Quenya is the high-elven tongue associated with Aman in J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium.
Tolkien modeled Quenya’s sound and structure partly on Finnish, while also developing it as part of a broader family of Elvish languages. In the mythology, it was used by the Eldar who reached Aman and remained a language of lore, ceremony, and tradition among many Elves. Its name is often translated as “speech” or connected with speaking.
Quenya is not the same as Sindarin. Sindarin became the everyday Elvish language of many Elves in Middle-earth, while Quenya had a more elevated and historical status. Tolkien created both languages with related histories, sound changes, and vocabularies rather than treating Elvish as one single language.
Other languages in the legendarium include Adûnaic, associated with Númenor, and Khuzdul, the secret language of the Dwarves. Quenya’s best-known forms include names such as Eärendil and Galadriel, though Tolkien’s linguistic notes continued to evolve throughout his life.