Klingon Verbs
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1.
Introduction
Like Klingon nouns, Klingon verbs may be followed by a number of suffix types, which must be used in a specific order. Unlike nouns, though, verbs may take prefixes. Here is a model to demonstrate this:
PREFIX-(verb)-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9
2.
Prefixes
The verb prefix is what tells who is performing the action, and maybe also who is the recipient of the action. In other words, the verb prefix can indicate both subject and object of the action at the same time. A verb can only have a single prefix. And here they are:
Note that the subject and object are both represented in a single prefix. The 0's in the chart mean that the combination is indicated by the absence of a prefix. However, a blank space in the chart means that the combination is impossible. For things like, "myself/himself/theirselves" etc, that comes in a later suffix.
The prefixes in the first column (the none column) are prefixes used when there is no object (IE: intransitive verbs) - when the action of the verb only affects the person doing it. For example, the verb yIn live
jIyIn I live
bIyIn you live
yIn he/she/it lives, they live
mayIn we live
SuyIn you (pl) live
In the case of yIn he/she/it lives, they live, the subject could be indicated by context, or somewhere else in the sentence.
The other verb prefixes combine subject and object together. Here are some examples using the verb 'Qoy hear
qaQoy I hear you .......................................choQoy you hear me
vIlegh I hear him/her/it/them ....................... muQoy he/she/it hears me, they hear me
SaQoy I hear you ....................................... tuQoy you (pl) hear me
DaQoy You hear him/her/it/them ................... pIQoy We hear you
Qoy he hears him/them, they hear them ............. luQoy they hear him/her/it
That last example, just plain Qoy can mean
- he hears him / her / it /them
- she hears him / her / it / them
- it hears him / her/ it / them
- they hear them
Klingon verbs are not gender-specific, and later you will see that pronouns aren't either.
2.1
Command prefixes
There is also a special set of prefixes used for commands. Like in english, commands are only given to "you" or "you all" when speaking to a group.
| none | me | him/her/it | us | them | |
| you | yI- | HI- | yI- | gho- | tI- |
| you (pl) | pe- | HI- | yI- | gho- | tI- |
yIjaH go!......................pejaH (all of you) go!
tIHoH kill them!..............ghotoD! save us!
yIbot Block him/her/it......HIQan Protect me!
To indicate that you want the person to do something against himself, (example: "Save yourself!"), then you would use the yI- or pe- with the verb suffix 'egh oneself which will be introduced below in the verb suffix part
3.
Verb Suffixes
Just as Klingon nouns have 5 possible suffixes, Klingon verbs have 9 types of suffixes.
3.1
Type 1: Oneself (Reflexive) / one another
-'egh one's self
This suffix if the reflexive suffix of klingon. In english, we translate it as "self". When this suffix is used, the verb prefixes for "no object" are used.
......jIHot'egh (Hot = touch) I touch myself
......muS'egh (muS = hate) He hates himself (or she hates herself, etc)
......bIlegh'egh (legh = see) You see yourself
You can also use the -egh suffix with commands. The no-object prefixes are used.
...... bIHoH'egh (HoH = kill) Kill yourself!................petoD'egh (toD = save) Save yourselves!
-chuq: each other
This pronoun means "each other" or "one another" when translated into English, and is only used with plural subjects (because it'd be wrong in both Klingon and English to say "I hit each other", etc). Again, the "no-object" prefixes are used.
......maQaHchuq (QaH = help) We help one another
......SuQaHchuq You help each other
......QaHchuq They help one another
......peQahchuq Help each other!
3.2
Type 2: Volition / Predisposition
The suffixes in Type 2 express the amount of choice the subject has about the action, or how predisposed the subject is to performing the action.
-nIs need
......vIghomnIS (ghom = meet) I need to meet him
......bInabnIS (nab = plan) you need to plan
-qang willing
......nuja'qang (ja' = tell) He is willing to tell us
......jIghojqang (ghoj = to learn) I am willing to learn
-rup ready / prepared (referring to beings)
......bIjaHrup (jaH = go) You are ready to go
......nIleghrup (legh = see ) They are ready to see you
......nuja'rup (ja' = tell) He is prepared to tell us
Note: There is the verb ghus which has the English translation to be prepared to launch something, and never takes the -rup suffix. Usually the verb is used with cha torpedoes (cha yIghuS = Get ready to fire the Torpedoes!)
-beH ready, set up (referring to devices)
......lelbeH (lel = take off) (the ship) is ready to take off
......nuqonbeH (qon = record) (the device, maybe a video camera) is ready to record us
-vIp afraid
......qaSuvvIp (Suv = fight) I am afraid to fight you
......maSaqvIp (Saq = land) We are afraid to land
3.3
Type 3: Change
These suffixes are kinda hard to explain, but we can say that they express some kind of change from what was happening before. This explanation probably sounds dry, so I will just go to the suffixes now.
