tlhIngan Hol
Klingon
Constructed (artistic)
Also known as: Klingon, tlhIngan Hol
Klingon (tlhIngan Hol) is a constructed language created by linguist Marc Okrand for the Star Trek franchise (Star Trek III: 1984), now spoken fluently by perhaps a few dozen people. Designed deliberately to be alien-sounding: OVS word order (rare typologically), ejective consonants, no copula "to be", and a tripartite verbal-prefix system encoding subject and object. Has produced translations of Hamlet, Tao Te Ching, and the Bible. Recognized by the ISO 639-3 standard (tlh). Klingon Language Institute (KLI) since 1992.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Klingon
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Constructed (artistic)
| Meaning | Klingon | Mru | Wa | Parauk Wa | Madurese | Ubykh | Squamish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | bIQ /bɪq/ | o /ɔ/ | rawm /rɔm/ | rom /rɔm/ | aèng /aɛŋ/ | bzə /bzə/ | stáḵw /staqʷ/ |
| Fire | qul /qʰul/ | mai /mɑɪ/ | ngu /ŋu/ | ngū /ŋṳ/ | apoy /apɔj/ | mzʼə /mzʼə/ | sḵwiḵw /sqʷiqʷ/ |
| Sun | jul /dʒul/ | thum /tʰum/ | singaix /siŋaiʔ/ | si ngāix /siŋa̤iʔ/ | are /are/ | dəɣʷa /dəɣʷa/ | snéḵwem /sneqʷəm/ |
| Moon | maS /mɑʂ/ | la /lə/ | khix /kʰiʔ/ | kix /kʰiʔ/ | bulan /bulan/ | mazə /mazə/ | lh7álha /ɬʔaɬa/ |
| Star | Hov /χov/ | kɯr /kɯr/ | simuing /simʔuɲ/ | sim uing /sim ʔuɲ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | tʃʷʼakʲ /tʃʷʼakʲʼ/ | kwekwtsi7 /kʷəkʷtsiʔ/ |
| Night | ram /ram/ | yak /jak/ | ponsawm /ponsɔm/ | som /sɔm/ | malem /maləm/ | śwa /ɕʷa/ | nat /nat/ |
| Rain | SIS /ʂɪʂ/ | — | lhiex /l̥ɛʔ/ | hliex /lʰɛʔ/ | ojhân /ɔdʒʱɤn/ | — | — |
| Snow | chal chuch /tʃɑl tʃutʃ/ | — | rhax /r̥aʔ/ | hra /rʰa/ | salju /saldʒu/ | źʷadzə /ʑʷadzə/ | máḵa7 /maqaʔ/ |
| Wind | SuS /ʂuʂ/ | — | bhaung /bʰaɯŋ/ | npaeng /bʰaɯŋ/ | angèn /aŋɛn/ | — | — |
| Earth | yav /jav/ | — | tiex /tɛʔ/ | diex /tɛʔ/ | tana /tana/ | tɕʰʷaʁˤʷə /tɕʰʷaʁˤʷə/ | temíxw /təmixʷ/ |
| Stone | nagh /naɣ/ | — | simaox /simauʔ/ | si māox /sima̤uʔ/ | bato /ˈbatɔ/ | laqa /laqa/ | smant /smant/ |
| Mountain | HuD /xuɖ/ | — | gawng /ɡɔŋ/ | mgōng /ɡɔ̤ŋ/ | ghunong /ɡʱunɔŋ/ | — | smánit /smanit/ |
