Attested Sindarin Words

Core list of ~200 most useful attested Sindarin (S.) words — the essential vocabulary every learner needs, drawn from Tolkien's own texts.

These are words directly attested in Tolkien's Sindarin writings from the LotR period (1951–1973), marked S. All appear in The Lord of the Rings, its appendices, or in linguistic journals (Vinyar Tengwar, Parma Eldalamberon) published with Tolkien's authority.

N. words are from the Noldorin period (1930–1950) and are usable for Neo-Sindarin. They are marked clearly.


Nouns: Natural World

Sindarin Plural Period English Notes
amon emyn S. hill, mountain Amon Hen, Emyn Muil
anor enyr S. sun Minas Anor
aear aer S. sea, ocean A Elbereth poem
aearon S. great ocean augmented form of aear
aran erain S. king Annúminas
baur byry S./N. need
brethil S. silver birch Forest of Brethil
celos S. stream (falling) Celebros
cerin S. circular mound Cerin Amroth
craban crebain S. raven (crow species) Crebain from Dunland
dae S. shadow
dagor degyr S. battle Dagorlad
dol dŷl S. head, hill Dol Guldur
dûn duin S. west Dúnedain = Men of the West
esgal S. screen, veil
eithel eithil S. well, spring Eithel Ivrin
eryn eryn S. wood, forest Eryn Lasgalen
estel S. hope, trust Aragorn's childhood name
galadh gelaidh S. tree Galadhrim
garth S. fenced garden
gil gîl S. star Gil-galad
gond gynd S. stone, rock Gondor = Land of Stone
gorn S. stone (adj. form) in Aragorn
hîr hîr S. lord, master
hiril S. lady
ithil S. moon Minas Ithil, Ithilien
lass lais S. leaf Legolas = Green leaf
lhûn S. blue (river name) River Lune
menel S. heaven, firmament A Elbereth poem
mîr míril S. jewel, treasure Míriel
mithren N. grey Mithrandir = Grey Pilgrim
mîr S. jewel
morthond S. black root River Morthond
nan S. valley (with river) Nan Elmoth
nath S. web
nen nin S. water Nen Hithoel
nîn S. wet, watery
onod enyd S. Ent
orch yrch S. orc Yrch! (Orcs!)
os(t) yst S. fortress, city Ost-in-Edhil
perian periain S. halfling Periannath
ram raim S. wall Rammas Echor
rath raiss S. course, riverbed Rath Dínen
rîn S. crowned in names
sarn sairn S. stone (small) Sarn Ford
sîr sîr S. river Sirion
taur toer S. great forest Taur-e-Ndaedelos
thond S. root Morthond
tîr S. watch, guard Tirith
torog teryg S. troll
yrch S. orcs (pl.)

Nouns: People and Races

Sindarin Plural Period English
adan edain S. Man (as race member)
benn binn S. man (male person, husband)
bess biss S. woman (wife)
caun coen S. chief, lord
drûg druin S. Wild Man (Wose)
edhel edhil S. Elf
elleth S. Elf-woman
gwanur S. kinsman, sibling
hadhod hedhyd S. Dwarf
nogoth nogyth S. Dwarf
norn noern S. Dwarf (northern dialect)
onod enyd S. Ent
orch yrch S. Orc
perian periain S. Halfling

Nouns: Places and Structures

Sindarin English Notes
annon great gate, door Annon-in-Gelydh (Gate of the Noldor)
barad tower, fortress Barad-dûr
bar dwelling, home
caras moated city Caras Galadhon
cirith pass, cleft Cirith Ungol (Pass of the Spider)
dagorlad battle-plain = dagor + lad
dath pit, hole
gobel village Rhosgobel
gûl sorcery, wraith Dol Guldur
lad plain, flat Dagorlad
minas tower (with view) Minas Tirith, Minas Anor
rath course, street Rath Dínen
uilos ever-white (mountain flower) in Fanuilos

Core Adjectives

Sindarin Plural Period English
angren engrin S. of iron
bain bein S. beautiful, fair
beleg belig S. great, mighty
calen celin S. green
dínen S. silent
dûr duir S. dark, gloomy
echor S. encircling
glân S. white, clean, pure
glawar S. gold (like sunlight)
laeg laig S. green (vivid, fresh)
luin S. blue
maen mîn N. shapely, skilled
mithren N. grey
morn myrn S. dark, black
naur S. of fire, fiery
nîn S. watery
palan S. far and wide
randir S. wandering (pilgrim)
sîdh S. peace
thôn S. pine (as adj.)
tirhir S. watching

Core Verbs (Attested or Well-Reconstructed)

Verb Period English Notes
adertha- S. reunite aderthannen = reunited
ann- S. give annon = I give
aphad- S. follow A-stem
cab- S. leap
car- S. do, make agor = he/she made (past)
cen- S. see
dew- N. fail
edra- S. open edro! = open! (imperative)
eitha- S. prick, insult
gal- S. shine
garo S. have (imperative sense) avo garo! = don't do it!
glas be glad
glinna- S. glance
linna- S. sing, chant linnon = I sing
men- S. go
minno S. enter minno! = enter!
nor- S. run
northa- S. ride fast A-stem
ped- S. speak, say pedo! = speak!
tiria- S. watch, gaze A-stem
tol- S. come tôl = comes (3rd sg.)

Common Prepositions and Particles

Sindarin Period English
a / ar S. and
ab S. after
am S. up, upon
an S. to, for (dative)
dan S. against, back
di S. under
egor S. or
en S. of the (genitive)
nef S. on this side of
nîn S. my (possessive independent)
nu S. under
o / od S. from
pan S. when, since
trî S. through
ú- S. without, not (prefix)

Numbers

Numeral Sindarin Period
1 min S./N.
2 tâd S./N.
3 neled S./N.
4 canad S./N.
5 leben S./N.
6 eneg S./N.
7 odog S./N.
8 tolodh S./N.
9 neder S./N.
10 pae S./N.
12 minib S./N.
100 dad N.

Sindarin/Noldorin number attestation is limited; numbers are partly reconstructed from hints in Tolkien's manuscripts.