Elder Speech

Hen Llinge, or Elvish, is the language of the Aen Seidhe elves. As it is one of the oldest languages still in use, it is referred to as the Old or Elder Speech while the lingua franca is Common Speech. It is used not only by elves, but also by mages and scholars. Sung versions of Elder Speech are used by dryads, sirens, and nereids. Nilfgaardian, Skellige and Zerrikanian dialects all derive from Elder Speech.

Real world origins

Its vocabulary is based heavily on the Celtic languages of Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, although in some cases Sapkowski has used also connotations with more "popular" languages, like German and English. The two basic verbs, "to be" and "to have", are borrowed from Italian and Latin.

The author invented the language for orcs and elves, but so far only the latter have appeared in the official continuity.

For the purpose of Netflix's The Witcher, renowned linguist David J. Peterson recreated the Elder Speech as a fully developed constructed language. In contrast with Sapkowski's writings, Peterson's latinization of the language reflects the intended pronunciation, leaving the irregularities to the language's native script (which he had also invented). For example, inváerne is latinized as inveirne and Hen Llinge as Hen Linge.

Note: for the purposes of consistency with the Saga and the games, words coined for the TV series listed below follow the transliteration from Elder Runes rather than Peterson's romanization. For the latter, visit Hen Linge page on the linguist's wiki.

Dictionary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ' Names Phrases

A

Elder Speech	English
a'baeth	kiss, to kiss
aark, aark	phonetic presentation of the sound ravens/crows make
abb	mouth (of a river) (from Welsh aber)
addan, adan	dance; dancer; dancing
adhart	forward
aé	first person singular subject personal pronoun I (dryad dialect)
aecáemm	to follow
aedd	shard, piece
aef	to have, has
aefder	later, after
aen	from, to, for, with, of, in, out of, at, by, down, in, into, until, on, like, as
aen'drean	enter?
aenye	fire
aesledde	ride on a sleigh/sled
aespar	to shoot (from Italian: sparare)
aëte	summer (From French: été)
aevon	river (from Welsh: afon, Breton: avon) (glys in Nilfgaardian language)
aep	of (mostly used for marking hereditary ties)
aép	in, to
agwetheill / agwethill	to open
aine	light (possibly enlightened)
an	small, also an indefinite article: a, an
an'givare	informer, spy (From Swedish: angivare, a person who reports someone else's criminal actions)
a'taeghane	today
ar	of (from Welsh: on)
ard	mountain, mountainous, upper, top, or "the highest" (From Irish: High)
arse	arse (UK), ass (US), butt, rump

B

Elder Speech	English
ban	peak, summit, place/village? (context dependent) (From Welsh: ban/fan)
beag	little (From Irish: beag)
beanna	woman (From Irish: bean)
beann'shie	banshee (From Irish: bean sí)
belean'graec	important (Possibly derived from Dutch: belangrijk)
Birke	the fourth savaed in the elven calendar, also Spring Equinox; related to birch tree
blath	flower (from Irish: bláth)
blathan	garland; flowers
blathanna	Genitive: flowers', of flowers (from Irish)
blathe	the fifth savaed in the elven calendar; possibly 'flowering'?
bleidd	wolf (From Welsh: blaidd)
bloed	blood, silly (From Dutch: bloed to mean "blood") (From German: blöd/bloed to mean "stupid")
bloede	bloody, gory, damn (UK: bloody hell)
broggha, breoga	frog (From Welsh: broga)
Brokiloéne	of Brokilon, Brokiloni

C

Elder Speech	English
caed	forest; grove (From Welsh: coed)
cáelm	calm, peaceful, quiet; slowly, quietly; calm, quieten
cáemm	to go, arrive
caen	can (verb)
caer	fortress, castle, keep (kaer in Skellige dialect) (From Welsh: caer)
cáerme	fate, destiny
Cáerme	Destiny
carn	kurgan, barrow, burial mound, cairn
carraigh	rock (From Irish: carraig)
ceádmil	greet (in The Witcher appears as caed'mil; also as caedmill), greetings (possibly from Irish greeting: Céad Míle (failte romhat) meaning "one hundred thousand (welcomes to you)
ceas'raet	empire (of Nilfgaard)
ceann	head, tip; end (as in end point) (Irish: ceann)
cerbin	raven (similar to several languages e.g. Romanian corb)
cinerea	Ilyocoris
col	pass (mountain pass) (From Welsh: dol)
coram	lion
conyn	stalk (as in plant stem) (From Welsh: coesyn)
craag	rock/cliff (From Welsh: careg/craig)
creasa	must, necessity, obligation, inevitability, duty
crevan	fox

