Quenya is the Elvish language created by J.R.R. Tolkien that is associated with the Eldar and resembles Finnish.
Tolkien developed Quenya as part of his extensive linguistic work for the mythology of Middle-earth. Its sound patterns and grammar were influenced especially by Finnish, while other aspects drew on Latin and Greek. Quenya is presented as an ancient, prestigious language among the Elves rather than the everyday speech of all Elven communities.
In Tolkien’s histories, Quenya developed from an earlier language called Common Eldarin and was used by Elves connected with Valinor. It appears in names, poems, songs, and formal expressions throughout Tolkien’s writings. “Namárië,” Galadriel’s farewell song in The Lord of the Rings, is largely in Quenya.
Quenya is often confused with Sindarin, another major Elvish language. Sindarin became more widely spoken in Middle-earth, whereas Quenya had a more elevated and ceremonial role in much of the published narrative.