Sindarin Writing Systems
The three ways to write Sindarin: Tengwar (Standard Mode and Mode of Beleriand) and Cirth runes — with full letter tables and usage guides.
Sindarin can be written in three different systems. All three appear in Tolkien's work; Tengwar is the most commonly taught today.
Three Writing Systems
| System | Used By | Appearance | Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latin/Roman alphabet | Learners, modern texts | Standard letters | All courses; the default romanization |
| Tengwar | Elves (and others) | Elegant curved script | Literary Sindarin, inscriptions, calligraphy |
| Cirth | Originally Sindarin (Dwarves adopted it) | Angular runes | Carving on stone/wood; Dwarf texts |
Most learners start with the Latin romanization, then learn Tengwar. Cirth is optional but culturally interesting.
Tengwar Overview
Tengwar (Quenya: "letters") was invented by the Elf Fëanor in Valinor. It was later adapted for many languages including Sindarin. The full Sindarin Tengwar alphabet has:
- 36 primary letters (tengwar, singular tengwa) for consonants
- Diacritical marks (tehtar, singular tehta) for vowels
- Additional signs for doubled consonants, punctuation, and special sounds
The letters' shapes encode phonetic information:
- Bow direction (right/left): voicing
- Stem direction (up/down): articulation manner
- Single/double bow: another phonetic distinction
- Bow height: place of articulation
Tengwar Structure: The Grid
Letters are organized in a 4×8 grid:
| Row (tyellë) | Character of articulation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Voiceless stops (p, t, c, etc.) |
| 2 | Voiceless nasal spirants |
| 3 | Voiced stops (b, d, g) |
| 4 | Voiced nasals (m, n, ng) |
| 5 | Long voiceless spirants |
| 6 | Long voiced spirants |
| Series (téma) | Place of articulation |
|---|---|
| 1 (Tincotéma) | Dental/Alveolar (t, d, n) |
| 2 (Parmatéma) | Labial (p, b, m) |
| 3 (Calmatéma) | Palatal/Velar (c, g, ng) |
| 4 (Quessetéma) | Labiovelar (qu, gw) |
Tengwar for Sindarin: Two Modes
Sindarin has two distinct ways of writing with Tengwar — called "modes."
Mode 1: Standard Mode
The most commonly used mode for Sindarin today. Key rule: vowels are written as diacritical marks (tehtar) above the following consonant.
If a vowel stands at the end of a word (before nothing), it's written above a silent carrier (telco).
Sindarin Standard Mode vowel placement (differs from Quenya!)
- In Quenya: tehtar go above the preceding consonant
- In Sindarin Standard Mode: tehtar go above the following consonant
Learn this distinction early — it's the most common source of confusion when translating between Quenya and Sindarin Tengwar modes.
Mode 2: Mode of Beleriand (Full Mode)
Used in the inscription on the Doors of Durin (the most famous Tengwar inscription). Key rule: vowels are written as full letters, not diacritical marks.
| Feature | Standard Mode | Mode of Beleriand |
|---|---|---|
| Vowels | Diacritical marks (tehtar) | Full letters (tengwar) |
| Easier to read? | Harder (vowels small) | Easier (all letters equal size) |
| Used for | General Sindarin text | Literary/artistic Sindarin |
| Famous example | — | Doors of Durin inscription |
In the Mode of Beleriand:
- Short vowels: special short vowel carriers
- Long vowels: same carriers with a bar below or accent above
- Nasalized consonants: bar above the tengwa
Tengwar Vowel Signs (Tehtar)
The six vowel sounds of Sindarin each have a tehta (diacritical mark):
| Vowel | Tehta name | Approximate description |
|---|---|---|
| a | three dots | three small dots above |
| e | acute accent | small acute mark |
| i | dot | single dot above |
| o | right curl | curved stroke |
| u | left curl | curved stroke (opposite) |
| y | y-tehta | special mark (rare) |
Essential Tengwar Letters for Sindarin
| Tengwa | Name | Sindarin Sound | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tinco | t [t] | t | |
| Parma | p [p] | p | |
| Calma | c [k] | c, k | |
| Ando | nd [nd] | d, nd | |
| Umbar | mb [mb] | b | |
| Anga | ng [ŋg] | g, ng | |
| Thûle | th [θ] | th | voiceless TH |
| Formen | f [f] | f, ph | |
| Harma | ch [x] | ch | guttural |
| Hwesta | hw [ʍ] | hw | |
| Anto | nt [nt] | dh | Sindarin = [ð] voiced TH |
| Ampa | mp [mp] | v | Sindarin: ampa used for v |
| Anca | nch | — | |
| Unque | nk | — | |
| Númen | n [n] | n | |
| Malta | m [m] | m | |
| Noldo | ñ [ŋ] | ng (before g) | |
| Nwalme | ñw | — | |
| Óre | n [n] | n (in Mode of Beleriand, óre = n) | |
| Vala | w [w] | w, v | in Mode of Beleriand: vala = m |
| Romen | r [r] | r | |
| Arda | rd [rd] | — | |
| Lambe | l [l] | l | |
| Alda | ld [ld] | — | |
| Silme | s [s] | s | |
| Esse | ss [ss] | — | |
| Hyarmen | h [h] | h | |
| Yanta | y [j] | y (consonantal) | |
| Úre | w [w] | w (vowel context) |
Cirth (Elvish Runes)
Cirth (Sindarin: "runes") is the native script of the Sindarin Elves — predating Tengwar for Sindarin. It was later adopted (and modified) by Dwarves, and the Dwarvish version (Angerthas Moria and Angerthas Erebor) is what appears in The Hobbit and Balin's tomb inscription in The Lord of the Rings.
Key Facts
- Originally designed for carving on stone, wood, and other hard materials — hence the angular shapes
- Tolkien based Cirth on Germanic runes (Elder Futhark) in appearance
- Reads left to right (unlike some depictions of runes)
- Full Cirth alphabet (Angerthas Daeron) has 50+ letters
- Dwarf versions: Angerthas Moria (Moria) and Angerthas Erebor (Lonely Mountain)
Cirth Structure
Like Tengwar, Cirth signs encode phonetic information in their shapes:
- A stroke/stem with a branch on the right: voiceless stop series
- A branch on the left: voiced stop series
- Doubled branch: fricatives
- No branch / special forms: vowels, nasals, liquids
Most Commonly Seen Cirth (Angerthas Daeron)
The Cirth alphabet begins with the dental series and works through the same phonetic grid principle as Tengwar:
- Cert 1: t [t]
- Cert 2: nd / d
- Cert 3: th [θ]
- Cert 4: nt / dh
- Cert 5: n
- ... continuing through labials, velars, vowels, and special signs
Learning Resources for Writing
| Resource | What It Provides |
|---|---|
| Tecendil | Online Tengwar transcriber for Sindarin; all modes; detailed handbook |
| Tecendil Tengwar Handbook | Mode-by-mode detailed guide with letter tables |
| Omniglot Sindarin | Overview of both Tengwar and Cirth for Sindarin |
| RealElvish Academy: Teitho Edhellen! | Fiona Jallings' full course on writing Sindarin in Tengwar |
| Tolkien Gateway: Tengwar | Encyclopedia article with historical detail |
Recommended sequence: Learn the Standard Mode first (used in most texts), then Mode of Beleriand (for the Doors of Durin and calligraphy), then Cirth if interested.