| Sea | bIQ'a' /bɪqʔaʔ/ | — | rawm sigrit sigra /rɔm siɡrit siɡra/ | rom si mgrid si mgra /rɔm siɡrit siɡra/ | taseʼ /taseʔ/ | ʃʷa /ʃʷa/ | — |
| Mother | SoS /ʂoʂ/ | au /əʔu/ | miex /mɛʔ/ | mīex /mɛ̤ʔ/ | embuʼ /əmbuʔ/ | nan /nan/ | chésha7 /tʃeʃaʔ/ |
| Father | vav /vɑv/ | pa /pə/ | keeing /kɯɲ/ | geeing /kɯɲ/ | eppaʼ /əppaʔ/ | tʷə /tʷə/ | smas /smas/ |
| Daughter | puqbe' /puqbɛʔ/ | — | kawn bun /kɔn bun/ | gon nbun /kɔn bun/ | anaʼ bineʼ /anaʔ binɛʔ/ | pχʲa /pʰχʲa/ | — |
| I | jIH /dʒɪx/ | nga /ŋa/ | aux /ʔaɯʔ/ | aex /ʔaɯʔ/ | sengkoʼ /səŋkoʔ/ | sʁʷa /sʁʷa/ | en /ʔən/ |
| You | SoH /ʂoχ/ | nang /naŋ/ | maix /maiʔ/ | maix /maiʔ/ | baʼna /baʔna/ | wʁʷa /wʁʷa/ | chexw /tʃəxʷ/ |
| We | maH /mɑx/ | — /—/ | ix /ʔiʔ/ | — /—/ | ban baʼna kabbi / sengkoʼ kabbi /ban baʔna kabbi / səŋkoʔ kabbi/ | ʃʁʷała /ʃʁʷaɬa/ | numalh /numaɬ/ |
| Name | pong /poŋ/ | ming /miŋ/ | ceu kaux /tɕɤ kaɯʔ/ | jē gaex /tɕɤ̤ kaɯʔ/ | nyama /ɲama/ | pʼtsʼa /pʼtsʼa/ | sna /sna/ |
| Person | nuv /nuv/ | — | pui /pui/ | būi /pṳi/ | oreng /ɔrɛŋ/ | — | stélmexw /stelməxʷ/ |
| Head | nach /natʃ/ | — | kaing: /kaɲ/ | gaing /kaɲ/ | cèthak /tʃɛʈʰaʔ/ | — | — |
| Eye | mIn /mɪn/ | mik /mɪk/ | ngai /ŋai/ | ngai /ŋai/ | mata /mata/ | bla /bla/ | ḵlum̓ /qlumʔ/ |
| Ear | qogh /qoɣ/ | na /na/ | yhaok /j̊auk/ | hyaog /ʑʰauk/ | kopèng /kɔpɛŋ/ | laqʼʷəma /laqʼʷəma/ | — |
| Nose | ghIch /ɣɪtʃ/ | — | meeih /mɯih/ | mēeih /mɯ̤ih/ | elong /ɛloŋ/ | fatɕʼa /fatɕʼa/ | — |
| Mouth | nuj /nudʒ/ | — | jheeh /dʑʰɯih/ | nqeeih /dʑʰɯih/ | coloʼ /tʃɔlɔʔ/ | tʃʼa /tʃʼa/ | — |
| Tooth | Ho' /xoʔ/ | ha /ha/ | rhang /r̥aŋ/ | hrang /rʰaŋ/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | cakʼə /tsakʼʲə/ | yenis /jənis/ |
| Tongue | jat /dʒat/ | lei /lei/ | dak /dak/ | ndag /dak/ | jhila /dʒʱila/ | bza /bʒa/ | alhthal /aɬθaɬ/ |
| Hand | ghop /ɣopʰ/ | bong /boŋ/ | taix /taiʔ/ | daix /taiʔ/ | tanang /tanaŋ/ | ɂa /ʔa/ | chálash /tʃalaʃ/ |
| Foot | qam /qʰam/ | klong /kləŋ/ | caong /tʃaɔŋ/ | jāong /tɕa̤uŋ/ | soko /sɔkɔ/ | ła:pʼa /ɬaːpʼa/ | — |
| Heart | tIq /tʰɪqʰ/ | tsak /tsʰɑk/ | rhawm /r̥ɔm/ | hrom /rʰɔm/ | ate /atɛ/ | gʷə /ɡʷə/ | stúlich /stulitʃ/ |
| Bone | Hom /xom/ | hut /hut/ | si-ang /siʔaŋ/ | si ang /siʔaŋ/ | tolang /tolaŋ/ | pqë /pqə/ | shaw7 /ʃawʔ/ |
