The basic set of prefixes can be presented in a chart. (In order to make the chart as clear as possible, some prefixes are repeated.)
into a single prefix. 0 in the chart means that the particular subject-object combinations are indicated by the absence of a prefix before the verb; -- in the chart notes subject-object combinations which cannot be expressed with the Klingon verb prefix system. For such meanings, suffixes (section 4.2.1) and/or pronouns (section 5.1) must be used.
wot moHaq raS - Verb Prefix Table
The prefixes in the first column of the chart (headed "none") are used when there is no object; that is, when the action of the verb affects only the subject (the "doer"). The verb Qong sleep occurs with the pronominal prefixes as follows:
jIQong I sleep
bIQong you sleep
Qong he/she/it sleeps, they sleep
maQong we sleep
SuQong you (plural) sleep
In the case of Qong he/she/it sleeps, they sleep, the exact subject would be indicated elsewhere in the sentence or by context.
This set of prefixes is also used when an object is possible, but unknown or vague. Thus, jIyaj I understand can be used when the speaker understands things in general, knows what is going on, or understands what another speaker has just said. It cannot, however, be used for understanding a language or understanding a person. Similarly, maSop we eat can be used to indicate a general act of eating, but not if a specific food is mentioned.
The remaining prefixes combine subject and object. Some of them are illustrated below, using the verb legh see.
qalegh I see you
cholegh you see me
vIlegh I see him/her/it/them
mulegh he/she/it sees me, or they see me
Salegh I see you (plural)
tulegh you (plural) see me
Dalegh you see him/her/it/them
Dulegh he/she/it sees you
julegh you see us
pIlegh we see you
legh he/she/it sees him/her/it/them or they see them
lulegh they see him/her/it
Imperatives
A special set of prefixes is used for imperatives, that is, verbs giving commands. Commands can be given only to you or you (plural).
Note that, with one exception, the identical prefix is used regardless of whether the command is being given to one or more than one person. The single exception is when a command is given but there is no object. In such cases, a special prefix {pe-} is used to give a command to several people. Examples of the imperative prefixes follow. Exclamation points in the translation indicate that it is a command.
yIQong sleep!
HIqIp Hit me!
yIqIp Hit him/her/it!
To indicate action directed against oneself in an imperative verb (e.g.,
4.1.3 Notational conventions
As a notational convention, prefixes indicating subject and object will be translated as subject--object; e.g., {qa-} I--you, pI- we--them. Imperative prefixes will be translated similarly, preceded by the word imperative: tI- imperative: you--them.
Also, prefixes which can refer to male, female, inanimate, singular, and/or plural (e.g., vI- I--him/her/it/them) will be translated correctly, but usually without giving all the options (e.g., I--him/her). This convention will also be used when translating verbs containing these prefixes; e.g., vIlegh I see him/her.
