tlhIngan Hol DajatlhlaH

Klingon adverbials typically describe how or when an action occurs. They're usually placed at the beginning of sentences, although a few notable exceptions exist.

Common Klingon Adverbials

'eQ – just now, a moment ago

DaH – now

Do' – luckily

Do'Ha' – unfortunately

Hochlogh – always (emphatic)

QIt – slowly

SIbI' – immediately

SIbI'Ha' – later, eventually

SetqIn – instead, alternatively

batlh – honorably, with honor

batlhHa' – dishonorably

bong – accidentally, by accident

chIch – purposely, intentionally

chaq – perhaps

ghIq – then, subsequently

ghaytan – likely

ghaytanHa' – unlikely

jaS – differently

jaSHa' – similarly

jay' – intensely (invective)

loQ – slightly, a little bit

meQHam – ironically, incongruously

motlh – usually, typically

nIteb – alone, acting alone

nItebHa' – together

neH – only, merely, just

ngugh – then, at that time

nom – quickly, fast

not – never

pIj – often, frequently

pIjHa' – seldom, infrequently

paghlogh – never (emphatic)

pay' – suddenly

pe'vIl – forcefully

qen – recently

reH – always

roD – habitually, regularly

rut – sometimes, occasionally

tagha' – finally, at last

tlhoS – almost, barely

tlhoy – excessively, too much

tugh – soon

vabDot – even, moreover

vaj – thus, in that case

wa'logh – once

wej – not yet

wejHa' – already

bong yaS vIHoHpu' – I accidentally killed the officer.
batlh Daqawlu'taH – You will be remembered with honor.
vaj Daleghpu' – Then you've seen it.

The adverbials tlhoS ("almost") and wej ("not yet") have negative meanings, affecting the verb:

wej vIlegh – I don't see him/her yet.
tlhoS chab vISop – I almost ate pie (but I didn't).
tlhoS Duj vIqIp – I almost hit the ship (but missed).

With a negative verb, tlhoS means "barely":

tlhoS chab vISopbe' – I almost didn't eat pie (but I ate a little).
tlhoS Duj vIqIpbe' – I almost didn't hit the ship (but barely hit it).

Most adverbials appear at the start of sentences, but two words have special placement rules:

neH ("just, only, merely") always follows the verb or noun it modifies, emphasizing limitation or triviality:

qama' vIqIppu' neH – I merely hit the prisoner.
Duj yIQotlh neH – Just disable the ship!
yaS neH – only the officer.

It has a negative form neHHa' ("not only"):

chaH neHHa' wovmoH jul – the sun lit up not only them.
tlhIngan Hol neHHa' vIjatlh – I speak not only Klingon.

jay' ("intensely", used as invective) always comes at the sentence end and adds emotional force:

qaStaH nuq jay' – What the #@%! is happening?
mIch 'elpu' jay' – They've entered the #%@& sector!

Some adverbials can stand alone as exclamations or short commands:

nom! – Move fast!
wej! – Don't do it yet!
tugh! – Hurry up!