diff --git a/pkg/i18n/compose.go b/pkg/i18n/compose.go
index 54ac0e41..d82f9611 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/compose.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/compose.go
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ func S(noun string, value any) *Subject {
 	}
 }
 
+// NewSubject is an alias for S() for readability in longer expressions.
+//
+//	NewSubject("file", path).Count(3).In("workspace")
+func NewSubject(noun string, value any) *Subject {
+	return S(noun, value)
+}
+
 // Count sets the count for pluralization.
 // Used to determine singular/plural forms in templates.
 //
diff --git a/pkg/i18n/compose_test.go b/pkg/i18n/compose_test.go
index 224ffec6..6909409b 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/compose_test.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/compose_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@ func TestSubject_Good(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, "", s.location)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("NewSubject alias", func(t *testing.T) {
+		s := NewSubject("repo", "core-php")
+		assert.Equal(t, "repo", s.Noun)
+		assert.Equal(t, "core-php", s.Value)
+	})
+
 	t.Run("with count", func(t *testing.T) {
 		s := S("file", "*.go").Count(5)
 		assert.Equal(t, 5, s.GetCount())
diff --git a/pkg/i18n/i18n.go b/pkg/i18n/i18n.go
index 3d99f51d..e0857af3 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/i18n.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/i18n.go
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ type Service struct {
 	fallbackLang   string
 	availableLangs []language.Tag
 	mode           Mode // Translation mode (Normal, Strict, Collect)
+	debug          bool // Debug mode shows key prefixes
 	mu             sync.RWMutex
 }
 
@@ -241,6 +242,17 @@ func SetDefault(s *Service) {
 	defaultService = s
 }
 
+// SetDebug enables or disables debug mode on the default service.
+// In debug mode, translations show their keys: [key] translation
+//
+//	SetDebug(true)
+//	T("cli.success") // "[cli.success] Success"
+func SetDebug(enabled bool) {
+	if svc := Default(); svc != nil {
+		svc.SetDebug(enabled)
+	}
+}
+
 // T translates a message using the default service.
 // For semantic intents (core.* namespace), pass a Subject as the first argument.
 //
@@ -368,6 +380,24 @@ func (s *Service) Mode() Mode {
 	return s.mode
 }
 
+// SetDebug enables or disables debug mode.
+// In debug mode, translations are prefixed with their key:
+//
+//	[cli.success] Success
+//	[core.delete] Delete config.yaml?
+func (s *Service) SetDebug(enabled bool) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	s.debug = enabled
+}
+
+// Debug returns whether debug mode is enabled.
+func (s *Service) Debug() bool {
+	s.mu.RLock()
+	defer s.mu.RUnlock()
+	return s.debug
+}
+
 // T translates a message by its ID.
 // Optional template data can be passed for interpolation.
 //
@@ -431,6 +461,11 @@ func (s *Service) T(messageID string, args ...any) string {
 		text = applyTemplate(text, data)
 	}
 
+	// Debug mode: prefix with key
+	if s.debug {
+		return "[" + messageID + "] " + text
+	}
+
 	return text
 }
 
@@ -494,13 +529,27 @@ func (s *Service) C(intent string, subject *Subject) *Composed {
 	// Create template data from subject
 	data := newTemplateData(subject)
 
-	return &Composed{
+	result := &Composed{
 		Question: executeIntentTemplate(intentDef.Question, data),
 		Confirm:  executeIntentTemplate(intentDef.Confirm, data),
 		Success:  executeIntentTemplate(intentDef.Success, data),
 		Failure:  executeIntentTemplate(intentDef.Failure, data),
 		Meta:     intentDef.Meta,
 	}
+
+	// Debug mode: prefix each form with the intent key
+	s.mu.RLock()
+	debug := s.debug
+	s.mu.RUnlock()
+	if debug {
+		prefix := "[" + intent + "] "
+		result.Question = prefix + result.Question
+		result.Confirm = prefix + result.Confirm
+		result.Success = prefix + result.Success
+		result.Failure = prefix + result.Failure
+	}
+
+	return result
 }
 
 // executeIntentTemplate executes an intent template with the given data.
diff --git a/pkg/i18n/i18n_test.go b/pkg/i18n/i18n_test.go
index 44ca33b3..98a9c7c3 100644
--- a/pkg/i18n/i18n_test.go
+++ b/pkg/i18n/i18n_test.go
@@ -164,3 +164,74 @@ func TestNestedKeys(t *testing.T) {
 	result = svc.T("cmd.dev.work.flag.status")
 	assert.Equal(t, "Show status only, don't push", result)
 }
+
+func TestDebugMode(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("default is disabled", func(t *testing.T) {
+		svc, err := New()
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.False(t, svc.Debug())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("T with debug mode", func(t *testing.T) {
+		svc, err := New()
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		// Without debug
+		result := svc.T("cli.success")
+		assert.Equal(t, "Success", result)
+
+		// Enable debug
+		svc.SetDebug(true)
+		assert.True(t, svc.Debug())
+
+		// With debug - shows key prefix
+		result = svc.T("cli.success")
+		assert.Equal(t, "[cli.success] Success", result)
+
+		// Disable debug
+		svc.SetDebug(false)
+		result = svc.T("cli.success")
+		assert.Equal(t, "Success", result)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("C with debug mode", func(t *testing.T) {
+		svc, err := New()
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		subject := S("file", "config.yaml")
+
+		// Without debug
+		result := svc.C("core.delete", subject)
+		assert.NotContains(t, result.Question, "[core.delete]")
+
+		// Enable debug
+		svc.SetDebug(true)
+
+		// With debug - shows key prefix on all forms
+		result = svc.C("core.delete", subject)
+		assert.Contains(t, result.Question, "[core.delete]")
+		assert.Contains(t, result.Success, "[core.delete]")
+		assert.Contains(t, result.Failure, "[core.delete]")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("package-level SetDebug", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Reset default
+		defaultService = nil
+		defaultOnce = sync.Once{}
+		defaultErr = nil
+
+		err := Init()
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		// Enable debug via package function
+		SetDebug(true)
+		assert.True(t, Default().Debug())
+
+		// Translate
+		result := T("cli.success")
+		assert.Equal(t, "[cli.success] Success", result)
+
+		// Cleanup
+		SetDebug(false)
+	})
+}