A fictional Elvish language created by J.R.R. Tolkien — the everyday language of the Grey-elves of Middle-earth, modelled on Welsh phonology.
Where it’s spoken
Within Tolkien’s legendarium Sindarin was the common tongue of the elves who never crossed to Aman — spoken across Beleriand and later across most of elven Middle-earth. Real-world speakers are limited to dedicated Tolkien enthusiasts who study the language from his linguistic notes and the appendices of The Lord of the Rings.
What it sounds like
Tolkien explicitly modelled Sindarin’s phonology on Welsh — initial consonant mutations (lenition, soft mutation), syllabic l and r, and a tendency to drop final vowels. The result feels softer and more flowing than its sister language Quenya.
How it’s written
The Tengwar script with a “Mode of Beleriand” specifically adapted for Sindarin. The Latin alphabet is the practical default for most modern study, with conventions for the language’s diacritics.
Find more languages by letter
Sindarin starts with S and ends with N. Browse other languages along the same letter.
Languages that contain a letter from "Sindarin":