Klingon Translator
Translate English to Klingon, or tlhIngan Hol, the language of a fictional warrior race.
What is Klingon?
Klingon, called tlhIngan Hol by its speakers, is the most famous constructed language to come out of science fiction. It was first heard on screen in 1979 and designed to sound harsh and unlike anything on Earth. It stuck. There are dictionaries, courses (including one on Duolingo), an opera performed entirely in Klingon, and translations of Hamlet and other classics.
The grammar is as different from English as the sound. Sentences run object, verb, subject, which is the exact reverse of English, so "I see the ship" comes out roughly as "the ship see I". Words are built from roots with prefixes and a long list of suffixes, which means a single Klingon verb can carry a whole sentence of meaning.
How to translate English to Klingon
Type your sentence, choose Klingon and press Translate. This Klingon translator uses the published vocabulary and grammar, and when your idea has no Klingon word, which is common for modern things, it builds one from real roots and explains how in the explanation. Every result includes an IPA pronunciation and a speaker button.
A few real words to recognise: Qapla' is "success", used as a farewell, nuqneH is a greeting that literally asks "what do you want?", and jIyajbe' means "I do not understand".
Klingon spelling and pronunciation
Klingon is written in the Latin alphabet, and capital letters matter because they are different sounds. A capital Q is a harsh sound made at the very back of the throat, H is a rasp like the ch in the German "Bach", and tlh is one sound, made by pushing air around the sides of your tongue. The apostrophe is a letter too: a glottal stop. There is also an official script called pIqaD, but the romanised version is what people type.
Phrases to try in Klingon
- Today is a good day to be brave.
- What do you want?
- I am hungry, bring me food.
- Victory belongs to those who fight.
- Thank you for your help, friend.
Questions about the Klingon translator
Is Klingon a real language?
It is a real constructed language, with a full grammar, dictionaries and an active community of speakers, even though it was invented for fiction.
How do you say hello in Klingon?
The usual greeting is nuqneH, which literally means "what do you want?". Klingon has no direct equivalent of a polite "hello".
Why are some Klingon letters capitalised?
In the standard spelling, capitals such as Q, H and S are different sounds from lowercase q, h and s.
What does tlhIngan Hol mean?
It is the Klingon name for the Klingon language. "Hol" means language.
Learn more about Klingon
Also try: Vulcan · Mando’a · Dothraki · Na’vi · All translators
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