Useful Elvish Phrases

Color Key

White--Elvish
Medium Blue--Pronunciation
Light Blue--English Translation

Phrases are in Sindarin, with the exception of those noted with a "Q"--those are in Quenya.

Phrases credited to Elvish.org, the awesome people on the War of the Ring language forum (Wilwarin in particular), Ardalambion, Mellonath Daeron, Mirkwood - Home of the Elves, Council of Elrond, BBC, Thorsten Renk's Sindarin course, and Muse Magazine.

 

Greetings

Mae govannen
My go-VAH-nen
Well met

Suilaid
Soo-ih-lied
Greetings

Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo
Q, ELL-ehn SEE-lah LOO-men oh-men-tee-el-voh [the tee-el is slurred together]
A star shines on the hour of our meeting

Gîl síla na lû govaded
Gil SEE-la nah loo go-VAH-dead
A star shines on the time of our meeting

Im gelir ceni ad lín
Eem geh-leer keh-nee ahd leen
I am happy to see you again

Le suilon
Lay swee-lonn
I greet thee

Mára aurë
Q, Mah-rah ow-ray
Hello

 

Questions

Pedich Edhellen?
PEH-deekh eth-ell-ehn?
Do you speak Elvish?

Iston le?
EE-stohn lay?
Do I know you?

Heniach nin?
Hen-ee-akh neen?
Do you understand me?

Man eneth lín?
Mahn eh-nehth leen?
What is your name?

O man dôr túliel le?
Oh mahn dore tool-ee-ell lay?
From what land do you come?

Man carel le?
Mahn kah-rell lay?
What are you doing?

Man anírach cerin an le?
Mahn ah-NEAR-ahkh care-een ahn lay?
What can I do for you?

Le no an-uir nîn?
Lay no ahn-oo-ear neen?
Will you be mine forever?

Aníral toled na gar nîn?
Ah-NEAR-ahl tole-ehd nah gahr neen?
Do you want to come to my house?

Aníral maded?
Ah-NEAR-ahl mah-dead?
Do you want to eat?

Aníral sogad?
Ah-NEAR-ahl soe-gahd
Do you want to drink?

Sen tîr?
Sehn teer?
Is this true?

Man tolthant i 'waew?
Mahn tole-thahnt ee wye?
How is the weather?

Man sad Imladris?
Mahn sahd Eem-lahd-rees?
Where is Rivendell?

Man râd na Imladris?
Mahn rahd nah Eem-lahd-rees?
Which way to Rivendell?

Man ceril?
Mahn kare-eel?
What do you do?

Man lû nostor lîn?
Mahn loo nohs-tore leen?
When is your birthday? (lit. "What time is your birthday?")

Le gwennen?
Lay gwehn-nehn?
Are you married?

Man sâd telil?
Mahn sahd tehl-eel?
Where are you from?

Man lû vin achenitham?
Mahn loo veen ah-khehn-ee-thahm?
When will we see each other again?

Man mathach?
Mahn mah-thakh?
How do you feel?

Manen orchal le?
Mah-nehn ore-khahl lay?
How tall are you?

Manen nalyë?
Q, Mah-nehn nahl-yay?
How are you?

 

Commands

Tiro!
TEAR-oh!
Look!

Bado na Ennorath!
BAH-doh nah enn-ore-ahth
Go to Middle-earth!

Gwanno ereb nin!
GWAH-no air-ehb neen!
Leave me alone!

Daro i!
DAR-oh ee!
Stop that!

Sedho!
SEH-tho!
Quiet!

Edro!
ED-ro!
Open!

Lasto!
LAHS-toe!
Listen!

Ava vanta i salquessë
Q, Ah-vah vahn-tah ee sahl-QUEHS-say
Keep off the grass

Anno nin ---
Ahn-no neen ---
Give me ---

No diriel!
No dear-ee-ell!
Be watchful!

No veren!
No vare-ehn!
Be bold!

Drego!
Dreh-go!
Flee!

Ceno!
Keh-no!
See!

Alae!
Ah-lye!
Behold!

Tolo hi!
Toe-loe hee!
Come now!

No dhínen!
No thee-nehn!
Be silent!

Bertho!
Bare-tho!
Dare it!

Avo 'osto!
Ah-voe ohs-toe!
Fear not!

Avo acheno
Ah-voe ah-kheh-no
Don't look back

Hebo estel
Heh-bo ehs-tell
Have hope

 

Insults

Nostach be Orch gaer
NOST-akh bay orkh gire
You smell like ten orcs

Garich i dhôl goll o Orch
Gahr-eekh ee thole goal oh orkh
You have the hollow head of an orc

Lasto lalaith nîn
Lah-stoh lah-LITHE neen
Hear/listen to my laughter

Rhachon le!
Rahkh-on lay!
I curse you!

Dôl lost lîn
Dole lohst leen
Your head is empty

Nai Ungoliant meditha le
Nie un-GOAL-ee-ahnt meh-DEETH-ah lay
May Ungoliant devour you

Labo vi Orodruin
Lah-boe vee Ore-oh-DROO-inn
Go jump in Mount Doom

Ti tállbe Orch
Tee tahl-bay Orkh
Go kiss an orc

Tevenyel
Q, Teh-vehn-yell
I hate you

Hria cuilë
Q, hear-ah kweel-ay
Get a life

Nai Valaraukar tye-mátar
Q, nye Vahl-are-ow-kahr too-ay-mah-tahr
May Balrogs eat you

 

Thank you's

Le hannon
Lay hah-non
Thank you

Rim hennaid
Reem hen-ide
Many thanks

Hantale
Q, Hahn-TAH-lay
Thanks

Gen hannon
Gehn hahn-nohn
I thank you

Le hannon a tholel
Lay hahn-nohn ah thole-ehll
Thank you for coming

 

Other phrases/exclamations

Ai!
Eye!
Ah!

