# Klingon grammar

The grammar of the Klingon language was created by Marc Okrand for the Star Trek franchise. He first described it in his book The Klingon Dictionary. It is a nominative–accusative, primarily suffixing agglutinative language, and has an object–verb–subject word order. The Klingon language has a number of unusual grammatical features, as it was designed to sound and seem alien, but it has an extremely regular morphology.

## Word order

Klingon follows an object–verb–subject word order. Adverbs usually go at the beginning of the sentence and prepositional phrases go before the object.
Doʼ
fortunately
Duj
ship
Daq
LOC
ghoqwIʼ
spy
Sam
find
laʼ
commander
Doʼ Duj - Daq ghoqwIʼ Sam laʼ
fortunately ship + LOC spy find commander
Fortunately, the commander found the spy aboard the ship
Sentences can be treated as objects, and the word ʼeʼ is placed after the sentence. ʼeʼ is treated as the object of the next sentence. The adverbs, indirect objects and locatives of the latter sentence go after the subject, but before the ʼeʼ
bI
you-Ø‍
pIv
be healthy
ʼeʼ
that
vI
I-it
tuʼ
observe
bI - pIv ʼeʼ vI - tuʼ
you-Ø‍ + {be healthy} that I-it + observe
I see that you're healthy (lit. I observe that you are healthy)

## Nouns

Klingon has three noun classes. The first one is living beings with an innate capacity to use language. The second one is body parts (not the body itself) and the third is all other nouns. Klingon has no articles, so the word raS table can mean a table or the table. The difference between the two is inferred from context.

### Suffixes

There are five types of noun suffixes. A word cannot have two suffixes of the same type. The suffixes are ordered based on type number; a type 2 suffix goes before a type 3 suffix, but after a type 1 suffix. In the following example, all five suffix types are used in the correct order.
veng
city
Hom
DIM
mey
PL
qoq
DUB
chaj
their
Daq
LOC
veng - Hom - mey - qoq - chaj - Daq
city + DIM + PL + DUB + their + LOC
in their so-called villages

#### Type 1 (size, affection)

This type has three suffixes:
* The augmentative suffix-ʼaʼ,
ghom
group
ghomʼaʼ
crowd
ghom → ghomʼaʼ
group crowd
* The diminutive suffix -Hom,
yuQ
planet
yuQHom
planetoid
yuQ → yuQHom
planet planetoid
* and the endearment suffix -oy.
vav
father
vavoy
daddy
vav → vavoy
father daddy
   * If the noun to which the endearment suffix is added ends with a vowel, a glottal stop is inserted between them:
ghu
baby
ghuʼoy
dear baby
ghu → ghuʼoy
baby {dear baby}

#### Type 2 (plurals)

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.
qetwIʼ
runner
qetwIʼpuʼ
runners
qetwIʼ → qetwIʼpuʼ
runner runners
* The suffix -Duʼ is for body parts,
ghop
hand
ghopDuʼ
hands
ghop → ghopDuʼ
hand hands
* The suffix -mey is used for all other nouns.
quS
chair
quSmey
chairs
quS → quSmey
chair 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
ghot → ghotmey
person {people all over the place}
A noun does not require a plural suffix if a pronoun, pronominal prefix, or context serves to indicate that it is plural, or if it is being used in conjunction with a number.

##### Duypuʼ chaH or Duy chaH

    They are emissaries.

##### raSmey DIghor or raS DIghor

    We broke the tables.

#### Type 3 (accuracy)

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
QaH → QaHqoq
{the help} {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.
choH
change
choHHey
apparent change
choH → choHHey
change {apparent change}
* The suffix -naʼ indicates that the speaker is entirely sure that the object is represented accurately by the noun.
jup
friend
jupnaʼ
true friend
jup → jupnaʼ
friend {true friend}

#### Type 4 (possession, determiners)

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.
| Possessives | 1st-person singular | 2nd-person singular | 3rd-person singular | 1st-person plural | 2nd-person plural | 3rd-person plural |
| Not capable of using language | -wIj | -lIj | -Daj | -maj | -raj | -chaj |
| Capable of using language | -wIʼ | -lIʼ | -Daj | -maʼ | -raʼ | -chaj |
There are also two determiner suffixes:
* -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
nav → navwIj
paper {my paper}
* Language-user possessives:
qeSwIʼpuʼ
advisors
qeSwIʼpuʼlIʼ
your advisors
qeSwIʼpuʼ → qeSwIʼpuʼlIʼ
advisors {your advisors}
* Determiners:
Soj
food
Sojvam
this food
Soj → Sojvam
food {this food}

