Quenya is the fictional language J.R.R. Tolkien developed with strong inspiration from Finnish.
Tolkien was a professional philologist, and he constructed languages as central parts of his mythology rather than inventing isolated words for decoration. Quenya is associated primarily with the Ñoldor and other High Elves. Its sound and grammar reflect Tolkien’s admiration for Finnish, while its vocabulary and history belong to his own imagined world.
In Middle-earth, Quenya functions as an ancient and prestigious language. It is related to Sindarin, another major Elvish language, but the two are not interchangeable. Sindarin became more widely spoken among Elves in much of Middle-earth during the Third Age, whereas Quenya retained a more formal or ceremonial role.
Tolkien continued revising the language throughout his life, so published forms can vary across texts. Quenya should also not be confused with “Elvish” as a single language: Tolkien created several Elvish languages and dialects with distinct histories.