Sindarin Translator
This Sindarin translator converts English into Sindarin, the Grey Elvish spoken across Middle-earth in the Lord of the Rings. Use it as an english to sindarin translator for names, phrases, and the iconic tolkien elvish vocabulary Tolkien built for his Elven people. Free, no signup.
What Is Sindarin?
Sindarin is the Grey Elvish of Middle-earth, the language Tolkien gave to the Elves of Beleriand and the one you hear spoken in the Lord of the Rings films. This sindarin translator converts English into Sindarin and works the other way too, from Sindarin back into English.
Tolkien built Sindarin's phonology on Welsh, which is why it sounds so unlike anything else in fantasy. It's a full constructed language with its own grammar, sindarin words, mutations, and an evolving vocabulary Tolkien refined across decades of writing.
Use this tool as a sindarin dictionary for names, lotr elvish phrases, and the documented vocabulary from Tolkien's published works. For the broader scope of Tolkien's Elvish languages, the Elvish Translator covers both Sindarin and Quenya together.
How to Use This Sindarin Translator
Suilad. Here is how the Sindarin translator works:
- Type or paste English text into the left box
- Hit Translate to get the Sindarin result
- Copy the output, or swap to change direction
To decode, type Sindarin into the left box and click Swap before translating. The sindarin to english translator direction works just as well, and translate into sindarin or back takes the same steps.
Common Sindarin Words and Phrases
Common Sindarin words and phrases from Tolkien's documented vocabulary:
| English | Sindarin |
|---|---|
| Hello / Greetings | Suilad |
| Well met | Mae govannen |
| Friend | Mellon |
| I love you | Gi melin |
| My love | Meleth nîn |
| Farewell | Navaer |
| Thank you | Le hannon |
| Star | Elen / Gil |
| Fire | Naur |
Hello in Sindarin is suilad as a standard greeting, or mae govannen for a formal "well met." The most searched Sindarin phrase by far is mellon, meaning friend, from the Doors of Durin inscription: speak friend and enter.
When Would You Actually Use This?
Most people arrive here for one of these reasons:
- Elvish tattoo: Sindarin words like mellon (friend), gi melin (I love you), and not all those who wander are lost in elvish are among the most popular LOTR tattoo choices.
- My name in elvish: Translating a name into Sindarin for creative projects, roleplay, or just wanting to know how it sounds as a Grey Elf name.
- Understanding the films: Arwen, Legolas, and Galadriel all speak Sindarin in the films, and fans want to know what the lotr elvish dialogue actually means.
- D&D and worldbuilding: Writers and players borrow Tolkien's Sindarin for fantasy settings, needing accurate elvish vocabulary that goes beyond generic elf names.
A friend of mine got the Sindarin word for friend tattooed after the Doors of Durin scene. She used this translator to confirm the spelling of mellon before she booked the appointment.
For the dark counterpart to Elvish in Tolkien's world, the Black Speech Translator covers the language of Mordor.
What Makes This Sindarin Translator Work
Most tools confuse Sindarin with Quenya, mix in D&D elvish (which diverges from Tolkien), or just invent words that sound plausible but aren't documented. That's a problem when accuracy matters for a tattoo or a name.
This tool uses AI trained on Tolkien's documented Sindarin vocabulary: the sindarin language as recorded in his published works, letters, and linguistic notes compiled by scholars. It handles the Welsh-influenced soft mutations that make Sindarin grammar unique and outputs forms Tolkien actually used.
For more Tolkien language tools, the Elvish Translator covers both Sindarin and Quenya, and the Black Speech Translator covers the dark tongue of Mordor. The Wikipedia article on Sindarin covers Tolkien's full linguistic construction, the Welsh influences, and how the language evolved across his drafts.