#### Type 5 (syntactic role)

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. With certain verbs, it indicates motion towards the noun.
juHmaj
our home
juHmajDaq
in our home
juHmaj → juHmajDaq
{our home} {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
qoj → qojvoʼ
cliff {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
ghuʼ → ghuʼmoʼ
situation {because of the situation}
* The dative/benefactive suffix -vaD indicates the indirect object, and/or the noun for which the action has been done.
jeʼwIʼ
buyer
jeʼwIʼvaD
to/for the buyer
jeʼwIʼ → jeʼwIʼvaD
buyer {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.

## Verbs

Klingon verbs mark for aspect but not for tense, which is indicated where necessary by context and by time adverbs. Prefixes mark subject and object. There are ten types of suffix, and as with nouns, a verb can have no more than one suffix of any type. (The tenth type, called rovers, are an exception.) Again as with nouns, the types of suffix must appear in a strict order, indicated by their type number: a type 2 suffix goes before a type 3 suffix, but after a type 1 suffix. A rover suffix can go between any of them.
Unlike English, there is no infinitive. The presentation of the verb stem as an infinitive in this article's example sentences is just to show the individual morphemes.

### Prefixes

Klingon verb prefixes mark both the subject and the object.
Verb prefixes :
| | | Object | Object | Object | Object | Object | Object | Object |
| | | No object | 1st person singular | 2nd person singular | 3rd person singular | 1st person plural | 2nd person plural | 3rd person plural |
| Subject | 1st person singular | jI- | — | qa- | vI- | — | Sa- | vI- |
| Subject | 2nd person singular | bI- | cho- | — | Da- | ju- | — | Da- |
| Subject | 3rd person singular | Ø- | mu- | Du- | Ø- | nu- | lI- | Ø- |
| Subject | 1st person plural | ma- | — | pI- | wI- | — | re- | DI- |
| Subject | 2nd person plural | Su- | tu- | — | bo- | che- | — | bo- |
| Subject | 3rd person plural | Ø- | mu- | nI- | lu- | nu- | lI- | Ø- |
| Subject | unspecified* | Ø- | vI- | Da- | Ø- | wI- | bo- | lu- |
* Expressed with the type-5 verb suffix -luʼ
| Legend | Meaning |
| — | Not represented |
| Ø- | Null prefix |
Imperative-mood prefixes :
| | | Object | Object | Object | Object | Object |
| | | No object | 1st person singular | 3rd person singular | 1st person plural | 3rd person plural |
| Subject | 2nd person singular | yI- | HI- | yI- | gho- | tI- |
| Subject | 2nd person plural | pe- | HI- | yI- | gho- | tI- |
Prefixes must be present even if the nouns or pronouns they reference are declared explicitly. 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.
Examples:
* No object:
Qong
sleep
jIQong
I sleep
Qong → jIQong
sleep {I sleep}
* Subject and object:
nob
give
DunuQ
It annoys you
nob → DunuQ
give {It annoys you}
* Imperative:
laD
read
yIlaD
Read it
laD → yIlaD
read {Read it}

### Suffixes
#### Type 1 (reflexive/reciprocal)

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.
jIlegh
I see
jIleghʼegh
I see myself
jIlegh → jIleghʼegh
{I see} {I see myself}
maʼang
We reveal
maʼangʼegh
We reveal ourselves (individually)
maʼang → maʼangʼegh
{We reveal} {We reveal ourselves (individually)}
* The reciprocal suffix -chuq indicates that the individual subjects do the action to each other. Intransitive verbs cannot take this suffix.
Sulegh
You(pl) see
Suleghchuq
You(pl) see each other
Sulegh → Suleghchuq
{You(pl) see} {You(pl) see each other}

#### Type 2 (volition/necessity)

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
chojaʼ → chojaʼnIS
{You tell me} {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
lungev → lungevqang
{They sell it} {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
{ghuʼ poj} → {ghuʼ pojrup}
{He/She analyzes the situation} {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.
ghoghlIj qon
It records your voice
ghoghlIj qonbeH
It is ready to record your voice
{ghoghlIj qon} → {ghoghlIj qonbeH}
{It records your voice} {It is ready to record your voice}
* The suffix -vIp indicates that the subject is afraid to do the action.
bImej
You leave
bImejvIp
You are afraid to leave
bImej → bImejvIp
{You leave} {You are afraid to leave}

