Some useful Elvish word and phrases

compiled by Ninni M Pettersson

Mellonath Daeron has for some time laboured in compiling a list of handy Elvish words and phrases for the use of the Forodrim (The Stockholm Tolkien Society). Below are some of the more useful or funny ones we have discovered or constructed to date.

For brief subject-oriented vocabularies in Quenya and Sindarin, see also Ardalambion's Taste of Elvish.

S = Sindarin, Q = Quenya, f = feminine, m = masculine

Phrases of greeting
Hello S Suilad Lit. 'greeting', can be used in most situations.
Hello S Mae govannen Lit. 'well met', used when meeting someone, but not in written messages.
Friend/Friends S Mellon/Mellyn A fitting start to a written message to one / more than one person.
A star shines on the hour of our meeting Q Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo
Live well! S Cuio mae! (First recorded usage by D. Daniel Andriës.)
Goodbye Q Namárie
Be seeing you Q Tenn' enomentielva Lit. 'until we meet again'
Many greetings S Meneg suilaid Lit. 'thousand greetings', useful for ending written messages.

Useful exclamations
Yes! Q Tancave!
Q Ná!
Lit. 'certainly'.
Lit. '[It] is [so]!'
No! Q Lau!
Thanks! Q Hantale! Lit. 'thankgsgiving'.
Listen! S Lasto!
Don't! S Baw!
Stop! S Daro!
Open! S Edro!
Horray! Q Alayambo!
Horray! I have found it! Q Yé! Utúvienyes!
Praise! S Eglerio! Q A laita!
Cheers! Q Almien! Lit. 'to good fortune'.
Into the fog! Q Hísenna! This is a Swedish phrase used as an alternative to 'cheers!'

Useful exhortations
Best wishes! Q Merin sa haryalye alasse! Lit. 'I wish that you shall possess joy!'
Fare well! S Cuio nin mellon! Lit. 'live [and be] to me a friend'.
Fare well! S Cuio nin mellyn! Lit. 'live [and be] to me friends'.
Merry Christmas! Q Ná merye i turuhalmeri! Lit. 'may the christmas days be joyful'.
Happy Tolkien's birthday! Q Alasse merendenna i Carmo! Lit. 'Merriment at the feast of the Subcreator'.
Q Alasse i Lirillon merendenna! Lit. 'Merriment at the feast of early January'.
Happy New Year! Q Ná alya i vinya loa! Lit. 'may the new year be blessed'.
Have a good summer vacation! Q Nai áre laireva calyuva i falassi! Lit. 'may summerlike sunshine illuminate the beaches'.

Conversation
I don't speak Quenya. Q Quetin ú quenyo.
Your hair shines like gold. Q Findelya cala ve laure.
Come outside with me and look at the constellations. Q A hótule asinye i meneltannar tirien.
Your place or mine? Q Mano mardenna?
Take off your clothes and lie down on the bed! Q A helta ar caita caimanna!
I will love you for better for worse till death us do part. Q Le meluvan úne ar alye lúmessen tenna nurucilie.

Useful in the Forodrim
Rise for the entrance of the Grand Council! S Minnar in Ernilath rîn, erio Forodrim! Lit. 'the crowned princes enter, may Forodrim rise'.
The Grand Council S (in) Ernilath rîn (Forodrim) Q (i) Carmacundor (Formenyaliéva) Lit. 'the crowned princes of Forodrim'.
decree Q canwa
Middle-earth name Q cilmesse Lit. 'name of personal choice'.
astronomer S meneldir Q elentirmo
chirurgeon S nethron Q nestar
dame S híril / heryn Q roquen
doyen S einior Q anyáro Lit. 'eldest (one)'
earl S conen Q (f) cáni (m) cáno
editor S siniathron Q vinyardur
guild S mellonath Q otornasse / otornas
guildmaster S herdir Q (f) turce (m) turco
herald Q tercáno
historian S gobethron Q lúmequentaro
household S herth
keeper of the hall Q mardur / sambetur
keeper of the treasure Q harmavaryon / harmavaryar
king of arms S teithir Q turmangolmo / sandangolmo
knight S rohir Q roquen
librarian S parvastur Q parmandur
magician S ithron Q istar
maid of honour S camwen Q hérince
master of the feast S merethir
prince, princess S ernil Q (f) aranel (m) cundu
scribe S tegilbor Q tecilquar
secretary S tegor / teithron Q tecar
squire S magor Q ohtar
treasurer S maldir Q harwendur
webmaster S nathron Q natsendur