Quenya is the fictional Elvish language J.R.R. Tolkien developed for the Elves of Valinor.
Tolkien based Quenya’s sound and structure partly on Finnish, while also incorporating elements from his broader project of historical language invention. In Middle-earth, Quenya is associated especially with the High Elves and with the ancient cultural traditions of Valinor, the Blessed Realm.
Quenya is not the same as Sindarin. Sindarin became the everyday Elvish language of many Elves in Middle-earth, especially in Beleriand and later regions. Quenya remained a language of lore, ceremony, names, and formal speech in many contexts.
The word “Quenya” is commonly translated as “speech” or related to speaking. Tolkien continued revising his languages throughout his life, so published forms can reflect different stages of his linguistic ideas. This ongoing development is one reason Tolkien’s languages are studied as both fictional systems and creative works.