D

Elder Speech	English
daetre	behind, back
daerienn	sorceress, sorceresses
darganfod	discover, discovery, discovered (From Welsh: darganfod)
darl'len	read (From Welsh: darllen)
dearg	red (From Irish: dearg) (Ellylon)
dearme	sleep; good night (phrase) (From Italian: dormire)
deien	to serve (from Dutch dienen)
deireádh	end (noun), last, finish (From Irish: deireadh)
deith	flame
deithwen	white flame
dh'oine	human (in The Witcher also in form dh'oinne) (from the Irish for person/people: duine/daoine)
dhu	black (From Welsh: du, Irish: dubh)
dice	to speak, to talk (From Spanish: dice / From Latin: dicere)
dol	dale, dell, vale, valley (Welsh: dôl)
drelch	beast
d'yaebl	devil (in The Witcher both a sword and a wolf bear this name) (From Spanish: diablo)

E

Elder Speech	English
easnadh	sigh (Ellylon) (from Irish osnaigh)
eate	summer (from French été)
eigean	necessary, must, have to (From Irish: is éigean)
eimyr	hedgehog
elaine	fair, beautiful (From Irish: álainn)
elle	of alder(s)
ell'ea	okay, alright, correct (interrogative)
en	indefinite article (a/an)
en'leass	laced, tied (Ellylon)
enid	daisy
ensh'eass	enchanting, enthralling, charming, glamorous (Ellylon)
ess	to be, is (From Italian: essere / Latin: esse)
esse	will be, will (From Italian: essere / Latin: esse)
essea	I am (From Italian: essere / Latin: esse)
esseath	you are (From Italian: essere / Latin: esse)
evall	horse (From French: cheval)
evellienn	everything, all, everybody, everyone
evn'gesaen	ambassador

F

Elder Speech	English
feainn	sun; also the sixth savaed in the elven calendar
feainnewedd	Sun-Child, Child of the Sun
fen	meadow, pasture
foilé	frantic, mad (From Italian/: folle)
folie	frenzy (From French folie)
fraeren	brothers ? (perhaps from Italian: fratelli or french: frères)

G

Elder Speech	English
gaeth	gate, portal ?
gàidh (genitive: gaidth)	garden
gar'ean	note; consider; be careful
geas	curse; geis is a magical obligation/prohibition in Irish mythology. Also; geas, geasa
geehaet	hard
ghar	word
gláeddyv (plural: glaeddyvan)	sword (From Welsh: cleddyf / Latin: gladius?)
glamarye	glamour
glean	bottom, low (From Welsh: glan)
gleanna	valley, possibly genitive: valley's, of valleys
gloir	glory (From French: gloire)
glosse	to look, watch, stare (From German: glotzen)
gvaern	mistress
gvalch'ca	(she-)falcon (From Welsh: gwalch/walch)
gwen, gwyn	white (also -wen) (From Welsh: gwyn)
gwent, gwynt	wind (From Welsh: gwynt)
gwennelen	alabaster (in genitive?)
gwyd	sycamore maple
gwynbleidd	White wolf
gynvael	ice

H

Elder Speech	English
hael	greeting (long life to...); health (From English: hail, hale)
haela	medicine; drug? (From German: heilen)
hanse	unit, armed group of friends, gang (From English: hanse)
hav'caaren	hawker(s); based on Elder Speech word for 'rapacious' (greedy)
hen	old, oldest (From Welsh: hen)
herba	herb
het	it, that (From Dutch: het)
holl	all (From Welsh: holl)

