...and it is ten o clock in the morning,
   if you like to know.
You are in the House of Elrond...
It is at Rivendell, the Elven House of Lord Elrond that is called Imladris in the Elven tongue, that Frodo and his fellow Hobbits find rest and help after their journey from the Shire. Frodo is saved by the Elf Lady Arwen from the Nazgul and she takes him  to her father, Elrond, who is able to cure him of his wounds. It is also at this beautiful Elven House at the edge of the Misty Mountains that the Fellowship of the Rings is formed and that Frodo takes up the heavy task of Ringbearer. But there is even more going on in Rivendell that requires Elven speech. Aragorn, son of Arathorn, confronts his beloved Arwen about the one thing that could stand between their love: her immortality. Elrond speaks with Aragorn about his royal destiny - and about his love for his daughter. And also at the great Council meeting, the Elven tongue will not be unheard.

At this page you will find several scenes from the Rivendell sequence in the film in which Elven tongue is spoken. Scroll down to explore the magic of the language!
A Spell at the Bruinen Ford
When Frodo is wounded by a Nazgul blade, Arwen knows that the power of her people will protect him once she can cross the river Bruinen into the lands of Rivendell.  When, thanks to the speed of her Elven steed Asfaloth, she reaches the ford that forms the border of her fathers realm, she speaks a powerful Sindarin spell that makes a thorough end to the Nazgul chase.
ARWEN:    N�n o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer.
                Rimmo n�n Bruinen dan in Ulaer!
Translation: Waters of the Misty Mountains, listen to this great spell.
                               Flow Bruinen [waters of Loudwater] against the Ringwraiths!
Listen to the audio clip.
Read the Tengwar transcript.
N�n:                   
Chithaeglir:


lasto:                 

beth: 
                

daer:                  		for me - personal pronoun, first person, here used as a dative.

Waters of the Misty Mountains - nominative form of a name, here used as a vocative, since Arwen speaks to the waters directly.

listen - verb in its imperative form, connected with the subject Cithaeglir.


spell - noun that can have various translations (much like the Greek noun logos): word, story, spell,  reason, argument, voice. Here it is the object of lasto, set in an accusative form.

great - adiective that can, too, mean a great many things: severe, great large, impressive. In this sentence it is connected with beth and therefore it is set in the accusative form of the object.  
Rimmo:

n�n:      

Bruinen: 


dan:        



in:            



Ulaer:       		flow - verb in it imperative form, connected with the subject Bruinen.

for me - used in the same way as the word n�n explained above. 

Bruinen - nominative form of the name of the river, litteraly to be translated as waters of
Loudwater. Here used as a vocative. 

against - an adverb that can have many meanings: but, against, in contrary of. Here it is used inconnection with rimmo and seems to function in this sentence more like a preposition, than as an adverb.
  
towards / in - preposition that, in combination with dan, cannot be properly translated into English in this sentence. It is connected with rimmo and portrays the direction towards the Ringwraiths.   

Ringwraiths - name that is an object in this sentence, set in the accusative form (an accusative that shows direction, connected with in).
The Voice of Elrond
Saved from the Ringwraiths by Arwen, is Frodo nonetheless in great need of aid - a few more hours and he surely would have died. Therefore Arwen calls upon her father to use his healing skills to make Frodo return to the light.
To do so, Elrond makes use of the ancient, magical Elven skill of mind speech that can reach the most inner parts of body and soul and thus can save people even when they are at the very brink of death.  (Elrond speaks in Sindarin). 
ELROND:    Lasto beth n�n, tolo dan na galad.
Translation: Listen to my voice, come back to the light.
Listen to the audio clip.
Lasto:                 

beth: 
                

n�n:               

tolo:


dan:





na:


galad:  		listen - verb in its imperative form, spoken to the subject Frodo, whose name is not
mentioned.

voice - noun that can have various translations (much like the Greek noun logos): word, story, spell,  reason, argument, voice. Here it is the object of lasto, set in an accusative form.

my - possessive personal pronoun, first person, here used as an adiective to the noun beth.

come / return - verb in its imperative form, spoken to the subject Frodo, whose name is not
mentioned.

back - an adverb that can have many meanings: but, against, in contrary of. Here it is used to express the difference between the dark in which Frodo lingers and the light to which he has to return. It is hard to translate this expression properly in English when tolo is translated as return, but when one chooses for the translation of come, dan can quite well be expressed as back.

to - preposition that has the same meaning as in (to, towards, in) and is connected in this sentence with the verb tolo and the noun galad.