#### Type 3 (inceptive/inchoative)

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
yIt → yItchoH
{He/she/it walks} {He/she/it starts walking}
Doq
It is red
DoqchoH
It becomes red
Doq → DoqchoH
{It is red} {It becomes red}
* The suffix -qaʼ indicates the action had been stopped, but is now resuming, or that the action is being performed again.
yIQong
Sleep!
yIQongqaʼ
Go back to sleep!
yIQong → yIQongqaʼ
Sleep! {Go back to sleep!}

#### Type 4 (causative)

There is only one suffix in this category, the causative suffix -moH. This suffix indicates that the subject is causing something to happen. 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).
Intransitive verb:
poS
be open
lojmIt
door
poS lojmIt
{be open} door
The door is open.
    Causative form:
lojmIt
door
poS
be open
moH
CAUS
qup
elder
lojmIt poS - moH qup
door {be open} + CAUS elder
The elder opened the door. (lit. The elder caused the door to be open.)
Transitive verb:
paq
book
Da
you-it
nej
look for
paq Da - nej
book you-it + {look for}
You look/are looking for the book. (lit. You look for the book.)
    Causative form:
paq
book
qa
I-you
nej
look for
moH
CAUS
paq qa - nej - moH
book I-you + {look for} + CAUS
I made you look for the book. (lit. I caused you to look for the book.)

#### Type 5 (undefined subject; capability)

There are two unrelated suffixes in this group. The suffix -luʼ indicates an undefined subject. 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.
Examples:
* -luʼ without prefix:
much
presentation
bej
watch
luʼ
INDF SBJ
much bej - luʼ
presentation watch + {INDF SBJ}
the presentation is watched, someone watches the presentation
    much bej
    He/she watches the presentation
* -luʼ with prefix:
vI
I-it
tlhaʼ
chase
luʼ
INDF SBJ
vI - tlhaʼ - luʼ
I-it + chase + {INDF SBJ}
I am chased, someone chases me
    vItlhaʼ
    I chase it
* -laH:
vI
I-it
bom
sing
laH
able to
vI - bom - laH
I-it + sing + {able to}
I can sing it

#### Type 6 (perfection; uncertainty)

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
pIQoy → pIQoychuʼ
{we hear you} {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
SuQeH → SuQeHbej
{you (plural) are angry} {you are definitely angry}
* The dubitative suffix -lawʼ indicates that the speaker thinks the action is occurring, but is not sure.
luyaj
they understand it
luyajlawʼ
they seem to understand it
luyaj → luyajlawʼ
{they understand it} {they seem to understand it}
* The suffix -baʼ indicates that the speaker thinks that it is obvious that the action is occurring.
lupar
they dislike it
luparbaʼ
they obviously dislike it
lupar → luparbaʼ
{they dislike it} {they obviously dislike it}

#### Type 7 (aspect)

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 confuse 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
qaS → qaSpuʼ
{It occurs} {It has occurred}
vIghor
I break it
vIghorpuʼ
I have broken it
vIghor → vIghorpuʼ
{I break it} {I have broken it}
* The suffix -taʼ also indicates that the action is completed, and further specifies that it was done on purpose.
Qu' QIj
She explains the mission
Qu' QIjtaʼ
She has explained the mission
{Qu' QIj} → {Qu' QIjtaʼ}
{She explains the mission} {She has explained the mission}
vIghor
I break it
vIghortaʼ
I have broken it (on purpose)
vIghor → vIghortaʼ
{I break it} {I have broken it (on purpose)}
* The suffix -taH indicates that the verb is occurring continuously.
jItlhuH
I breathe
jItlhuHtaH
I keep breathing
jItlhuH → jItlhuHtaH
{I breathe} {I keep breathing}
* The suffix -lIʼ indicates that the verb is occurring continuously, but that it has a definite ending point.
megh vIvut
I prepare lunch
megh vIvutlIʼ
I am preparing lunch
{megh vIvut} → {megh vIvutlIʼ}
{I prepare lunch} {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.
    ghorluʼ rIntaH It has been broken (and it cannot be mended)

#### Type 8 (honorific)

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

#### Type 9 (syntactic)

Eleven suffixes specify syntactic roles in the sentence.

