Sindarin

Verbs

Any finds described here are only deductions from the sindarin spoken in the first two Lord of the Rings films. Some of the verbs in the list are adapted directly from the roots found in the Silmarillion. I do not know if they are correct but so long as they sound elvish I don’t mind very much.

The example I take is the verb ‘to speak, to say’, an extremely common word among the Elves. I am afraid that elvish tenses are distinguishable only by the vowel which precedes the ending, much as in Latin. The good news, however, is that the endings are always the same, as far as I can see.

-The infinitive is formed by –ad. The infinitive is often a noun as well, much as in english.

-The active present participle (eg eating) is formed in –(i)el

-The active past participle (eg having eaten) is formed in –niel

-The passive past participle (eg having been eaten) is formed in –en

-the negative is ú- in all tenses

Regular present (ex. I have)

I : root + on pedon, I say

You: root + och pedoch, you say

He, she, it: root + or pedor, he says

We: root + onnen pedonen, we say

They: root + oren pedoren, they say.

The distinguishing letter is o.

Regular present perfect (ex, I have had)

I: root + in pedin, I have spoken

You: root + ich pedich, you have spoken

He: root + ir pedir, he has spoken

We: root + innen pedinen, we have spoken

They: root + iren pediren, they have spoken

Distinguishing letter: I

Regular future simple (ex. I will have)

I: root + athon pedathon, I will speak

You: root + athoch pedathoch, you will speak

He: root + athor pedathor, he will speak

We: root + athonnen pedathonen, we will speak

They: root + athoren pedathoren, they will speak

Distinguishing letters: ath + present simple endings.

Regular past simple (ex. I had)

I: root + en peden, I said

You: root + ech pedech, you said

He: root + er peder, he said

We: root + ennen pedennen, we said

They: root + eren pederen, they said

Distinguishing letter: e

Regular present conditional (ex. I might have)

I: root + an pedan, I might say

You: root + ach pedach, you might say

He: root + ar pedar, he might say

We: root + annen pedannen, we might say

They: root + aren pedaren, they might say

Distinguishing letter: a

Regular present imperative (ex. Have!)

You, we: root + o pedo, say

Ex. Pedo mellon a minno (the inscription on the West-gate of Moria). Speak (or say!) friend and enter.

Present of 'to be'

I am: non

You are: noch

He is: nor

We are: nonnen

They: noren

It looks like the verb to be is often left out of common speech because it is used so frequently.

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