Quenya is the fictional language developed by J.R.R. Tolkien and associated with the High Elves.
Tolkien based Quenya chiefly on the sound and structure of Finnish, while also drawing on his broader knowledge of historical linguistics. In his mythology, Quenya is an ancient Elvish language connected especially with the Noldor and other Eldarin peoples who reached the Undying Lands.
By the time of The Lord of the Rings, Quenya is largely a language of lore and ceremony in Middle-earth rather than an everyday speech for most Elves. The poem “Namárië,” spoken by Galadriel, is the longest prominent example of Quenya in the novel.
Quenya is often confused with Sindarin, another major Elvish language. Sindarin is more commonly used in spoken dialogue by the Elves of Middle-earth, while Quenya carries a more formal, ancient, and high-cultural role in Tolkien’s linguistic history.