##### Nominalizers

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).
ʼIj
listen
ʼIjwIʼ
listener
ʼIj → ʼIjwIʼ
listen listener
woch
be tall
wochwIʼ
tall person or tall thing
woch → wochwIʼ
{be tall} {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.
QallaH
be able to swim
QallaHghach
the ability to swim
QallaH → QallaHghach
{be able to swim} {the ability to swim}
pIvchoH
become healthy
pIvchoHghach
becoming healthy
pIvchoH → pIvchoHghach
{become healthy} {becoming healthy}

##### Modals

These two suffixes inflect the verb in specific grammatical moods.
* The interrogative suffix -ʼaʼ is used to form yes–no questions.
DIboQnIS
We need to assist them
DIboQnISʼaʼ
Do we need to assist them?
DIboQnIS → DIboQnISʼaʼ
{We need to assist them} {Do we need to assist them?}
* The optative suffix -jaj is used to indicate a wish or desire of the speaker.
bIQap
You succeed
bIQapjaj
May you succeed
bIQap → bIQapjaj
{You succeed} {May you succeed}

##### Subordinators

The following seven suffixes are used to form subordinate clauses. A subordinate clause may go after or before the clause it modifies.
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.
    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.
    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. Their usage is covered in the purpose clauses section.

#### Rovers

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.
wInaD
We praise it
wInaDbeʼ
We do not praise it
wInaD → wInaDbeʼ
{We praise it} {We do not praise it}
boʼollaH
You are able to verify it
boʼollaHbeʼ
You are not able to verify it
boʼollaH → boʼollaHbeʼ
{You are able to verify it} {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.
yIQIp
Be stupid
yIQIpQoʼ
don't be stupid
yIQIp → yIQIpQoʼ
{Be stupid} {don't be stupid}
vIlon
I abandon it
vIlonQoʼ
I refuse to abandon it
vIlon → vIlonQoʼ
{I abandon it} {I refuse to abandon it}
* The rover suffix -quʼ emphasises what precedes it.
narghqang
He is willing to escape
narghqangquʼ
He is really willing to escape
narghqang → narghqangquʼ
{He is willing to escape} {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. 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.
yIchuʼ
Activate it
yIchuʼHaʼ
De-activate it
yIchuʼ → yIchuʼHaʼ
{Activate it} {De-activate it}
boloʼ
you (plural) use it
boloʼHaʼ
you (pl.) misuse it
boloʼ → boloʼHaʼ
{you (plural) use it} {you (pl.) misuse it}
bIQuch
You are happy
bIQuchHaʼ
You are unhappy
bIQuch → bIQuchHaʼ
{You are happy} {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)

### Pronouns and copula

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
| Pronouns | 1st-person singular | 2nd-person singular | 3rd-person singular | 1st-person plural | 2nd-person plural | 3rd-person plural |
| Capable of using language | jIH | SoH | ghaH | maH | tlhIH | chaH |
| Not capable of using language | jIH | SoH | ʼoH | maH | tlhIH | bIH |
Examples:
* qonwI' tlhIH You are composers
* ghojwIʼ ghaH HaDwIʼʼeʼ A studier is a learner

## Adjectives

Klingon does not have adjectives as a distinct part of speech. Instead, many intransitive verbs can be used as adjectives, in which case they follow the noun they modify. Contrast (wep coat, and yIQ be wet)
    wep yIQ
    the wet coat
with
    yIQ wep.
    The coat is wet.
In this construction, the only verbal suffixes allowed are rover suffixes such as -quʼ and -Haʼ. Type-5 noun suffixes that would normally be attached to the noun are instead attached to the adjectival verb:

### paʼDaq

    in the room

### paʼ tInDaq

    in the big room (tIn big)

## Adverbs

Adverbs are usually placed at the beginning of the sentence, but time adverbs go before other adverbs.
wa'leS
tomorrow
ghaytan
likely
nu
they-us
jatlh
speak
wa'leS ghaytan nu - jatlh
tomorrow likely they-us + speak
They will probably speak to us tomorrow.
Adverbs can take the rover suffix -Haʼ to denote the opposite adverbial.

### Doʼ

    fortunately

### DoʼHaʼ

    unfortunately

## Conjunctions

Klingon has seven conjunctions, and they are different for nouns and for sentences. The noun conjunctions are je for a logical conjunction, joq for a logical disjunction and ghap for an exclusive disjunction. Noun conjunctions go after the nouns they connect. Sentence conjunctions are ʼej for a logical conjunction, qoj for a logical disjunction and pagh for an exclusive disjunction. ʼach (or ʼa) but is used to contrast sentences.

