Quenya is the language J.R.R. Tolkien created for the Elves of Valinor in his mythology.
Tolkien based much of Quenya’s sound and structure on Finnish, while also developing it as part of a broader family of Elvish languages. In the history of Arda, Quenya was associated especially with the High Elves, including the Ñoldor and Vanyar, who lived in Valinor.
Sindarin is a related but distinct Elvish language. It became more widely used among Elves in Middle-earth, so readers sometimes confuse it with Quenya. Tolkien gave both languages grammar, vocabulary, historical development, and different social contexts.
Quenya appears in names, poems, inscriptions, and ceremonial expressions throughout Tolkien’s legendarium. Examples include Eärendil, Galadriel’s name Alatáriel, and the greeting “Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo.” Tolkien’s language invention was not merely a list of attractive words; it was a central foundation of his world-building.