RE: [KLBC]

["Andeen, Eric" <Eric.Andeen@Sequencia.com>]

jatlh qultoQ:

> how does one indicate future tense in tlhIngan Hol?
> ie /will be\ or /shall be\

Klingon does not have tense. To indicate a time context for a sentence, use
a timestamp. Here are some examples, stolen directly from Conversational
Klingon:

wa'Hu' jIghung - Yesterday I was hungry
DaHjaj jI'oj   - Today I am thirsty
wa'leS jIDoy'  - Tomorrow I will be tired

If the time context is not that simple, there are other thing you can do. If
something is going to happen soon, you can use <tugh>:

tugh jImejnIS - I need to leave soon


Sometimes it will be obvious from context that the action must happen in the
future. For example, when inviting someone to a party, a Klingon might say
the following. The party is obviously happening in the future:

lopno' wIghoS. ghotlhej! maSop 'ej matlhutlh. - We're going to a party. Join
us! We will eat and drink.


You could also say something like this:

DaH Qu' vIta'ta'be', 'ach vIta'bej. - At this moment, I have not completed
the task, but I will certainly complete it.


pagh
Beginners' Grammarian

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