-choH Change in state, change in direction
......maHoSchoH (Hos = be strong) We are becoming strong
......QapchoH (Qap = function) It is beginning to function
In the first example, "We are becoming Strong" means that we weren't strong before, but now things are changing. The same with "It is beginning to function", whatever "it" refers to is something that wasn't working previously - however it's starting to function now.
-qa' resume
This suffix indicates that an action did take place, stopped, and is now happening again.
......DISuvqa (Suv = fight) We are fighting them again, We are resuming the fight against them
3.4
Type 4: Cause
This group only has one suffix.
-moH Cause
This suffix means that the subject causes the action to happen. For example, in Klingon there is a verb vem which means wake up, cease sleeping. However, to wake someone else up, vemmoH is used. Literally, "to cause someone else to wake up". Here is another example:
......nab vIchenmoH (nab = plan, chen = take form) I form a plan
Other translations could be, I cause a plan to be formed, I cause the forming of a plan. There is another use for the -moH pronoun, to form "let" statements
......HIleghmoH (legh = see) Let me see (something)
Literally, HIleghmoH means Cause me to see something and is a command instead of just asking for permission.
The best English translation for a Klingon verb with the -moH ending may not contain the word cause - as above, "let me hear" is better than "cause me to hear" and "Wake someone else up" is better than "cause someone else to wake up". As with many languages, there are some things which shouldn't be translated literally.
3.5
Type 5: Indefinite subject / Ability
-laH Can, be able
Probably the easiest suffix to explain:
......jIvutlaH (vut = cook) I can cook
......vIQoylaH (Qoy = hear) I can hear them
......jutlhoblaH (tlhob = ask) You can ask us
-lu' indefinite subject
This suffix indicates that a subject is general, indefinite, or unknown (IE, something, someone). Now here is the hard part: When using this suffix, there are only 5 prefixes that go with it:
- vI- I-him/her/it
- Da- You-him/her/it
- wI- We-him/her/it
- bo- you (pl)-him/her/it
- lu- they-him/her/it
BUT: insteady of vI for example meaning I (verb) him/her/it, when used with the suffix -lu', the meaning goes to something (verb)'s me. Here's an example:
......vIqIp (qIp = hit) I hit him
......vIqIplu' Someone/Something hits me
Eh bien, Tu vois? The meaning of the prefix is switched. Here are some more examples:
......wIqawlu' (qaw = remember) Something/someone remembers us
......luleghlu' (legh = see) Something/someone sees them
......tlhaplu' (tlhap = take) Something/someone takes it
verbs with the -lu' suffix can also be translated using the passive voice in English:
......wIqawlu' We are remembered
......luleghlu' They are seen
......tlhaplu' It is taken
Lastly, when this suffix is used with the verb tu' find, observe, and the prefix 0 (IE: no prefix), the verb form that is made (tu'lu' something/someone finds it) is how Klingon makes the phrase "there is" or "there are"
......naDev ghotpu' tu'lu (naDev = here, ghot = person) There are people here, someone finds people here
3.6
Type 6: Qualification
These verb suffixes indicate how sure the speaker is about what he or she is saying.
-bej certainly, undoubtedly
......Nero, bIjumbej Nero, you are certainly odd (jum = be odd)
......nuvaqbej They are undoubtedly mocking us (vaq = mock)
-chu' clearly, perfectly
......mayajchu' We understand clearly (yaj = understand)
......jIbaHchu' I fired (a torpedo) perfectly (baH = [fire a torpedo])
-law' seemingly (seems to be), apparently (appears to be)
......luchaw'law' They appear to be allowing it (chaw' = allow)
......QeHlaw' He appears to be angry (QeH = be angry)
The -law' suffix may even be translated as "I suspect" or "I think", for example the last two sentences: "I think they're allowing it" , "I think he's angry"
3.7
Type 7: Aspect
Here it should be noted that Klingon doesn't have verb tenses. The time of the action can be expressed through context or other words, such as wa'Hu tomorrow.
However, Klingon does express if an action has been completed yet, is still in progress, etc, by using type 7 suffixes.
-pu' perfective
This suffix expresses that the action has been completed.
......mareHpu' (reH = play) we played
......vIja'pu' (ja' = tell) I told them
......numaw'pu' (maw' = offend) They offended us
-ta' accomplished, done
This suffix is like -pu' but almost *stronger* in meaning. It means that someone set out to deliberately do something, and did in fact do it. The action was done on purpose with an undoubted intent. English translations really don't show much difference between the two.
......vIQIDta' (QID = wound) I have wounded him
......vIja'ta' (ja' = tell) We have told them
For example, take vIQIDta' I have wounded him. If the wounding was result of a general attack and not specifically meant for that man, you would just use -pu'. Using -ta' means you went out deliberately to wound that specific person, and did.
