Lesson 6 – introducing verb prefix {bI-}:

You're beautiful!

Beginners, welcome!

Today we are going to learn how to make simple compliments in Klingon!

So let's start with an example:
bI'IH = you are beautiful

This breaks down into 2 parts:
prefix + verb

  1. prefix {bI-} = you--no object
    {bI-} is used whenever the subject is the singular you and there is no object.

    In this regard it is quite similar to {jI-} in the way it is used.

    Thus we can also have:
    bIHagh = you laugh
    bIHaD = you study
    bIvum = you work

  2. verb {'IH} = be beautiful, handsome
    {'IH} is a stative verb describing a quality.

    Stative verbs always take a prefix indicating “no object”. In lesson 4, it was {jI-} (I--no object).

Here, to make compliments, we will thus use:
{bI-}+[verb]

Now let's make some compliments! Here are a few verbs you can use:

val = be clever, be smart HoS = be strong qu' = be fierce
Dun = be wonderful, great po' = be skilled yoH = be brave
matlh = be loyal jaq = be bold le' = be exceptional

Qapla'!

Prepared by Aurélie Demonchaux (ghItlhjaj)