| Blood | 'Iw /ʔɪw/ | thi /tʰi/ | nham /n̥am/ | hnam /nʰam/ | dhara /ɖʱara/ | ła /ɬa/ | sthathin /sθaθin/ |
| Love | parmaq /pʰɑrmɑqʰ/ | akiet /əkiɛt/ | moh /moh/ | mōuh /mo̤h/ | tresna /trɛsna/ | — /—/ | néxwsa /nexʷsa/ |
| Tree | Sor /ʂor/ | tshing /tsʰɪŋ/ | khaox /kʰauʔ/ | kaox /kʰauʔ/ | kaju /kaju/ | ɣʷənə /ɣʷənə/ | stsékʼas /stsekʼas/ |
| Dog | Ha'DIbaH /xaʔɖɪbax/ | takui /təkuɪ/ | sox /soʔ/ | soux /soʔ/ | pateʼ /patɛʔ/ | la /la/ | sḵwemáy̓ /sqʷəmajʔ/ |
| Cat | vIghro' /vɪɣroʔ/ | tamin /təmɪn/ | miao: /miau/ | miao /miau/ | koceng /kɔtʃɛŋ/ | — /—/ | pus /pus/ |
| Fish | ghotI' /ɣotɪʔ/ | nga /ŋa/ | kax /kaʔ/ | gax /kaʔ/ | jukoʼ /dʒukoʔ/ | psa /psa/ | stsʼúḵwi7 /stsʼuqʷiʔ/ |
| Bird | bo'Degh /boʔɖɛɣ/ | — | sim /sim/ | sim /sim/ | manoʼ /manoʔ/ | ʁʷəndʷə /ʁʷəndʷə/ | — |
| Butterfly | Su'wan ghew /ʂuʔwan ɣɛw/ | — | pung piang /puŋ piaŋ/ | būng bīang /pṳŋ pi̤aŋ/ | ghâpper /ɡʱɤppər/ | χapʼraːɕʷa /χapʼraːɕʷa/ | — |
| Egg | QIm /qɪm/ | — | tawm ia /tɔm ʔia/ | dom /tɔm/ | tellor /tɛlːor/ | — | — |
| House | juH /dʒux/ | khim /kʲɪm/ | nyiex /ɲiɛʔ/ | nyīex /ɲi̤ɛʔ/ | bengko /bəŋkɔ/ | tʷəna /tʷəna/ | lámʼ /lamʔ/ |
| Milk | nIm /nɪm/ | — | teeh /tɯih/ | deeih /tɯih/ | susu /susu/ | čʰʲa /tʃʰʲa/ | — |
| Honey | DayqIr /ɖajqɪr/ | — | rawm hia /rɔm hia/ | rom hia /rɔm hia/ | maddhu /maddʱu/ | šwanə /ʃʷanə/ | — |
| Salt | qut na' /qut naʔ/ | — | kih /kih/ | gīh /ki̤h/ | buja /budʒa/ | ǯʲə /dʒʲə/ | tlʼálhem /tɬʼaɬəm/ |
| Rice | — /—/ | — | gaox /ɡauʔ/ | mgaox /ɡauʔ/ | bherrâs /bʱərrɤs/ | — | — |
| Chocolate | yuch /jutʃ/ | — | — | — | cokklat /tʃɔkklat/ | — | — |
| Iron | 'uSqan /ʔuʂqan/ | — | lhek /l̥ek/ | hleig /lʰek/ | bessè /bəsːɛ/ | wəcʼwa /wətsʼʷa/ | — |
| Wheel | rutlh /rutɬ/ | — | ling: /liɲ/ | ling /liɲ/ | rodha /ˈrɔɖʱa/ | čʰarx /tʃʰarχ/ | — |
| Silk | manta' ma'lI' /mantaʔ maʔlɪʔ/ | — | pre /pre/ | man brēi /man pre̤/ | sotra /sɔtra/ | bˤafəm /bˤafəm/ | — |
| Book | paq /pʰaqʰ/ | — | phuk lai /pʰuk lai/ | pug lāi /pʰuk la̤i/ | buku /buku/ | ʃʷəqʼa /ʃʷəqʼa/ | — |
| Eat | Sop /ʂopʰ/ | tsa /tsɑ/ | ih /ʔih/ | ih /ʔih/ | ngakan /ŋakan/ | f /f/ | i7iyím /iʔijim/ |
| Drink | tlhutlh /tɬʰutɬʰ/ | kham /kʰɑm/ | nyaux /ɲaɯʔ/ | nyāex /ɲa̤ɯʔ/ | ngenom /ŋənɔm/ | dzʷa /dzʷa/ | qʼemél7chen /qʼemʔeɬtʃen/ |
