The Indefinite Subject: Type 5 Verb Suffix -lu'

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This suffix is the closest to the passive tense that tlhIngan Hol gets. Klingon sentences typically have a definite subject; but when the subject is unknown, undefined or something general (as in the saying "It is raining" where "it" is a general term, or "There is a book on the table"), you need a verb suffix to be able to express this.

That suffix is -lu'.

-lu' indefinite subject

There are only two Type 5 verb suffixes. -lu' is one. The other, -laH can, able does not have any commonality with -lu'. Since there is only one slot available for each type of verb suffix, -lu' and -laH can never be attached to the same instance of the verb.

-lu' indicates that the subject of the sentence is unknown, undisclosed, indefinite or general.

-lu' and Verb Prefixes

-lu' requires an exception to the way verb prefixes are normally used. The prefixes normally used to indicate a first- or second-person subject (I, we, you) and a third-person object (vI-, Da-, wI-, bo-) are used, instead, to indicate the first- or second-person object. The general effect is to indicate someone/something does the verb to me/you.

vIqIplu'ta'	I am hit!
Daleghlu'pu'	You have been seen
wIHIvlu'taH	We are under attack
boSeHlu'	You are all being controlled

With the third person, you can either use the prefix lu- for the plural them or, for the singular, nothing at all:-

qIplu'taH	Something is hitting it
muSlu'	She is hated
lughollu'lI'	Something is approaching them
luwamlu'lI'	They are being hunted
luSeHlu'	They are controlled

-lu' is very useful, not least for stunningly cheesy dialogue:-

ngaDmoHwI' qIplu'	The stabiliser's hit!
HoD Qollu'ta'	The Captain's been beamed away!
reH DalIjlu'taH	You will be forgotten, always
wIwamlu'lI'	We are being hunted

Alternative

If you don't like using -lu', you have an alternative: using the noun vay' someone, somebody, something, anyone, anybody, anything and the normal verb prefixes for a third-person subject and normal object (either mu-, Du-, nu-, lI-, nI-, lu- or nothing at all):-

muqIpta' vay'	I am hit!
Duleghpu' vay'	You have been seen
nuHIvtaH vay'	We are under attack
lISeH vay'	You are all being controlled
ngaDmoHwI' qIp vay'	The stabiliser's hit!
HoD Qolta' vay'	The Captain's been beamed away!
reH DulIjtaH vay'	You will be forgotten, always
wamlI' vay'	We are being hunted
ghollI' vay'	Something is approaching them

There is ...

When used in conjunction with the verb tu' find, observe and the third-person singular subject pronoun (in other words, nothing) the word tu'lu' is translated as there is, in the sense of "there is danger here" or "There is a forest nearby":-

naDev Qob tu'lu'	There is danger here
ngem tu'lu'. Sum	There is a forest. It is nearby
naDev nuH tu'lu'	There is a weapon here

Before moving on to the next Type 5 suffix, -laH can, able there will be a brief diversion to the topic of location - here, there, somewhere and everywhere.

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