This lesson introduces some new verb prefixes and verb suffixes, as well as some more noun suffixes and the use of time stamps.

Verb suffix -laH "can"

The "Type 5" verb suffix -laH indicates "can" or "able to".

For example, it makes the difference between tlhIngan Hol vIjatlh "I speak Klingon" and tlhIngan Hol vIjatlhlaH "I can speak Klingon".

Verb suffix -be' "not"

In an earlier unit we introduced the very useful verb suffix -be', which means "not". You may remember that this suffix is classified as a "rover". Unlike suffix types 1-9, some of the rovers can actually be placed in different orders and change the meaning of the sentence slightly based on where they occur.

The "rover" suffix -be' comes after the verb portion which it negates.

So tlhIngan Hol vIjatlhlaHbe' means "I cannot speak Klingon" (the -be' negates the -laH), while tlhIngan Hol vIjatlhbe'laH would mean "I am able to not speak Klingon" (the -be' negates the vIjatlh to make "I do not speak", and then -laH turns that into "I can not-speak" or "I am able not to speak").

The other feature of some of the rovers is that they can appear multiple times, thus negating multiple parts of the verb construction. jIjatlhbe'laHbe' would mean, "I cannot not speak," or, "I am not able to not speak." (I know humans like that, but Klingons like that are much more rare.)

Most verbs have only one or two suffixes at a time, and the correct order of suffixes will soon become second nature from seeing the most frequent combinations.

Noun suffix -mey

This unit more fully introduces the "Type 2" noun suffix -mey, which forms the plural of many nouns (the ones that are neither beings capable of language nor body parts).

In Klingon, plural suffixes are optional — both qach and qachmey can be used for "buildings".

Since it is clearer to use a plural suffix when there is more than one of something, these early units in the course usually use them even though they are optional. As you advance, sometimes we will show you sentences where only the verb prefix or other context indicates that a noun is plural.

More verb prefixes

You've already come across what are probably the most common verb prefixes: jI-, vI-, bI-, Da-, ma-, Su-, and no prefix at all (sometimes called the "null" prefix).

This unit introduces some new verb prefixes for combinations of subjects and objects:

Pay special attention to the fact that when the subject is "we", there are separate prefixes wI- and DI- depending on whether the third-person object is singular (him, her, it) or plural (them) — unlike when the subject is "I" (vI- for both singular and plural third person subjects) or "you (singular)" (Da- for both singular and plural third person subjects) or "you (plural)" (bo-.for both singular and plural third person subjects). Though this is a constructed language, there are some irregularities like this that appear to make it resemble a natural language.

Some of these prefixes are more frequent then others, especially the ones with an object of "him, her, it" and/or "them", so you'll see a fair bit of bo- in this course and some wI- and DI-, and it pays to get those three down.

The others are a bit rarer, though cho- and qa- (you do something to me, or I do something to you) are perhaps a bit more common than the others.