-taH continuous
This prefix means the action is continuous or ongoing.
......cheQaHtaH (QaH = help) you (pl) are helping us
......luSo'taH (So' = hide) they are hiding him
This can also be used in commands:
......yIbaH! fire!
......yIbaHtaH! fire! (continuously)
In the first command, the firing is done only once (and then probably you wait for orders). On the second one, you keep firing - a continuous action (probably until someone tells you yImev! stop)
-lI' in progress
This suffix is like -taH because it also means that the activity is in progress. However, this one indicates a known stopping point. it means something is in progress towards that goal (whereas -taH has is just continuous)
......vIngeHlI' I am sending it (ngeH = send)
The above might be used when you are in the process of sending information, data, a post card, whatever. However there is a definite stopping point - when the thing has been sent.
......jIghoSlI' I am coming (ghoS = come)
Again, you wouldn't be talking about coming continuously, but you are in the process of coming - until you actually came: the stopping point.
3.8
Type 8: Honorific
-neS With Honor
This suffix is rarely used. It indicates an extreme politeness, and is only used to address someone higher-up than you. It is not required.
......qaqIHneS I am honored to meet you (qIH = meet)
Again, no one really uses it. So I'm not gonna expalin it.
3.9
Type 9: Syntax Markers
Like the tye 5 Noun suffixes, these indicate the role of the verb in the sentence. A few of these have jobs that will be explained later in the Klingon pages.
-DI' as soon as, when
......bIpawDI' when you arrive (paw = arrive)
......DaleghDI' As soon as you see them (legh = see)
-chugh if
......bIpawchugh If you arrive
......Daleghchugh If you see them
-pa' before
......bIpawpa' Before you arrive
......Daleghpa' Before you see them
-vIS before
This suffix is always used with the Type 7 suffix -taH (continuous)
......QongtaHvIS While they are sleeping (Qong = sleep)
......nuDevtaHvIS While he are guiding us (Dev = guide)
-'a' interrogative (question)
This suffix turns any statement into a yes/no question
......bIyaj you understand (yaj = understand)
......bIyaj'a' do you understand?
......DavutlI' 'a' Are you (in the process of) cooking it? (vut = cook)
-bogh which
-meH for
These are both Type 9 suffixes, but they will be explained on another page. If you are really interested, which no one really is anymore, they're on the syntax page, under "clauses".
-wI' one which does
This pronoun was on the earlier page for nouns. It turns an action (verb) into the person who does the action.
......Haq perform surgery -> HaqwI' surgeon
......chIj navigate -> chIjwI' navigator
......'ur commit treason -> 'urwI' traitor
4
Examples of the suffixes
Just like with nouns, when a verb is followed by two or more suffixes, then they must occur in a specific order. The Klingon Dictionary itself says that no verb has ever been found with one suffix from each of the 9 types at the same time - though in theory it is possible. These examples will be ceneted for simplicity.
nIleghpu''a' = Did they see you?
| nIleghpu''a'? | ||
|---|---|---|
| nI- | (prefix) | they-you |
| legh | (verb) | see |
| pu' | (type 7) | perfective |
| 'a' | (type 9) | Interrogative (question) |
malech'eghta' = we have disguised ourselves
| malech'eghta' | ||
|---|---|---|
| ma- | (prefix) | We |
| lech | (verb) | disguise |
| 'egh | (type 1) | self |
| ta' | (type 7) | accomplished/done |
vIvemmoHlaH = I can wake him (lit: I can cause him to cease sleeping)
| vIvemmoHlaH | ||
|---|---|---|
| vI- | (prefix) | I-him/her/it |
| vem | (verb) | cease sleeping |
| moH | (type 4) | cause |
| laH | (type 5) | can |
voqchuqvIplaw'taH = Apparently they afraid to trust one another
| voqchuqvIplaw'taH | ||
|---|---|---|
| 0 | (prefix) | they |
| voq | (verb) | trust |
| chuq | (type 1) | each other |
| vIp | (type 2) | afraid |
| law' | (type 6) | apparently |
| taH | (type 7) | continuous |
maSuvqa'bejneS We are certainly honored to resume the fight, we are undoubtedly honored to resume fighting
| maSuvqa'bejneS | ||
|---|---|---|
| ma | (prefix) | We |
| Suv | (verb) | fight |
| qa' | (type 3) | resume |
| bej | (type 6) | certainly/undoubtedly |
| neS | (type 8) | honorific |
And basically that's it. There's also a couple of endings called rovers, but I will add that on a separate page.
If any Klingon speaker wants to add onto this page, by all means.
-Nero (yInjaj Holmaj!)
Source:
Okrand, Marc. 1992. The Klingon Dictionary. New York: Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster Inc.
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