Lesson 5 – verb suffix -nIS:

I need to eat

Beginners, welcome!

Last time we saw how to say “I'm hungry” - now we find out another way to express one's needs:
the verb suffix -nIS

jISopnIS = I need to eat

Here, jI- is the prefix conveying the subject is “I” and there is no object (as seen in lesson 4), and Sop is the verb “to eat”.

The suffix -nIS expresses that the subject needs to carry out the action described by the verb.

Thus:
Hov HaDnIS tej = the scientist needs to study the star
tlhIngan Hol vIghojnIS = I need to learn the Klingon language
jI'oj, jItlhutlhnIS = I'm thirsty, I need to drink

And if you don't need something, simply add the negative suffix -be' after -nIS:
jIDoy'be', jIQongnISbe' = I'm not tired, I don't need to sleep

Now it's your turn! Try to say what you need and/or don't need to do! Here are more verbs for practice:

Qapla'!

Prepared by Aurélie Demonchaux (ghItlhjaj)