Klingon has a group of independent pronouns separate from noun suffixes and verb prefixes. These pronouns stand alone and function similarly to nouns.

Use chaH only when referring to beings capable of using language. Otherwise, use bIH. Pronouns 'e' and net appear only in certain special grammatical constructions (see section 6.2.5). Klingon pronouns do not distinguish gender, so ghaH may translate as either "he" or "she" depending on context.

Pronouns often add emphasis or clarity but aren't required grammatically:

• yaS vIlegh jIH – I see the officer.
• yaS vIlegh – I see the officer.
• jIH mulegh yaS – The officer sees me.
• mulegh yaS – The officer sees me.

Using or omitting pronouns can lead to ambiguity. For instance:

• vIlegh jIH / vIlegh – I see him/her or I see them.

To remove ambiguity, use explicit pronouns:

• ghaH vIlegh – I see him/her.
• chaH vIlegh – I see them.

Note that pronouns don't form possessives; possessive noun suffixes handle this role (section 3.3.4).

Klingon lacks a verb directly equivalent to English "to be". However, independent pronouns function as verbs to express identity ("I am", "you are"):

• yaS SoH – You are an officer.
• puqpu' chaH – They are children.

Pronouns always follow the noun they identify. Similarly, to say "to be at/in a location," pronouns are combined with noun suffixes as appropriate:

• pa'wIjDaq jIHtaH – I am in my quarters.

When a noun (rather than a pronoun) acts as the subject, it follows the relevant third-person pronoun (ghaH, 'oH, chaH, bIH) and takes the topic suffix -'e':

• puqpu' chaH qama'pu''e' – The prisoners are children.
• pa'DajDaq ghaHtaH la''e' – The commander is in his quarters.

These sentences might be understood as emphasizing the topic: "As for the prisoners, they are children," or "As for the commander, he is in his quarters."