In J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional language Quenya, what does “Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo” mean?

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s Quenya, “Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo” means “A star shines on the hour of our meeting.”

Frodo Baggins speaks this greeting to Gildor Inglorion and the Elves in The Fellowship of the Ring. It is one of the best-known examples of Tolkien’s invented languages appearing directly in the narrative. Quenya was inspired partly by Finnish and was designed as an ancient, formal Elvish language.

The phrase is often shortened in discussion to “A star shines on the hour of our meeting,” although translations may vary slightly in punctuation or wording. “Elen” means star, while “omentielvo” refers to the meeting of the speakers. Tolkien created extensive grammar and vocabulary for Quenya rather than treating it as decorative gibberish.

Quenya differs from Sindarin, another major Elvish language in Tolkien’s legendarium. Sindarin is more commonly heard in many Middle-earth place names, while Quenya often carries a ceremonial or historical tone.