## Clauses
### Relative clauses

In a relative clause, the verb has the type-9 verb suffix -bogh added to it. 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.
chuS
to be noisy
Saj
pet
ngev
sell
bogh
REL
ghot
person
-ʼeʼ
FOC
chuS Saj ngev - bogh ghot - -ʼeʼ
{to be noisy} pet sell + REL person + FOC
The person who sells the pet is noisy
chuS
be noisy
Saj
pet
-ʼeʼ
FOC
ngev
sell
bogh
REL
ghot
person
chuS Saj + -ʼeʼ ngev - bogh ghot
{be noisy} pet + FOC sell REL person
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.

### Purpose clauses

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. 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.
* -meH with sentence:
ju
you-us
mer
surprise
meH,
purpose
bI
you
Soʼ
hide
ʼegh
self
ju - mer - meH, bI - Soʼ - ʼegh
you-us + surprise + purpose you + hide + self
You hid yourself in order to surprise us.
* -meH with nouns:
QaQ
be good
vI
I-it
Dub
improve
meH
purpose
qech
idea
lIj
your
QaQ vI - Dub - meH qech - lIj
{be good} I-it + improve + purpose idea + your
Your idea on how I should improve it is good/Your idea for improving it is good. (lit. Your idea [for I improve it] is good)

## Comparatives

In this section, noun phrases are indicated by the abbreviation NP, and adjectives by A.
Klingon comparatives mainly rely on adjectives like lawʼ (to be many), puS (to be few), rap (to be the same), and rur (to resemble, to be like) to contrast the nouns. However, many (but not all) of the comparatives have unusual word orders that don't parse as regular Klingon sentences.
* The main Klingon comparative structure is NP$_1$ A lawʼ NP$_2$ A puS. The general meaning of this construction is "NP$_1$ is more A than NP$_2$".
qachvam
this building
chuʼ
be new
lawʼ
juHlIj
your home
chu'
puS
qachvam chuʼ lawʼ juHlIj chu' puS
{this building} {be new} {your home}
This building is newer than your home. (lit. this-building new many – home-your new few)
* The structure NP$_1$ A lawʼ Hoch A puS is used to form superlatives, i.e. "NP$_1$ has the most of quality A (= has more of quality A than anything/one else has)". (Hoch = all, everyone, everything)
qIDvetlh
that joke
tlhaQ
be funny
law'
Hoch
tlhaQ
be funny
puS.
qIDvetlh tlhaQ law' Hoch tlhaQ puS.
{that joke} {be funny} {be funny}
That joke is the funniest. (lit. joke-that funny many – everything funny few)
* The inverse structure, Hoch A lawʼ NP$_1$ A puS is used to indicate "NP$_1$ has the least of quality A".
Hoch
quv
be honorable
lawʼ
verengnan
Ferengi
quv
puS.
Hoch quv lawʼ verengnan quv puS.
 {be honorable} {Ferengi}
Ferengi are the least honorable. (lit. everyone honorable many – Ferengi honorable few)
* The structure A NP$_1$; NP$_2$ rur is used to form similes: "NP$_1$ is A; he/she/it resembles NP$_2$".
ʼIQ
be sad
rav
floor
rur
to resemble
ʼIQ rav rur
{be sad} floor {to resemble}
He is as sad as a floor. (lit. he is sad; he is like a floor)

## Questions

A yes–no question in Klingon can be formed by adding the suffix -ʼaʼ to the regular form. The word for yes is HISlaH or HIjaʼ and the word for no is ghobeʼ. Interrogative pronouns go where the answer would normally go, and don't reorder the sentence. Interrogative adverbs go at the beginning of the sentence.

## Numbers

Klingon uses a base-10 system to count numbers. To form a multiple of 10, 100, 1 000, 1 000 000, the word for the multiple of ten is suffixed to the digit. For example, chorghmaH eighty is a combination of the word chorgh eight and the number forming suffix -maH ten.
Larger powers go before smaller powers: chorghmaH Soch is eight-ten seven. The number suffix -DIch is used to form ordinal numbers, and the number suffix -logh indicates how many times an action has been repeated: loSDIch fourth, waʼmaH chaʼlogh twelve times.
| 10 | -maH | -maH |
| 100 | -vatlh | -vatlh |
| 1 000 | -SaD | -SanID |
| 10 000 | -netlh | -netlh |
| 100 000 | -bIp | -bIp |
| 1 000 000 | -ʼuyʼ | -ʼuyʼ |
| 0 | pagh | 5 | vagh |
| 1 | waʼ | 6 | jav |
| 2 | chaʼ | 7 | Soch |
| 3 | wej | 8 | chorgh |
| 4 | loS | 9 | Hut |