Le melon
Lay mell-on
I love you

Tancave
Q, tahn-KAH-vay
Yes [lit. "certainly"]

Lau
Q, Lou [as in loud]
No

Mae
My
Yes [lit. "well"]

Baw
Bow [rhymes with cow]
No [denying intentions]

Law
Low [as in loud]
No [denying facts]

Aur Onnad Meren!
Our oh-nahd mare-ehn!
Happy Birthday!

Garo arad-o-onnad 'elir!
Gah-roe ah-rahd-oh-on-nahd eh-leer!
Have a happy birthday!

--- eneth nîn
--- eh-nehth neen
My name is [your name here]

Im ---
Eem ---
I'm [your name here]

Estannen ---
Ehs-tahn-nehn ---
I'm called [your name here]

Nin estar ---
Neen ehs-tahr ---
They call me [your name here]

Findesselya vanya
Q, feen-dess-ell-yah vahn-yah
Your hair is pretty

Tiro na i ninniach vanui
Tear-oh nah ee neen-nee-ahkh vah-noo-ee.
Look at the beautiful rainbow

I Anor hílol
Ee Ah-nore hee-lole
The sun is shining

Hû nîn mant han
Hoo neen mahnt hahn
My dog ate it

Aníron gwanna
Ah-NEAR-on gwahn-nah
I wish I could leave

Ae anírach
Eye ah-NEAR-ahkh
If you wish

Rhaich!
Rike!
Curses!

Im ruthui!
Eem roo-thoo-ee!
I am angry!

Gelir na thaed
Geh-leer nah thide
Happy to help

Edro gûr lín
Eh-droe goor leen
Open your heart

Melin ceni hin lîn síla i 'eladhach
Meh-leen keh-nee heen leen see-lah ee eh-lahth-ahkh
I love to see your eyes shine when you laugh

Im gelir an le
Eem geh-leer ahn lay
I am happy for you

Hebin anim
Heh-bean ahn-eem
I keep it for myself

Glassen
Glahs-sehn
My pleasure

Im harnannen!
Eem hahr-nahn-nehn!
I'm wounded!

Gurth 'ni yrch!
Goorth nee oorkh!
Death to the orcs!

Telin o Imladris
Teh-leen oh Eem-lahd-rees
I come from Rivendell

Nostor nî ned ---
Nohs-tore nee nehd ---
My birthday is on ---

Gwedhithon na ---
Gweh-thee-thohn nah ---
I'm engaged to ---

Im gwennen na ---
Eem gweh-nehn nah ---
I'm married to ---

Aiya!
Q, Eye-ah!
Hail!

Im maer
Eem myre.
I'm well.

Aníron gladhad
Ah-NEAR-on glah-thahd
I want to laugh

Im gruitheb na ---
Eem grwee-thehb nah ---
I'm angry at --- (lit. "I feel angry toward ---")

Im lhaew
Eem lye
I'm ill

No ce ammaer ab lû thent
No kay ahm-myre ahb loo thehnt
May you be better soon

Im gosta
Eem gohs-tah
I'm afraid

Hain ú-'rogon
Hyne oo-roe-gohn
I do not fear them

Linnon am meleth vîn
Leen-non ahm meh-lehth veen
I sing because I love you (lit. "I sing for our love")

Sa farn palan
Sah fahrn pah-lahn
This is far enough

Pelin pedi i lam edhellen
Peh-leen peh-dee ee lahm eh-thehl-lehn
I can speak the Elvish language

Isusarad 'elir
Ees-oos-ahr-ahd ehl-eer
Merry Christmas

Idhrin-eden 'elir
Ee-threen-ehd-ehn ehl-eer
Happy New Year

Goheno nin
Go-hay-no neen
Forgive me

Ni quorya
Q, Nee quore-yah
I'm drowning

Heca, firimar
Q, Hay-kah fear-ee-mahr
Stand aside, mortals

Ya línna ambanna tulinuva nan
Q, Yah lihn-nah ahm-bahn-nah too-lee-noo-vah nahn
What goes up must come down

 

Farewells

Namárië
Nah-MAR-ee-ay
Farewell

Navaer
Nah-VIRE
Farewell

Belain na le
Beh-LINE nah lay
The Valar be with you

Calo anor na ven
KAH-loh AH-nore nah vehn
May the sun shine on your road

Garo arad vaer
GAH-roh ARE-ahd vire
Have a good day

Nai haryuvalyë melwa rë
Q, Nye hahr-YOO-vah-lee-ay MELL-wah ray
May you have a lovely day

Noro go hûl, bado go Eru
Nore-oh go hool, BAH-doe go air-OO
Run with the wind, go with God

Ná Elbereth veria le, ná elenath dín síla erin rád o chuil lín.
Nah Ell-bare-ehth vare-ee-ah lay, nah ELL-ehn-ahth deen see-lah air-een rahd oh hweel leen.
May Elbereth protect you, may her stars shine on the path of your life.

I Melain berio le
Ee meh-LINE bare-ee-oh lay
May the Valar keep you

Cuio vae!
Kwee-oh vye!
Fare well!

No galu govad gen
No gah-loo go-vahd gehn
May blessings go with you

No in elenath hîlar nan hâd gîn
No een elehn-nahth hee-lahr nahn hahd geen [hard G]
May all stars shine upon your path

Mára mesta
Q, Mah-rah meh-stah
Goodbye