light - noun that can be found in many Elvish names and words, since light is so important in their illuminated culture. Here galad is set in the accusative form and connected with na, which expresses a sense of direction, also incorporated in the imperative tolo.   
The fears and doubts of a King
Before the Council of Elrond, when Aragorn is facing the symbol of his unwished heritage as the heir of Isildur, the shards of the sword Narsil, his beloved Arwen comes up to him, sensing his unease. It is she who still believes in hope, it is she who believes in Aragorns strength, even when he himself in is doubt. She speaks to him words of wisdom and comfort in Sindarin, a tongue they both master and that emphasizes the strong bond between them - the bond of love that, if nothing else, will give Aragorn strength.
ARWEN:    A si i-Dh�ath �-orthor, Aragorn. � or le a � or nin.
Translation: Until now the Shadow does not master, Aragorn. Not over you and                     
                               not over me.
Listen to the audio clip. Read the Tengwar transcript.
A:

si:

i-Dh�ath:


�-orthor:



�:


or:

le:


a:

nin:            
until - adverb that also appears in Sindarin as an, here used in combination with si.

now - adverb that expresses a present time, here used in combination with a.

the Shadow - noun in its nominative form. I is here the article, which is in Sindarin sometimes directly connected with the noun to which it refers, as is the case here with Dh�ath.

does not master - orthor is a verb in the active present tense, third person singular and � is here a negative prefix, directly connected with the verb, but with the same meaning as the adverb �, explained next.

not - adverb that expresses negativity and denial, either used as a prefix with a verb or individual in a sentence.

over - prepostion, here connected with both le and nin.  

you - pronoun of the second person singular, here in combination with the prepostion or, set in the accusative form.

and - conjunction

me - pronoun of the first person singular, here in combination with the preposition or, set in the accusative form.
The Immortal Love of the Evenstar
In Rivendell Aragorn and Arwen share a rare tender moment in a time of fear, doubt and destiny, as they recall their first meeting, speaking in Sindarin. Aragorn was then a young man who did not yet face the difficult choices he faces now and Arwen then had never realised she would share the fate of the Lady L�thien, from whom she descends. But even while Aragorn is still uncertain about his destiny, Arwen has made her choice. She gives Aragorn her mithril Evenstar pendant as symbol of her mortality, which she gladly gives up  for the immortal and unchangeable love she shares with Aragorn in a time when all else is about to change.
ARWEN:        Renich i l� i erui govannem?
ARAGORN:     Nauthannen i ned �l reniannen.
ARWEN:       Gwennin in enninath...�-'arnech in naeth i
                    si celich. Renich i beth i pennen?
Translation:

ARWEN:          Do you remember the time when we first met?
ARAGORN:     I thought I had strayed into a dream.
ARWEN:          Long years have passed... You did not have the cares
                              you carry now. Do you remember what [the word] I told you?
Listen to the audio clip. Read the Tengwar transcript.
Renich:



i:

l�:

i:


erui:

govannem:



Nauthannen:


i:            
you remember - verb in its present active form, second person singular (from the infinitve root ren: to recall, to remember). The subject is Aragorn, who is not mentioned in this sentence.

the - article, connected here with l�.

time - noun in its singular form,  here used as an accusative, as the object of renich.

when / in which - i is here a relative pronoun, referring to l�, switching over to a dative function in the following contruction of the sentence.

first - adverb, connected here with govannem.

we met - verb in its past active form, first person plural (from the infinitive root gova: to meet). The subject we refers to Arwen and Aragorn, whose names are not mentioned in this sentence.

I thought - verb in its past active form, first person singular (from the infinitive root nautha: to think). The subject is Aragorn, who is speaking.

I -  here I is a personal pronoun in its first person singular, connected with the verb nathannen and referring to the speaker Aragorn.
ned:

�l:


reniannen:


Gwennin:


in:



enninath:


�-'arnech:




in:          


naeth:   		in - preposition, connected with the verb reniannen.

dream - noun in its singular form connected with the preposition ned, probably in its accusative form.

I strayed - verb in its past active form, first person singular (from the infinitive root renia: to stray). The subject is again the speaker, Aragorn.

they passed - verb in its past active form, third person plural (from the infinitive root gwanna: to pass, to depart). The subject is enninath.

the - article, connected here with enninath (the article i is written as in when the first letter of the next word makes the pronunciation of i less flowing. Therefore i enniath becomes in enniath).

long years - noun in its nominative plural form. (from the singular noun annin, which means long year). Is connected to the verb gwennin as its subject.

you carried not - verb in its past active form, second person singular (from the infinitve root gar: to hold, to carry). The subject is Aragorn, the object is in naeth. Note that the letter 'g' has fallen away in the Elvish of the film script. In fact, according to grammar,  'arnech ought to be garnech. � once more serves here as a negative prefix. 