I

Elder Speech	English
ichaer	blood, (from Ancient Greek: ιχώρ; ichor: blood of the Gods, an ether golden fluid, toxic to humans)
imbaelk	sprouting
inis	island (From Irish: inis)
invaerne	(in) winter (From Italian: inverno)

K

Elder Speech	English
kelpie	kelpie

L

Elder Speech	English
laeke, loc	lake (from Irish: loch)
laith	lady (Ellylon)
lara	seagull
ledwedd	painting
lionors	lioness (Skellige jargon)
llamas	maturing
llinge	language, tongue (from Italian: lingua)
loa'then	hate (From English: loathing)
loc'h	lake (Ellylon) (from Irish: loch)
Loc'hlaith	Lady of the Lake (Ellylon)
luned	daughter / young girl

M

Elder Speech	English
marw	dies, die (From Welsh: marw/meirw) (from Irish: maradh)
me	me, my, mine (From Irish; mé, meaning I)
meáth	meet
mid-	middle, in the middle of
milva	kite (bird) (from Latin: Milva)
mire	look, observe (From Spanish: mira)
mistle	waxwing, or mistle thrush, also one of the Rats
minne	love (noun) (Means "Love" in old German)
modron	mother (Skellige jargon)
morc	book, tome
muire	sea (from Italian: mare or Irish: Mara)

N

Elder Speech	English
na	or (From Irish: ná)
naev'de	nine of (From Italian: nove di)
neén	no, not (From German: nein)
nell'ea	am I wrong? (interrogative, negative form of ell'ea)
ninnau	we, us; ourselves (From Welsh: nina/ninau)
nolla	earth (from English: knoll, or Proto-Germanic: *knulla-)
n'og	young
n'te	do not

P

Elder Speech	English
pavienn	ape
pest	pestilence, plague, blight
pherian	Halfling, hobbit (from Sindarin: perian, plural periannath)
pont	bridge (From Welsh: pont)

Q

Elder Speech	English
que	that (From Italian: che, French: qui/que, Latin: qui/quae) or what ("que suecc's?" - what is going on?)
quirk, quirk	phonetic representation of the sound sparrows make

R

Elder Speech	English
raenn	run (From German: renn)
rhena	queen (Latin: regina)
rhenawedd	queen's daughter/son, princess/prince ?
rhon	king
Roethainne	Redanian
ruadhri	riders, horsemen (Ellylon)

S

Elder Speech	English
salah	to pray (From Arabic: صَلَّى (ṣallā))
saov	spirit, soul, ghost?
savaed	One eighth of the year in the elven calendar
scoia'tael	squirrel(s) (From Italian: scoiattolo)
seidh	hill, mound (From Irish: Sidhe)
seidhe	of hills, hill's (From Irish: Sidhe)
shaent	sing (From French: chanter)
sidh	elf (dryad dialect) (From Irish: Sidhe)
sledd	sleigh
sor'ca	little sister (from Polish: siostra / siorka)
spar	shoot (verb) (From Italian: sparare)
spar'le	(order) fire; attack
squaess	excuse (squaess'me - forgive me. From Italian: scusami); to forgive
stráede	road, path (From Welsh: stryd/From Italian: strada)
sh'aente	to sing (From French: chanter)

T

Elder Speech	English
taedh	bard, poet
te	you (From Italian/Latin: te)
tearde	later
tearth	fear
tedd	time, age, season
thaesse	shut up
thu	you (Nilfgaardian language) (From French: tu)
tir	land, ground; country (From Welsh/Cornish/Breton/Irish: tir)
tirth	wild boar
tor	tower (From Italian: torre, From Welsh: twr, From Irish: túr)
torc'h	power (Ellylon)
treise	strength, vigour, power (likely connected to the Irish name Treasa, meaning strength)
tuathe	whisper (Ellylon)
tvedeane	twelve, dozen
twe	two

U

Elder Speech	English
uniade	union, uniting, joining; merger (From Welsh: Uniad)