| Sleep | Qong /qʰoŋ/ | — | it /ʔit/ | id /ʔit/ | tedhung /təɖʱuŋ/ | tɕʰʷa /tɕʰʷa/ | — |
| One | wa' /wɑʔ/ | lok /lɔk/ | tix /tiʔ/ | dīx /ti̤ʔ/ | settong /səttɔŋ/ | za /za/ | nchʼa7 /ntʃʼaʔ/ |
| Two | cha' /tʃaʔ/ | pəni /pəni/ | ra /ra/ | ra /ra/ | dhuwaʼ /ɖuwaʔ/ | tqʷʼa /tqʷʼa/ | án7us /ˈʔanʔus/ |
| Three | wej /wɛdʒ/ | sum /sum/ | loe /lɤ/ | loui /loi/ | telloʼ /təlːoʔ/ | śa /ɕa/ | chánat /tʃanat/ |
| Four | loS /loʂ/ | — | pon /pon/ | boun /pon/ | empaʼ /əmpaʔ/ | pʼɬʼə /pʼɬʼə/ | x̱a7útsen /χaʔutsən/ |
| Five | vagh /vaɣ/ | — | phuan /pʰuan/ | puan /pʰuan/ | lemaʼ /ləmaʔ/ | šxə /ʃχə/ | tsíyichis /tsijitʃis/ |
| Hundred | vatlh /vatɬ/ | — | yieh /jiɛh/ | yīeh /ʑi̤ɛh/ | saratos /saratos/ | — | — |
| Hello | nuqneH /nuqʰnɛx/ | namaskaro /nɑməskɑro/ | nawp nawm /nɔp nɔm/ | nob nom /nɔp nɔm/ | salam /salam/ | — /—/ | chen kwenmántumi /tʃen kʷenmantumi/ |
| Thank you | qatlho' /qʰɑtɬʰoʔ/ | dhanyabad /dʰənəbɑd/ | bwanson /buan son/ | nbuan soun /buan son/ | tarèma kasè /tarɛma kasɛ/ | — /—/ | huy chexw a /huj tʃexʷ a/ |
| Good | QaQ /qɑq/ | — /—/ | mhawm /m̥ɔm/ | hmom /mʰɔm/ | bagus /baɡus/ | ʈʂʼa /ʈʂʼa/ | éy /ej/ |
| New | chu' /tʃuʔ/ | — | khraox /kʰrauʔ/ | kraox /kʰrauʔ/ | anyar /aɲar/ | — | — |
| Red | Doq /ɖoq/ | ni /ni/ | raoh /rauh/ | raoh /rauh/ | mera /mɛra/ | pɬaʒʲa /pɬaʒʲa/ | kʷəlqʷ /kʷəlqʷ/ |
| White | chIS /tʃɪʂ/ | — /—/ | paing /paɲ/ | bāing /pa̤ɲ/ | pote /potɛ/ | — | pʼeḵʼ /pʼəqʼ/ |
| Black | qIj /qɪdʒ/ | — | lung /luŋ/ | lūng /lṳŋ/ | celleng /tʃəllɛŋ/ | dʒa /dʒa/ | ḵʼex̱ ḵʼíx̱ /qʼəχ qʼiχ/ |
| Green | SuD /ʂuɖ/ | — | klai /klai/ | glāi /kla̤i/ | bhiru /bʱiru/ | ʁˤaqʼa /ʁˤaqʼa/ | tlʼestlʼís /tɬʼəstɬʼis/ |
| Blue | SuD /ʂuɖ/ | — | — | — | bhiru /bʱiru/ | ʁˤaqʼa /ʁˤaqʼa/ | skwáyel /skʷajəl/ |
| Coffee | qa'vIn /qʰɑʔvɪn/ | — | kha: feue: /kʰa fɤi/ | ka feui /kʰa fɤi/ | kopi /kɔpi/ | kʼahwa /kʼahwa/ | kapí /kapi/ |
| Sugar | Su'ghar qut /ʂuʔɣar qut/ | — | nam oi: /nam ʔɔi/ | nām oi /na̤m ʔɔi/ | ghulâ /ɡʱulɐ/ | šakʲar /ʃakʰʲar/ | — |
| Orange | tera' na'ran /tʰɛraʔ naʔran/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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