the - article, connected here with naeth. Look above for the explanation of the difference in writing of i and in.

cares - noun in its plural form, probably in its accusative form, as it forms the object of the verb �-'anech.
i:


si:

celich:


renich:

i:

beth:




i:




pennen:            
which - i is here a relative pronoun, referring to in naeth and matching it in person, number and accusative function.

now - adverb of time, connected with the verb celich.

you carry - verb in its present active form, second person singular (from the infinitive root col: to carry). The subject is Aragorn and the object is i, as it refers to in naeth.

see above (the exact same form).

the - article, connected here with beth.

word - noun in its singular form, here used as an accusative. Beth can have many meanings (in that way it is very similar to the Greek wordt logos, as one mentioned before): word, tale, spell, reason, argument. In this sentence it probably is translated best as "what [I told you]" or as "the things [I told you]".

I or that - here i is either a personal pronoun in its first person singular, connected with the verb pennen and referring to the speaker Arwen, or it is a relative pronoun referring to i beth and thus forming the object of the verb pennen. Both variations are grammatical correct and possible in view of the translation.

I told - verb in its past active form, first person singular (from the infinitive root ped: to tell, to speak). The subject is Arwen, the object is i beth.
The diplomacy of Aragorn
At the Council of  Elrond, the thusfar secret heritage of Aragorn, son of Aragorn becomes known. Confronted by Boromir of Gondor about his status as mere Ranger, Legolas leaps to Aragorns defence and explains about his being no one less than the heir of Isildur himself, and therefore the heir to the throne of Gondor. Aragorn, however, senses that the truth about his heritage may not be received by every member of the Council with this same enthusiam as Legolas shows, so he diplomaticly tells his Elven friend in Sindarin to let the subject rest before things get out of hand.      
ARAGORN:    Havo dad, Legolas.
Translation: Sit down, Legolas.
Listen to the audio clip.
Havo:                 

dad:
                

Legolas:      		sit - verb in its imperative form, spoken to the subject Legolas.


down - adverb that expresses a downward direction, connected with either nouns or verbs. In this sentence it is connected with the verb havo. 

Greenleaf - the name that Thranduil, the Elven king of Mirkwood, gave to his son, showing the reverence and connection the Elves feel for and with the trees among which they live.
The foresight of Gilraen
After the Council Meeting in Imladris, Aragorn is not only faced with the prospect of his perillous journey with the Fellowship of the Ring, but also with the prospect of his destiny as the heir of Gondor. Troubled by his thoughts, he visits the grave of his mother, Gilraen, who, after the death of her husband Arathorn, came to Rivendell with her infant son and lived under the protection of Master Elrond. Like Gilraen knew, Elrond knows that Aragorn has no choice but to except his fate. When he finds the Ranger deep in thought at his mothers grave, he recalls Gilraens foresight, speaking in Sindarin.
ELROND:    Anirne hene beriad i ch�n l�n.
                  Ned Imladris nauthant e le beriathar aen.
Translation: She wanted to protect her child.
                              She thought in Rivendell you would be safe.
Listen to the audio clip.
Anirne:                 


hene:
                

beriad:     


i:

ch�n:

l�n:


Ned:

Imladris:


nauthant:


e:


le:


beriathar aen:		 she wanted - verb in its past active form, third person singular. Connected with the infinitive beriad. Subject is Gilraen,  whose name is not mentioned in this sentence.


she - personal pronoun in its nominative form singular, referring to Gilraen and forming the subject of the verb anirne.

to protect - verb in its active infinitive form. Connected with the verb anirne. The subject is again Gilraen, the object is i ch�n �n.

the - article, here connected with the noun ch�n.

child - noun in its singular accusative form, being the object of beriad.

her - possesive pronoun in its third person singular, accusative form, connected as an adienctive with ch�n and referring to the subject of anirne and beriad, that is Gilraen.

in - preposition, here connected with Imladris.

Deep Dale of the Cleft - Elven name of Elronds dwelling in a valley of the Misty Mountains, also known as Rivendell.

she thought - verb in its past active form, third person singular. The subject is still Gilraen and the object is the whole phrase of e le beriathar aen.

she - personal pronoun in its nominative form singular, referring to Gilraen and forming the subject of the verb nauthant.

you - pronoun in its second person singular nominative form, being the subject of beriathar aen. It refers to Aragorn,

you would be safe - both beriathar (to be safe) and aen (to be) are verbs, the former in its past passive form, the latter in its present active form.  The subject of both is le. The combination of beriathar aen expresses a past participle form, which Sindarin expresses with two indicative verbs instead. 
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