V

Elder Speech	English
va	go (From French/Italian: va)
va'en	trip, journey
vaer'trouv	to hope, to trust (From German: Vertrauen)
va fáill	goodbye, farewell
vara	wares; goods (Possibly from Swedish: vara)
varh'he	bitch
vatt'ghern	witcher
veloë	fast, quick; quickly (From Italian/French: veloce)
vhóel	death
voe'rle	stop, halt?
vond	door
vort	further, away (from oneself), still (from German fort "away")
vyverne	wyvern

W

Elder Speech	English
wedd	child
weddin	diminutive form of 'wedd', child; kiddo
wen	white (From Welsh: Wen/wyn)
woed, woéd, woedd	wood; forest (From Welsh: Coed/Coedwig, also English: wood)

Y

Elder Speech	English
y	of
yeá	yes, so
yghern	Giant centipede
ymladda	combat, fight (From Welsh: Ymladd)
yn	on, over, upon, one
ys	downward, from below
ysgarthiad	shit, excretion

Z

Elder Speech	English
zael	to rise
zireael	swallow (bird)
zuirseime	Chaos
zvaere	swear (to take an oath)

'

Elder Speech	English
'ere	here (Dryad dialect)

Names

Elder Speech	English
Aedd Gynvael	Shard of Ice
Aen N'og Mab Taedh'morc	"Practices for a Young Bard"
Aen Elle	Alder Folk, People of the Alders
Aen Saevherne	Sage
Aen Seidhe	Hill Folk, People of the Hill
Aen Woedbeanna	Woman of the Woods
Aenyell'hael	Baptism of fire, also the name of a novel
Aevon y Pont ar Gwennelen	River of Alabaster Bridges, Pontar
Ard Gwyd	Sycamore Mountain
Ard Carraigh	High Rock
Aymm Rhoin	Rite of Naming
Belleteyn	blossoming
Birke	Spring equinox; the fourth savaed in the elven calendar; 'birch tree'
Ban Ard	Upper (peak ?)
Ban Gleán	Lower (peak ?)
Brokiloén	Brokilon
Caed Dhu	Black Forest/Grove (From Welsh: Black Woods)
Caed Myrkvid	Myrkvid Forest/Grove
Caer a'Muirehen	Old Sea Keep; Keep of the Elder Sea (Blood of Elves, UK); Witchers' fortress
Ceann Treise	a cascade in Brokilon; possibly Point of Vigour
Conynhaela	a magical cure which enables the rapid regeneration damaged or broken bones
Craag An	once a village, now a necropolis in Brokilon; meaning uncertain, possibly 'small rock/crag'
Dol Adalatte	Valley of the Adalatte river.
Dol Blathanna	Valley of the Flowers.
Duén Canell	The Place of the Oak
Glyswen	White River
Gvaern Ichaer	Bloody Mistress
Gwenllech	river: White Stones
Gwendeith	fortress: White Flame
Gwynbleidd	White Wolf (From Welsh: Blaidd Gwyn)
Hen Ichaer	Elder Blood
Imbaelk	Imbolc, germination; the third savaed in the elven calendar
Lammas	maturing; the seventh savaed in the elven calendar
Mear'ya	Maria, Mary (for some reason brings not so nice connotations)
Midaëte	Midsummer
Midinvaerne	Midwinter
Mirthe	Mirt
Muire d'yaeblen	Drowner
Saovine	'Soul day'?; the first savaed in the elven calendar
Seidhe Llygad	Eye of the Mountain
Shaerrawedd	Shaerra's Child
Tor Lara	Tower of the Seagulls, Gulls' Tower
Tor Zireael	Tower of the Swallow, Swallow's Tower
Velen	autumn equinox; the eighth savaed in the elven calendar
Xin'trea	Cintra in Elder Speech.

