaH If you can find it, you can take it

(DaSamlaH you can find it, DaSuqlaH you can acquire (take) it)

• The suffix -moʼ indicates the main clause is occurring because of this clause.[26]

bIʼIlmoʼ, qavoq Because you are sincere, I trust you

(bIʼIl you are sincere, qavoq I trust you)

(Relative and purpose clauses)

• The suffix -bogh is used in relative clauses. Their usage is covered in the relative clauses section.
• The suffix -meH is used in purpose clauses.[17] Their usage is covered in the purpose clauses section.

This type of suffix is known as a lengwIʼ in Klingon, which is translated as rover (leng wander + wIʼ). There are four rovers. These suffixes have no defined position, and can go after the verb stem or after any suffix – even another rover – except after a type-9 suffix or where the result would be meaningless. They modify whatever directly precedes them.

• The rover suffix -beʼ negates what precedes it but in the imperative mood -Qoʼ is used.[33]

wInaD We praise it → wInaDbeʼ We do not praise it

boʼollaH You are able to verify it → boʼollaHbeʼ You are not able to verify it

• The rover suffix -Qoʼ negates what precedes it in the imperative mood. In the indicative mood it indicates refusal by the subject. It can only be used between verb suffixes of Type 8 and Type 9.[34]

yIQIp Be stupid → yIQIpQoʼ don't be stupid

vIlon I abandon it → vIlonQoʼ I refuse to abandon it

• The rover suffix -quʼ emphasises what precedes it.[35]

narghqang He is willing to escape → narghqangquʼ He is really willing to escape

• The rover suffix -Haʼ reverses what precedes it; that is, it indicates that the opposite of what precedes it is being done, or that the action is being undone.[34] If used on a verb that cannot be undone and has no meaningful opposite, it means to perform the action wrongly, not in the proper way, somewhat like the English prefix mis- in misspeak, mistype, misspell, etc. Unlike the other rovers, it can be placed only just after the stem; its classification in the rover category is attributed to the insistence of fictional Klingon grammarians.[36]

yIchuʼ Activate it → yIchuʼHaʼ De-activate it

boloʼ you (plural) use it → boloʼHaʼ you (pl.) misuse it

bIQuch You are happy → bIQuchHaʼ You are unhappy

The position of the rover suffixes affects the meaning of the word. Contrast

luSoplaH They are able to eat it

luSoplaHbeʼ They are not able to eat it

luSopbeʼlaH They are able to not eat it

(In context, possibly equivalent to They can refuse to eat it)

luSopbeʼlaHbeʼ They are not able to not eat it

(In context, possibly equivalent to They cannot refuse to eat it)

Klingon has no verb that corresponds to the verb to be; the concept is expressed using a different grammatical construction. Pronouns can be used as verbs that act as the pronoun plus the verb to be. The pronoun can take verb suffixes, which then modify the pronoun like any other verb. A third-person subject that is not a pronoun must go after the pronoun-verb and carry the type-5 noun suffix -ʼeʼ[37]

Examples:

• qonwI' tlhIH You are composers
• ghojwIʼ ghaH HaDwIʼʼeʼ A studier is a learner

In a relative clause, the verb has the type-9 verb suffix -bogh added to it.[43] The order of the words in relative clauses remains the same as in regular clauses, but the head noun may optionally get the type-5 suffix -ʼeʼ added.[44]

chuS Saj ngevbogh ghotʼeʼ.

The person who sells the pet is noisy

chuS Sajʼeʼ ngevbogh ghot.

The pet which the person sells is noisy

Since there is already a type-5 noun suffix marking the head noun, nothing other than the subject or the object can be marked as head noun. Two sentences are formed instead to form the same idea. Relative clauses can have nouns with type 5 suffixes as modifiers, but it can be ambiguous as they can be misinterpreted as being part of the main sentence.[44]

A purpose clause expresses the reason or goal of the action of the main clause. If it is modifying a noun it states the purpose of the noun. A purpose clause always goes before the clause or noun it modifies.[43] This is the cause of some grammatical ambiguity in Klingon, as a -meH modifying a noun at the beginning of a sentence can be misinterpreted as modifying the entire sentence. This can be resolved in writing with punctuation.[44]

• -meH with sentence: jumISmoHmeH, jutoj

You tricked us in order to confuse us.

• -meH with nouns: QaQ vIDubmeH qechlIj

Your idea [for I improve it] is good

Your idea on how I should improve it is good/Your idea for improving it is good.