Quenya is the Elvish language associated with the High Elves in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
Tolkien developed Quenya as a highly structured language with phonology, grammar, vocabulary, and historical stages. Within the mythology, it is linked especially with the Noldor and Vanyar, Elves who lived in the blessed realm of Valinor.
Quenya was influenced by Tolkien’s interests in languages such as Finnish, Latin, and Greek. He also created related historical forms, including Common Eldarin and older stages of Elvish speech.
Quenya is often confused with Sindarin, another major Elvish language. Sindarin became the everyday language of many Elves in Middle-earth, while Quenya had a more formal, ancient, and ceremonial role. Tolkien’s Elvish languages were not merely collections of invented words; their histories helped shape the cultures and legends of his world.