Phrases

Elder Speech	English
Aen me Glaeddyv, zvaere a Bloedgeas, Ard Rhena, Lionors Aep Xintra!	By my Sword, I swear Blood Oath, the Highest Queen, Lioness of Cintra! (Skellige jargon)
Ayd f'haeil moen Hirjeth taenverde.	Conquer with courage rather than strength.
A d'yaebl aép arse	A devil up your arse
Bloede pest	Bloody plague (imprecation)
Caelm, evellienn!	Calm, everyone!
Caemm 'ere!	Come here! (Dryad dialect)
Caen me a'baethe?	Give me a kiss?
Ceádmil, Wedd Brokiloéne!	Greetings, Child of Brokilon!
Dubhenn haern am glândeal, morc'h am fhean aiesin	My glare will pierce through darkness, my brightness will scatter the shadow
Duettaeánn aef cirrán Cáerme Gláeddyv. Yn á esseáth	The Sword of Destiny has two edges. You are one of them
Elaine tedd a'taeghane	Lovely weather we're having. Literally: a nice time today
Elaine tedd a'taeghane, a va'en aesledde	The weather today is beautiful, so let's get the sleigh
En'ca minne	Little love (a term of endearment/pet name, akin to 'darling')
Ess've vort shaente aen...	Sing me a song about...
Feainne Ichaer	Sun's blood
Gar'ean! N'te va!	Watch out! Don't go in there!
Glaeddyv vort, beanna	Drop the sword, woman
Glaeddyvan vort!	Drop the swords!
Geas Muire	Curse of the Sea
Herba zireael	Swallow's herb
Ire lokke, ire tedd	Another place, another time
Ledwedd varlledu cyall, no ghar	Paintings should convey emotions, not words (Ellylon)
Lambert caen me a'baeth aep arse	Lambert can kiss me in the ass
Luned aep Hen Ichaer	Daughter of the Elder Blood
N'aen aespar a me	Don't shoot me
N'aracche aen woed endicen.	Let sleeping arachasae lie.
Nell'ea. T'en pavienn, Aen Seidhe.	No way. You're an ape, elf.
Ni'l ceim siaar	Don't let them escape (Ellylon)
N'te dice'en	Don't say anything
N'te va	Do not go / stop / halt
M'aespar que va'en, ell'ea?	Are you going to shoot me or what?
Mir' me vara	Show me your goods
Maethe taerde	Good luck(?)
Que'ss aen me dicette, Enid? Vorsaeke'llan? Aen vaine?	What [would you say / are you saying??] to me, Daisy? Forsake them? In vain?
Que glosse?	What are you looking at?
Que l'en pavienn, ell'ea?	You're just an ape, yeah?
Que suecc's?	What's going on?
Squass'me	Excuse me; forgive me
Thaess aep	Shut up
va fáill	goodbye
Va vort a me, Dh'oine. N'aen te a dice'n.	Get away from me, human. I won't say anything to you.
Va'en aesledde, ell'ea?	We'll go for a sleigh ride, alright?
Va'esse deireádh aep eigean, va'esse eigh faidh'ar	Something ends, something begins
zaeleill aep	rise up

Writings

Elder Speech	English
Aen verelith cyrre naid. Ader eich blaen eide'me.	I give you my heart. But I shall take your head.
Darl'len, Aen Seidhe! Neen evelienn Scoia'tael marw. Cáemm aep woedd, holl Aen Seidhe. Darganfod an uniade ninnau. Ymladda dh'oine. Ess'tedd, esse creasa.	Read, Aen Seidhe! Not every Scoia'tael is dead. Come to the woods, all Aen Seidhe. Discover and join us. Fight the humans. It is time, it will be the place.
Elaine blath, Feainnewedd Dearme aen a'caelme tedd Eigean evelienn deireadh Que'n esse, va en esseath Feainnewedd, elaine blath	Beautiful flower, Sun Child Dream of/in a calm time Everyone must end Thus it will be, gone you are Sun Child, beautiful flower
Va fail, elaine - caed'mil, folie! Glaeddyv dorne aep t'enaid, bunn'droh ithne i'yachus	Good bye beauty, hello madness. Sword thorn of soul, [unknown, ithne may relate to Irish "ith" or eat, i'yachus may relate to Irish "iach" or "eo"]
Thomas Moreau, Professor Ellas k'havani allder aen Dol Naev'de, ellas allder n'corrason. Glorsann a'Aelirenn.	Thomas Moreau, Professor Salvation lies not in Dol Naev'de [Valley of the Nine] but in our hearts. Glory be to Aelirenn.

Sources

• Polish Witcher Wikia
• Elder Speech Glossary (Elder Speech to Polish)