Speak Klingon

If you are looking for a way to impress your Trekkie friends or if you simply want to immerse yourself further into the Star Trek universe, consider picking up the Klingon language. It may not be a “real” language in the traditional sense, but it is very real in the sense that it has its own grammar and structure. For casual usage, you can focus your efforts on learning a few key phrases. There are other resources available if you want to learn the language in greater detail, however.

Steps

Key Phrases

  1. Make sure you how to correctly pronounce letters in Klingon.[1] As a whole, the language is meant to be spoken forcefully and in guttural tones. Each letter has its own specific way of being pronounced, though, and you must study up on how to pronounce letters correctly before you can speak words correctly.
    • Lowercase "b," "ch," "j," "l," "m," "n," "p," "t," "v," and "w" are all pronounced the same way in Klingon as they are in English.
    • Lowercase "a" is pronounced like the English "ah," or like the "a" in "father."
    • Lowercase "e" is pronounced like the short "e" sound in English, as in the word "led" or "bed."
    • Capital "I" is pronounced like the short "i" sound in English, as in the word "hit" or "bit."
    • Lowercase "o" is pronounced like the long "o" sound in English, as in the word "note" or "wrote."
    • Lowercase "u" is pronounced like the long "u" sound in English, as in the word "prune" or "you."
    • Capital "D" is pronounced similarly to the English "d," but you must touch the tip of your tongue to the highest point in your mouth, rather than near the teeth as you would with its English counterpart.
    • The capital "H" is a harsh sound made in the throat, similar to the "h" in the German "Bach." Leave it unvoiced. Similarly, the "gh" sound is considered one letter in Klingon. Produce it in the back of your throat as a gargle, similar to the Klingon "H," but voiced.
    • The "ng" is treated as a single letter in Klingon but is pronounced the same way "ng" is in English.
    • Lowercase "q" is similar to the English "k" but is made further back in your throat. Your tongue should actually brush the uvula or the opening of your throat. Capital "Q," on the other hand, is similar to the Klingon lowercase "q" but must be immediately followed with the Klingon "H" sound.
    • Lowercase "r" is similar to its English counterpart, but slightly rolled.
    • Capital "S" is similar to the English "sh," but is made by moving your tongue near the roof of your mouth rather than near the teeth.
    • The "tlh" is treated as a single letter in Klingon. Begin with a "t" sound, but drop your tongue to the sides of your mouth rather than immediately down. From there, hiss out the "l" sound.
    • Lowercase "y" is pronounced like the English "y" at the beginning of a word, as in "you" or "yet."
    • The single apostrophe (') is treated as a letter in Klingon. It is the same sound produced in English for words that start with a vowel, as in "uh" or "ah." The sound is, essentially, a catch or soft pause in the throat. In Klingon, this can be used in the middle of a word.
  2. Greet fellow Trekkies with a hardy "nuqneH."[2] It is the equivalent of "hello," but translates more closely to, "What do you want?"
  3. Answer questions with "HIja'" or "HISlaH," or with "ghobe'." The former to mean "yes," while the latter means "no."
  4. Signify your understanding with "jIyaj." Roughly translated, it means "I understand." Similarly, "jIyajbe'" means "I don't understand."
  5. Express approval with "maj" or "majQa'." The former means "Good!" The latter means "Well done!"
  6. Ask a fellow Trekkie if he or she can speak Klingon with "tlhIngan Hol Dajatlh’a’." It literally means, "Do you speak Klingon?" If someone asks you that question but you do not feel confident in your Klingon speaking abilities yet, you can answer, "tlhIngan Hol vIjatlhaHbe’," or, "I cannot speak Klingon."
  7. Demonstrate your honor by proudly stating, "Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam." This translates into, "Today is a good day to die," and is a valued phrase in Klingon culture.
  8. State that you are Klingon with a rousing "tlhIngan maH!" The phrase translates into, "We are Klingons!" Similarly, you can use "tlhIngan jIH" to state simply, "I am a Klingon."
  9. Ask for a bathroom with "nuqDaq 'oH puchpae'." Every race needs an occasional bathroom break, and Klingons are no exception. If you cannot locate the nearest restroom at the next convention you head to, you can ask a Klingon-speaking Trekkie this phrase, which translates into "Where is the bathroom?"
  10. Ask for the time with "'arlogh Qoylu'pu'?" Roughly translated, it means, "What time is it?" More literally translated, it means, "How many times has it been heard?"
  11. Insult your enemies with "Hab SoSlI' Quch!" This translates into, "Your mother has a smooth forehead!" Klingons are known for their forehead ridges, and stating that one's mother has no such ridges is considered a very strong insult.
  12. Prepare to attack your enemies with "cha yIbaH qara’DI’." Translated into English, the phrase means, "Fire the torpedoes!"
  13. Ask for a good place to eat with "nuqDaq ’oH Qe’ QaQ’e’." The phrase translates into, "Where is a good restaurant?"
  14. Inquire about an empty seat by asking, "quSDaq ba’lu’’a’." If you want to sit next to a Trekkie whom you are not formally acquainted with, you could use the phrase to ask them "Is this seat taken?"
  15. Issue another insult with "petaQ." It could also be spelled "p'tahk," "pahtk," "pahtak" or "p'tak." The term is a common insult that has no direct translation into English, but roughly translates into "fool," "coward," or "dishonorable person." Use it to describe someone who lacks Warrior Spirit.

Learning More

  1. Join a Klingon language group. The most thorough and well-known group is The Klingon Language Institute,[3] but you can also find other fan groups by doing an Internet search. Access the free information provided by these groups to determine if you are really interested in learning the language. Some of these groups also offer official membership, which will provide you with greater access to more information and events.
  2. Listen to the language.[4] After you have learned the alphabet and a few of the words, look up videos on the Internet or purchase audio CDs or DVDs of experts speaking Klingon. In this way, you can learn Klingon by example. Audio files will allow you to listen to how Klingon words need to be pronounced, and video files will help you see how the mouth needs to be formed in order to produce such sounds.
  3. Get a Klingon language dictionary. You can purchase one online or at a bookstore, or you can find a dictionary free for download. A Klingon language dictionary will work like most other language dictionaries. Most will have a Klingon to English section as well as an English to Klingon section, so that you will be able to translate terms and phrases both ways.
  4. Download a Klingon font.[5] Even though you can spell out and read Klingon using the standard Latin alphabet, strictly speaking, there are separate characters used to represent those letters and sounds. You can brush up on these letters by researching more online and in Klingon language books. Once you feel comfortable with the new alphabet, you can download a font that uses this alphabet for any digital Klingon communications you need to make.
  5. Read works written in Klingon. A good way to practice any language is to get plenty of practice reading it. You can download or purchase books, magazines, poems, and short stories written in Klingon. Some of these books even include works previously written in other languages. Or you can read books translated from the original Klingon, like Shakespearean plays.

Phrase Cheat Sheet

Doc:Klingon Phrases

Tips

  • To complete the experience more, do some research about Klingon culture. There are resources that you can find describing Klingon history, religion, food, and other cultural subjects. Since culture and language both shape one another, understanding the Klingon culture may even help you to understand the language more thoroughly.

Things You’ll Need

  • Klingon language dictionary

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.kli.org/about-klingon/sounds-of-klingon/
  2. ↑ http://www.kli.org/about-klingon/klingon-phrases/
  3. ↑ http://www.kli.org/
  4. ↑ http://www.bitrebels.com/geek/how-to-speak-klingon/
  5. ↑ http://www.kasper-online.de/en/docs/startrek/klingon.htm

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